405_April_24

WHICH TERM DO YOU PREFER ‘DIVER’ OR ‘URINATOR’? I certainly know which term I prefer to be addressed as! Yes, call me a diver, any day! Whilst researching diving history, there have been many occasions when I have been surprised by the events of the ancient past and the bravery and naivety of those who endeavoured to submerge and explore the underwater world from

the beginning of history.

But the ancient Roman term of ‘ urinator ’ instead of diver, surely takes the biscuit for the weirdest reference I have ever come across, during many years of historical diving research. The now obsolete noun ‘urinator’ was the ancient Latin term for “ one who dives under water for something ” - Etymology being listed as: Latin, from ‘ urinary ’ to plunge underwater + ator . Don’t believe me? Google it. The Romans used the term urinator to describe those persons who swam by diving (that is, they had a natural ability, capacious lungs, and they took a long breath), or to those who applied instruments to the art,

such as a crude diving bell. In their day, urinators were considered useful warriors during a sea battle, or in large rivers, as they were skilled in the art of approaching ships and drilling holes in them, or cutting their anchor cables. After battles, they were also capable of retrieving treasures from the water, such as sunken cannons, vessels, or other items. It was reported in ancient texts that the Venetians were specialists in the field of diving, training both adults and children in the art of under water swimming. Ancient texts also indicate that the urinators had “ elaborate bags with glasses for the eyes, and a

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DIVE LOG Australasia #405 - April ‘24

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