• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제59권4호
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• pp.393-397
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• 2021

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.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제61권2호
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• pp.198-201
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• 2023

In the past decade, experts have conducted parasitological research on archaeological specimens in Korea to collect historical parasite infection data. In these studies, parasitologists successfully described the infection pattern of each parasite species in history. However, in the first half of the 20th century, archaeoparasitological reports have been scant. In 2021, we conducted a parasitological examination of a toilet-like structure that emerged in the early 20th century. This structure was built by stacking 2 wooden barrels; and in the study samples, we found ancient Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides (unfertilized), and Taenia spp. eggs and therefore proposed a higher possibility that the barrels could have been used as a toilet at the time. To understand how the antihelminthic campaign since the 1960s helped reduce parasite infection rates in Korea, more research should focus on early-20th-century toilet ruins.

• 헤리티지:역사와 과학
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• 제37권
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• pp.309-326
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• 2004

유적지의 발굴 현장에서 고대인의 삶과 동일시대에 존재했던 토양을 이용하여 유기 화학적 방법을 통한 잔존 지방산 분석과 현미경 관찰로 기생충 충란과 화분의 분석, 그리고 고대 미생물의 유전자 분석을 수행 할 수 있다. 지방산 분석은 인간과 동물의 부산물을 규명할 수 있어 고대 화장실 문화의 복원을 위해 유용하게 사용되어지고 있다. 유기 화학적으로 TLC와 GC-MS 방법을 이용하여 고대 식생활과 영양원을 확인 할 수 있다. 고대 토양의 현미경 관찰로는 기생충의 충란과 화분을 확인 할 수 있는데, 기생충의 확인을 통해 과거 인류의 질병을 유추 할 수 있으며, 화분은 고대 인류 거주지 주변의 환경을 간접적으로 확인 및 복원이 가능하다. 또한 유전자 분석을 통하여 유적지 토양에 존재하는 고대 생명체의 유전적 다양성과 변화 양상을 확인 할 수 있으며, 멸종된 생명체의 유전자 보존에도 중요한 역할을 수행할 것이다. 유기화학, 토양학, 미생물학, 분자 생물학, 유전학과 같은 자연과학적 방법을 이용하여 고고학적 발굴지의 토양을 분석한다면 기존에 해석하기 힘들었거나 간과하였던 부분을 재해석과 이해를 돕는데 상당한 도움이 될 것이다. 또한 생물 종 다양성과 고대 인류의 기원과 생활문화를 이해하는데도 중요한 역할을 수행하리라 생각된다.

• 보존과학연구
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• 통권25호
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• pp.31-45
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• 2004

The archeological remains usually exist in some excavated ancient soils. The ancients oils are buried in underground with the environmental, biological and social facts for circumstantial evidence at past times. Consequently, it is very important thing to carry out scientific analysis of the ancient soils side by side with archeological study. In this study, we accumulated some basic data for scientific analysis of 5 kinds of ancient soils excavated at Wanggung-ri, Iksan city. So we obtained some characterizations of organic chemical source, ancient parasite egg, and some seeds in the soils. The organic sources showed the content of high organic material as 7~22%, and strong acidic condition as pH 2~6. It is indicated that Wanggung-ri soils have included so many organic materials from the degradation of biological remains. Most of all, we searched a lot of eggs of parasite Trichuris trichiura and so it is possible that this area had been a ancient toilet at that times. The more scientific analysis of the soils will be showed us about the utility of the area, ancient dietary life style, ancient environment and ancient human diseases.