The history of sex toys

History of erotic toys (part I.)

People are searching for pleasure everywhere. They find it in food, drinks and also in bed. We associate bed games with couples' play. However, the interest in the use of erotic toys during masturbation is increasing. Since most people still associate them only with the modern age, I decided to summarize the very rich and, at the same time, a very long history of erotic toys.

Pre-ancient times and Antiquity

People started making sex toys before they even invented the alphabet, about thirty thousand years ago. The first evidence that a caveman was making sex toys for satisfying his kinky needs was discovered in a cave in Ulm, Germany. The first dildo was carved out of stone, 20 centimeters long and 3 centimeters wide. Even so, some are still not convinced that these objects served for sexual pleasure, but were used in religious rituals and as a tool in tool making. Besides the first German dildo, phallic objects from the area of ​​Eurasia at the time suggest both; they used them to satisfy sexual needs and were also known as tools in the ritual deflowering of girls.

Although pre-ancient times are veiled in mystery regarding phallic products, we can say that the Greeks used them precisely to satisfy their sexual needs. These items were called olisboi. They were made of soft leather and filled with wool. Before use, they even greased them with olive oil, which is still considered a good lubricant today. Besides the word olisbos, the Greeks also called phallic objects a "toy." The use of dildos in masturbation is evidenced by the Aristophanes comedy Lysistrata too, in which women are protesting with phallic objects against the Peloponnesian War. In this comedy, the city Milet is considered to be a significant importer of dildos. Other Greek writers have likewise written about how women used olisbos to help them during masturbation. Interestingly, such pleasure was not only allowed for the gods but also the people.

There is less known about the use of phallic objects as pleasure-seekers in the Roman Empire, but it is known that they used them in the ritual of deflowering. Some scholars suggest that the Romans and Greeks used these objects as sexual toys and were primarily intended for women's pleasure. In their assumption, they relied on the fact that Julius Caesar gave Cleopatra a golden phallic object. 

At the same time, in the Middle East, they appear to have been much more open about using sex toys. The scientists discovered twelve thousand-year-old phallic objects made of wood, jade, and marble in China. Even aristocracy used them - seven bronze dildos were found in the Han Dynasty tomb. They are also mentioned in the Kama Sutra, where writers advise men to use artificial penises to satisfy women. 

Between Antiquity and Modern age

In the Middle Ages, the use of dildos spread throughout Europe and Asia. Scientists believe that besides sophisticated and ornate phallic objects, women also used fruits and vegetables to satisfy the tingling feeling between their legs. Toys were very useful in orgies too. XII. century knows two words for the dildo: the French “Godemiche” and the Italian “diletto”. In the literature, more frequent records of phallic objects appear in XVI. century, including the opus of Italian novelist Pietro Arentino and the poet Thomas Nashe. In one of his poems, a woman complains about men and praises dildos.

The excitement over phallic objects was at its peak in Europe at the time, so ambitious Italians began to export them. However, since the use of sex toys in many people's eyes was controversial, they were seized by customs and destroyed. Of course, women wouldn't be women if they didn't start making them themselves. Because of that, they have been repeatedly punished, especially in the UK.

When the male population in Europe was trembling with fear of dildos, the Japanese respected them and recognized their playfulness, as their name suggests - warai-dogu funny thing). They were aware of the needs of women and began to make differently designed erotic accessories. The most famous ones are ben wa balls. They were usually sold in pairs and were made of silver or brass. The first ball was hollow, and the second was filled with mercury. The movement caused the balls to hit each other, causing vibrations inside the vagina.

For thousands of years, humans have been able to take care of our pleasure. According to existing sources, it may have been highly respected already in the Iron Age but was described later by the Greeks. Even centuries later, people have passionately used erotic toys to satisfy sexual needs. For the last three centuries, especially in America, the use and sale of erotic toys have been highly regulated, but this has not stopped some people who brought the use of toys to its peak.

To be continued!