The “Urinal Shelf” at Casa Campanile
For many years, we’ve wondered about the function of the random shelves around Montemigiano - postulating perhaps they were for feeding birds, cooling pies, or growing herbs. Turns out, they were probably urinal shelves!
The urinal shelf: A piece of history in old mountain houses!....
In ancient mountain homes, it was common to find a protruding stone shelf near the bedroom window, above the "ciappazò" (window sill). This shelf, made of local serpentine, housed the urinal in times when toilets were located outside the homes. In the past, reaching the bathroom meant dealing with snow, mud or rain, making this shelf a practical and indispensable solution.
Today, with modern internal bathrooms, often double and well furnished, we forget about the difficulties of the past. Once upon a time, leaving the house to use the toilet was an inconvenience, especially for the elderly and sick. The urinal shelf, with its ceramic or enameled steel chamber pot, was a response to these needs, allowing you to maintain nighttime hygiene without having to go outside.
With the arrival of running water in homes, even in rural areas, the old external latrines have disappeared and with them the use of shelves for urinals. However, it is important to preserve these shelves during the restoration of ancient mountain homes. They represent a piece of history and culture, once black and white with few comforts but great adaptability.
Today, those shelves often host terracotta vases full of colorful flowers, a symbol of a past that should not be forgotten and of an ingenuity that knew how to adapt to the needs of the time.