Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

visitvenezia.eu

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 32 posts

Re: Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

#21

Post by Chris2048 »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #14
orthoxerox wrote: post #8

There are urine deflectors https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine_deflector all over Europe. Norwich in particular has a lot of them.

I'd rather effort was put into providing public toilets and urinals - public urination is the symptom of not enough facilities.

Shout out to Dublin, that closed all its Victorian public inner-city toilets b/c it couldn't be bothered to police them (much as it doesn't police ASB anywhere), shifting responsibility to local businesses, most of which are now "Toilets are for customers only" as a result..

Re: Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

#22

Post by AlecSchueler »

Chris2048 wrote: post #21
ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd rather effort was put into providing public toilets and urinals - public urination is the symptom of not enough facilities.

Shout out to Dublin, that closed all its Victorian public inner-city toilets b/c it couldn't be bothered to police them (much as it doesn't police ASB anywhere), shifting responsibility to local businesses, most of which are now "Toilets are for customers only" as a result..

In Belfast we had neither public toilets nor public bins for many years. Too easy to drop bombs into. No double decker buses either at the defusal robot couldn't climb stairs.

Re: Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

#23

Post by mhitza »

thih9 wrote: post #10
orthoxerox wrote: post #8

There are urine deflectors https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine_deflector all over Europe. Norwich in particular has a lot of them.

The article mentions that too, although as a secondary explanation for some reason. > it's said that the inclined casts of mortar also had the task to maintain a certain public decorum and therefore prevent Venetians from urinating in the corners of the calli.

I rather buy the idea that the secondary explanation is actually the primary reason. In the first picture you can clearly see such a structure in a corner that doesn't connect to any kind of street/alley. Thus, I personally, don't buy the primary reason. Of course, unless that specific spot was made much later in time.

Re: Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

#24

Post by hayst4ck »

spenczar5 wrote: post #2

I would to read more about this “crime saturated” period in Venice’s history. I don’t even know when it is! Any pointers?

If you go to a university's library, the librarians there are frequently quite good at least finding sources that can lead you to other sources if not directly answering your question. If all else fails, they can probably help you find an expert to e-mail.

I took the liberty of stalking you. I bet you if you e-mailed/visited either of the two people with "Italian Renaissance" here, they could probably directly help you answer your question: https://history.washington.edu/people/faculty

I spent a bit of time trying to answer that question (because I enjoy the exercise of it), and it looks like this would probably be an easier question for a speaker of Italian to answer.

I eventually found this book: https://www.lespressesdureel.com/EN/ouvrage.php?id=11065

The sample pages of that book suggest there is not very much authoritative information on them and I didn't see an earliest known date of construction of them.

https://www.venice-carnival.org/en/approfondimento/3/history...

That seems to suggest the middle of the 15th century is the answer to your question since the profession of codega appeared at the same time they were built according to the first article.

This seems to be relevant too: https://journals.openedition.org/chs/148?lang=en

Re: Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

#25

Post by hayst4ck »

maushu wrote: post #7

I always thought this was only to avoid public urination. I wonder if they added the anti-crime as PR excuse.

> I wonder if they added the anti-crime as PR excuse.

Having now done a bit more research than I care to admit to, this book, particularly the page 14 sample, suggests nuance rather than pretext, particularly that reduction of public urination was a secondary benefit that became a primary benefit after public lighting:

https://www.lespressesdureel.com/EN/ouvrage.php?id=11065

Re: Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

#26

Post by Mawr »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #14
orthoxerox wrote: post #8

There are urine deflectors https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine_deflector all over Europe. Norwich in particular has a lot of them.

I'd rather effort was put into providing public toilets and urinals - public urination is the symptom of not enough facilities.

Or even simpler - build more green spaces with grass, shrubbery and trees. Peeing on those is harmless and they provide other significant benefits as well.

Re: Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

#27

Post by spenczar5 »

hayst4ck wrote: post #24
spenczar5 wrote: post #2

I would to read more about this “crime saturated” period in Venice’s history. I don’t even know when it is! Any pointers?

If you go to a university's library, the librarians there are frequently quite good at least finding sources that can lead you to other sources if not directly answering your question. If all else fails, they can probably help you find an expert to e-mail. I took the liberty of stalking you. I bet you if you e-mailed/visited either of the two people with "Italian Renaissance" here, they could probably directly help y…

Wow, thanks for sharing the research!

Re: Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

#29

Post by bckr »

082349872349872 wrote: post #20
bckr wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you mean by XIX and XX? Thanks for the link to the caganer! Holy crap, that is amazing.

XIX: nineteenth century; XX: twentieth century; we're in the XXI now (even if we don't seem to be acting much like it) [nb. this notation is (without red ink?) unsuitable for dates before the Age of Pisces]

Is this some occultism thing?

Re: Anti-crime humps in medieval Venice

#30

Post by 082349872349872 »

bckr wrote: post #29
082349872349872 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

XIX: nineteenth century; XX: twentieth century; we're in the XXI now (even if we don't seem to be acting much like it) [nb. this notation is (without red ink?) unsuitable for dates before the Age of Pisces]

Is this some occultism thing?

Roman numerals denoting centuries is a historian thing.

I mentioned "Age of Pisces" just because it seriously annoys me that years go from 1 BC to 1 AD with no 0. (inspired by: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38761574 )

Post reply on HN