Archaeologists have excavated a perfectly preserved wood-and-wax notebook in a leather satchel from a medieval latrine in Germany. The 10-page notebook, which features Latin cursive writing, was likely dropped by a medieval merchant nearly 800 years ago — possibly while he was wiping with silk toilet paper.
The book and satchel were discovered in the northern German city of Paderborn during construction for a new building, according to a May 12 translated statement from the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL). Archaeologists excavated five medieval latrines that were sealed and airtight, which preserved a number of organic artifacts that would have decomposed otherwise.
