There’s a history to everything. This also includes your favorite sex toy you enjoy so much today. With the help of modern researchers, the history of sex toys goes way back. Yes, we are talking about a couple of millenniums back.
A recent study found phalluses (objects that resemble erect penises FYI) dating some 28000 years ago. These ancient penises, aka sex toys, were made out of the materials such as wood, stone, camel dung, and to our surprise, bread! Obviously, our ancestors did not have the luxury of body-safe and modern materials to make sex toys back in the day. Intriguing, isn’t it!?
It feels almost unreal to think that our ancestors were this kinky, but the truth is, they were! So, if you want to take a quick look into the dramatic past of sex toys in the world, then stick to this article to find out some bizarre facts!
Ancient societies and their dildos!
If there’s anything the ancient societies loved, it’s probably their dildos. Almost every ancient society has proof to dildo-like objects, aka phalluses, in the archeological world. While some shreds of evidence suggest that people of the day used them for sexual enhancement, others suggest that they were merely ritualistic objects.
Ancient Egypt
Egyptians were probably a kinky bunch, with references to their wooden dildos. However, their paintings tell us another story, that women used them for ceremonial purposes and not for sexual pleasure. This means that these wooden dildos were mere gifts to their fertility gods. However, we will never know the true purpose of these dildos! Wink wink!
Ancient Greece
Remember the bread talk we had earlier? Yeah, it was the ancient Greeks who practiced sexual acts with a loaf of bread up in their private areas. Ancient Greeks weren’t shy about their sexuality, with murals depicting explicit sexual acts. Did you know that Greeks also had at least eight different words to refer to a dildo!?
Apart from their epic dildo game, the ancient Greeks also mastered anal sex. The researchers suggest that the Greeks used olive oil as a lubricant when engaging in anal sex with dildos. However, ancient Greeks also believed olive oil was a natural contraceptive.
Ancient China
The ancient Chinese were a different breed, sexually speaking! Modern archeological findings suggest that there were phallus-like objects inserted into the dead. This was to shoo away the evil spirits and protect the “Chi” (The natural energy that flows through everything) within. The ancient Chinese used jade dildos and butt plugs for this purpose. Whether they used these for the sexual pleasure of living beings is still a mystery.
Ancient India
You probably have heard of the ancient text of the Kamasutra from India. In fact, the book has a separate chapter explaining the sexual pleasures you can gain from the ‘sex toys’ of the day. These toys were made from materials like gold, silver, wood, copper, and ivory. 4
Apart from their much-loved dildos, the book also references the use of ‘sex dolls.’ Did you know that this is the oldest evidence of using sex dolls? Penis extensions were a thing in ancient India that acted as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. If you cannot imagine what a penis extension is, just imagine a modern strap-on!
Ancient Romans
Fun fact, the brides of ancient Rome did not lose their virginity to their husbands but to a divinely symbolic dildo! As crazy and bizarre as it sounds, it was a ritual ancient Romans followed before the real wedding night with the bride and groom. Here, the concept was that the maiden lost her virginity to god. The dildos were popular within the Roman Empire, with frescoes and mosaics depicting their use of them in that day and age.
All about medieval sex toys!
Now that you know all you need to know about ancient sex toys, it’s time to quickly visit the history of medieval sex toys. In Christian society, any object related to sex was considered devilish, aka diabolical. Masturbating was a sin, and so was lesbian sex. The religious texts and the literary texts of the day question the use of dildos, showing that dildos did not die down even with their diabolical perspective of them.
Renaissance sex toys?
The reference to the modern-day dildo comes from this age. The use of dildos was so liberated in this era that even poets took a turn explaining their use. All in all, the renaissance age was a time that enjoyed the use of sex toys to the maximum.
19th and the 20th
If you dive back to the 19th and 20th centuries, you can see that the vibrator was invented at this age. However, we assure you that it was not for the reasons you think. The vibrator was invented as a medical device that treated hysteric patients with an orgasm to calm them down. Yes, things were crazy back then!
By the 20th century, there were different brands of vibrators developed for sexual activities; at the same time, jelly lubricants and rubber latex was invented, making sex toys a whole lot better. By the end of the 20th century, the sex toy industry was fully commercialized, with the invention of different types of sex toys with body-safe materials.
Bottomline
It’s quite bizarre to think of the sex lives of our ancestors, and especially the sex toys out of all that! However, the history of sex toys in humanity is rich, which showcases the creative minds and the freedom of sexual expression of the day. Knowing the history of sex toys will not get you a medal (Maybe it will! Who knows?), but it will certainly shape our lives and how we view the sex toy industry today.
