Abstract
Although research conducted in East Asia has uncovered parasite eggs from ancient toilets or cesspits, data accumulated to date needs to be supplemented by more archaeoparasitological studies. We examined a total of 21 soil samples from a toilet-like structure at the Hwajisan site, a Baekje-period royal villa, in present-day Korea. At least 4 species of helminth eggs, i.e., Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, Clonorchis sinensis, and Trichuris sp. (or Trichuris vulpis) were detected in 3 sediment samples of the structure that was likely a toilet used by Baekje nobles. The eggs of T. trichiura were found in all 3 samples (no. 1, 4, and 5); and A. lumbricoides eggs were detected in 2 samples (no. 4 and 5). C. sinensis and T. vulpis-like eggs were found in no. 5 sample. From the findings of this study, we can suppose that the soil-transmitted helminths were prevalent in ancient Korean people, including the nobles of Baekje Kingdom during the 5th to 7th century.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 393-397 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Korean Journal of Parasitology |
Volume | 59 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021, Korean Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine.
Keywords
- Ancient kingdom
- Ascaris lumbricoides
- Baekje
- Clonorchis sinensis
- Flush toilet
- Paleoparasitology
- Parasite egg
- Trichuris trichiura