The 5 Biggest Poops In The World: From Viking Treasure To Blue Whale Blast

The quest for the "biggest poop in the world" leads not to a modern-day stunt, but to a 1,200-year-old archaeological marvel. As of December 18, 2025, the undisputed champion for the largest *fossilized human feces*—a specimen known as a coprolite—remains the infamous "Lloyds Bank Coprolite," a relic of the Viking Age that has become one of the most valuable pieces of excrement in history. This article delves deep into the record-breaking dimensions, the scientific analysis, and the fascinating stories behind the world's most massive stools, both ancient and modern, human and animal. The topic of record-breaking excrement, or paleoscatology, offers a unique window into the past, revealing the diet and health of our ancestors. The size of the Lloyds Bank Coprolite is a testament to the poor diet and severe intestinal blockage of its original producer, making it a truly unique and priceless artifact.

The Record-Breaking Artifact: Lloyds Bank Coprolite Discovery Profile

The largest known fossilized human feces is not attributed to a single person, but rather to an anonymous Viking male who lived in York, England, during the 9th century. The artifact's profile is a story of urban archaeology and scientific preservation.

• Official Name: Lloyds Bank Coprolite
• Nickname: The Viking Poo, The York Turd
• Type: Fossilized Human Feces (Coprolite)
• Dimensions: 20 centimeters (8 inches) long and 5 centimeters (2 inches) wide
• Age: Estimated to be around 1,200 years old (from the Viking Age, 9th Century)
• Discovery Date: 1972
• Discovery Location: Beneath the site of a future Lloyds Bank on Pavement in York, England.
• Discovering Organization: York Archaeological Trust (YAT)
• Key Paleoscatologist: Dr. Andrew Jones
• Current Location: Part of the collection at the Jorvik Viking Centre, York, England.
• Estimated Value: Appraised by Dr. Jones in 1991 as "as valuable as the Crown Jewels" for its scientific importance.

The Viking Who Dropped the Record: A Paleoscatological Analysis

The sheer scale of the Lloyds Bank Coprolite is what makes it a scientific treasure. Measuring a shocking eight inches long and two inches wide, it is the largest intact piece of ancient human feces ever recovered. Its preservation is due to the waterlogged, anaerobic (oxygen-free) conditions of the Viking settlement layer in York, which essentially pickled and fossilized the stool over a millennium. Analysis of the coprolite provided an astonishingly detailed look into the life and health of the Viking who produced it. The diet was primarily meat and bread, but the most alarming discovery was the presence of hundreds of parasitic whipworm and maw-worm eggs. This indicated that the Viking suffered from a massive intestinal parasite infestation, which likely contributed to the stool's enormous size and the man's poor health. Dr. Andrew Jones, a paleoscatologist who studied the specimen, famously remarked that the discovery was "the most exciting piece of excrement I've ever seen," highlighting its immense value to historical and medical research. The coprolite has had a storied history since its discovery. In 2003, it suffered a minor incident when it accidentally fell and broke into three pieces while on display at the Jorvik Viking Centre. Fortunately, conservation experts were able to meticulously repair the valuable artifact, ensuring its continued existence as the benchmark for record-breaking human excrement.

Beyond the Viking Poop: Other Record-Breaking Stools

While the Lloyds Bank Coprolite holds the human record, the title of the "biggest poop in the world" becomes more complex when considering the entire animal kingdom, both past and present. The following entities provide context for the sheer volume and size possible in the world of feces, pushing the boundaries of what is biologically possible.

1. The Blue Whale: Biggest Modern Animal Poop by Volume

The largest animal on Earth, the Blue Whale, naturally produces the largest bowel movements by volume. While precise measurements are incredibly difficult to obtain, it is estimated that a single Blue Whale can excrete up to 200 liters (52.8 gallons) of feces in one bowel movement. This massive expulsion is often described as a "poop cloud" that turns the surrounding water a vibrant, reddish-brown color—a testament to the whale's diet, which consists almost entirely of krill. The sheer scale of this output makes the Blue Whale the undisputed modern champion for the biggest single mass of excrement.

2. The Largest Carnivore Coprolite: Prehistoric Power

When looking at ancient, fossilized animal droppings, the record-holder for the largest known coprolite from a carnivore is a truly monstrous specimen. This prehistoric stool measures an astonishing 67.5 centimeters (2 feet 2.5 inches) long along its central axis. The size of the coprolite suggests it was produced by a massive prehistoric predator, possibly a Tyrannosaurus Rex or a similar large dinosaur. Paleontologists study these immense fossilized droppings to understand the diet and ecosystem of these extinct giants, much like Dr. Jones studied the Viking's diet.

3. The Lizard with the Record-Breaking Body-to-Poop Ratio

In a different measure of "biggest," a Florida lizard holds a grim record for the largest fecal mass *relative* to its body size. A deceased lizard was discovered with an intestinal blockage so severe that the mass of feces made up nearly 80% of the animal's total body weight. This tragic case, while not the largest in absolute terms, highlights a biological extreme. The record is not for the largest poop overall, but for the largest body-to-poop ratio ever recorded in an animal, showcasing the devastating effects of severe constipation.

The Science of Scat: Why Coprolites Matter

The study of fossilized feces, or paleoscatology, is a niche but vital field of archaeology and paleontology. It provides direct, irrefutable evidence of the diet, health, and environment of organisms that lived thousands or millions of years ago.

What We Learn from Ancient Stool

• Dietary Habits: The contents of coprolites, such as seeds, plant fibers, or bone fragments, reveal exactly what an organism ate. The Viking coprolite, for instance, showed a diet rich in meat and bread.
• Parasite Load: The presence of parasite eggs, like the whipworms found in the Lloyds Bank specimen, provides direct evidence of sanitation levels and health issues in ancient populations.
• Environmental Clues: Pollen and other microscopic material trapped in the feces can offer insights into the surrounding vegetation and climate of the time.
• Evolutionary Links: Analyzing dinosaur coprolites helps scientists understand the food chain and the roles of large predators and herbivores in prehistoric ecosystems.

The Lloyds Bank Coprolite is a powerful symbol of this science. Its continued study, even after being broken and repaired, reinforces its status as a "precious poop" that offers a tangible, if unusual, link to the daily life of a Viking settler over a millennium ago. The next time a record-breaking discovery is made, whether it is a modern human feat (which remains unverified by Guinness World Records) or an ancient find, it will be measured against the scientific and historical significance of the mighty Viking turd.