Before the invention of toilet paper, people had some rather interesting alternatives for dealing with post - pooping situations.

Leaves were a common choice.  Just imagine going out into the woods, carefully selecting the softest and least prickly ones.  It's like nature's own roll of TP, but you had to beware of poison ivy or those pesky bugs that might be lurking.  You know, sometimes you might end up with a little more than you bargained for - like an itchy butt or a strange bug crawling around where it shouldn't!

Another option was corn cobs.  Now, that's a rough one!  It's like using a mini club to clean up.  You can almost hear the people of the old days going "Ouch!" as they used these makeshift tools.  It must have been a real adventure in personal hygiene.

Sea sponges were also in the game.  They were the fancy, reusable option for the ancient Romans.  But think about it, sharing a sponge with your whole family or neighborhood?  That's a whole new level of "intimacy" that we're probably glad we don't have to experience today.

So, next time you use your nice, soft toilet paper, be thankful that we've come a long way from leaves, corn cobs, and shared sponges!