Famous “Dung Chair” in the #VaticanMuseums, the original use of which has been much debated by scholars.

It was probably used as a toilet in antiquity by members of the Roman imperial family or by the emperors themselves, since by law nobody but members of the imperial household were permitted to own or buy porphyry objects.

Porphyry was an extremely costly material, chosen for its extreme hardness and similarity in color to the famed Tyrian purple dye, which was also exclusively used by the imperial house.

All imperial porphyry was imported from a single quarry in Egypt.
This chair, along with a similar one, was used by the popes as the throne during the ceremony of taking possession of the cattedra (throne) in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

The chair was popularly associated with the ***legendary*** female Pope Joan who would reign in the year 853/855.

Legend has it that, to avoid a repeat of the election of a woman, each new pope was subjected to a thorough examination while sitting on this chair to make sure it was not a woman disguised.