The History of the Dildo: From Ancient Times to Today
Today, dildos are everywhere and you can barely walk down the street without tripping over one. Well, maybe dildos are not that common but there are definitely loads of them! However, it is a common misconception that dildos are modern devices. In fact, dildos have a very long (pardon the pun!) history that stretches all the way back to cavemen and women during the Stone Age. That's right, despite their best efforts, archaeologists have failed to come up with a purpose for the penis-shaped prehistoric creations that they have simply named "ice age batons."
So how did the humble dildo gets its start? And has it faced any obstacles along its journey?
Let's find out!
The First Dildos
"Ice age batons" have been discovered in numerous archaeological sites across the world, from Europe to India. They are generally made from stone, bone, ivory and antler and are thought to be some of the oldest dildos ever created.
For years, archaeologists and historians tied themselves in knots attempting to come up with an explanation for these objects which didn't involve a good old self-care session. However, as sensibilities have got stronger, the veined designed, circumcised heads, and polished surfaces of many ice age batons have led to the conclusion that these objects were indeed used for sexual pleasure!
The Rise of Dildos in Ancient Europe
In ancient Greece, dildos were a common sight. Carved from wood and made from leather, olive oil, beeswax and other materials, these objects were used both by men and women as a form of self-pleasure.
Another popular way to construct dildos in ancient Greece was to raid your larder (we all love mixing food with sex after all!) One common type of homemade dildo was the Olisbokollix, a DIY sex toy made entirely from bread with images of these bonking baguettes found in ancient vase paintings and sculptures from the time.
Dildos even make an appearance in the play Lysistrata by the legendary ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, when Greek women decide to go on a sex strike in order to put an end to the Peloponnesian War. In the play, one woman suggests that they use dildos in order to satisfy their urges until their men agree to stop fighting.
Dildos in Ancient China
While the Greeks were fashioning humble dildos from anything they could find around the house, the outrageous wealth of the Han Dynasty in China from 206 B.C. - 220 A.D, meant that their dildos were a little more luxurious.
We know this because of the burial objects found in Royal Han Dynasty tombs. The Hans believed that their spirits would live on in their tombs for eternity so they buried everything they needed for a comfortable, pleasurable afterlife. This included the regular burial items you would expect in a royal tomb such as food, utensils and furniture but also a selection of dildos, butt plugs and strap-ons made from bronze and precious jade.
Was it all Plain Sailing for the Dildo?
Sadly no. Fast forward 1,500 years to Medieval Europe and dildos had become something of a taboo. This can be attributed to the new Christian moral code which was sweeping across Europe at the time. The Church did not take kindly to dildos or any other form of pleasurable self-love, and soon they were completely outlawed.
Of course, that didn't stop people from making their own and in England, France and Italy during the 16th and 17th centuries, homemade dildos were made from materials such as wood, leather and glass. In fact, an 18th-century ivory dildo was even discovered hidden in a French convent which brings a whole new meaning to sexy nun cosplay!
Dildos in Ancient Japan
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Japanese had a far more open attitude towards sex (anyone who has ever watched Japanese porn will know how wild they can get.) and during the Edo-Period, depictions of dildos and other sex toys were common in artworks called "shunga". Interestingly, it is the women in shunga who take the lead role in sexual exploits and flourished their dildos with the appropriate aplomb. Sadly, shunga was ultimately banned but it continued to be produced and enjoyed through the black market on a massive scale and is still popular today.
The Modern Dildo
During the 60s and 70s, rubber was used as the primary material for dildos however but it wasn't ideal as washing the toys in hot water would cause the rubber to melt. These dildos were also sold exclusively to heterosexual couples who were dealing with erectile dysfunction or other performance issues.
Then, in the early '70s, Gosnell Duncan created the first silicone dildos after being involved in a truck accident which left him completely paralysed from the waist down. This inspired Duncan to help other people with disabilities by creating a sex toy that they could use as a safe and pleasurable penis replacement.
Duncan's invention was so good, however, that pretty soon, everyone wanted one. Since then, advancements in the materials and design of dildos have been constant, opening up endless new possibilities for pleasure and performance enhancement.
Today, there is a huge range of different dildo styles and materials to choose from including glass, metal, realistic silicone and even vibrating dildos. Whether they are better than the real thing is, of course, down to personal preference but one thing is for sure, dildos have taken over the world!
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