ABSTRACT
The latrines of the hospital of the Order of St John at Acre have been excavated by the Israel Antiquity Authority. They are located in the north-west of the complex and were built from stone at the end of the twelfth century, after the recovery of the city during the Third Crusade. The study of the soil from the latrines of the hospital of St John in thirteenth-century Acre has demonstrated a wealth of information that can be viewed from a number of levels. Latrine soil can also be used to determine the kinds of plants that surrounded Frankish settlements. Analysis of appropriate samples can determine if the local plants were crops, wasteland, or woodland, and can also identify the types of plant present. Bioarchaeology is the study of living organisms in the past through the process of archaeological excavation. Classic finds of this type include human bones from cemeteries and seeds charred by the cooking fire.
