There are some things in our society that are so basic, so integral to our lives that we cannot imagine going without. We do not even think about them until we run out. Toilet paper is one of these items. Since 1857, when toilet paper first became commercially available, we have used it to cleanse after using the bathroom. This begs the question; what did people use to clean themselves before toilet paper? This work will provide an overview of what people used to cleanse themselves after defecating in Rome, China, Japan, India, the Islamic states and various areas of Europe between 400 C.E. and 1600 C.E. We…