when in Rome…

Peculiar object found at a 2,000-year-old Roman fort might actually be ancient sex toy

Marble busts of Roman emperor Hadrian and his lover Antinous
Marble busts of Roman emperor Hadrian and his lover Antinous (Photo: Carole Raddato/Wikimedia Commons)

Experts believe a wooden artifact discovered at an old Roman fort in northern England might be an ancient sex toy.

The 6.3-inch phallus-shaped object was actually discovered 30 years ago at the remains of the Vindolanda Roman fort, near Hadrian’s Wall. However, at the time it was believed to be a darning tool. It was unearthed amongst a collection of shoes and dress accessories.

The Roman-era wooden phallus
(Photo: Vindolanda Trust)

The object was recently re-analyzed. Antiquity experts at Newcastle University and University College Dublin now think the object, which dates back to the second century AD, potentially had a sexual use.

They note that “stone and metal phalli” were quite common across the Roman world. Incorporated into mosaics, pendants and ceramics, people thought they possessed magical properties or the power to ward off evil spirits.

However, this is the first wooden phallus identified. Conditions at this particular location were ideal for the preservation of wooden objects. Organic materials tended to rot away at other sites.

Dr. Rob Collins, one of the authors of the study, told the Daily Mail: “If the object is a sex toy, we believe it could be the oldest example from Britain.”

He notes the object is “carved from young ash roundwood, with a wide, cylindrical base bearing a convex end, narrower shaft and a terminal shaped to depict the glans.”

It’s possible the item has shrunk slightly during its years buried, so it may have originally been slightly larger.

The smoothness and polished appearance of certain parts of the phallus suggest ways in which it was handled or rubbed.

What was it used for?

The new analysis suggests three potential uses for the object. Researchers say it could have been inserted into a stone monolith or statue and acted as a “helm”. This is sort of lucky talisman that people touched for good luck. However, no such statue or monolith remains at the fort.

The convex shape of the base is reminiscent of a pestle used to grind plants or medicines.

The third suggestion is that it was a sexual implement. Whether this was for pleasure or punishment is open to debate. There are plenty of records of sexual violence between slaves and owners in Roman literature.

The experts say that there is scant evidence of sex toys going back more than a couple of hundred years. However, this could be due to such items perishing over the centuries. Previous archaeologists and museum curators might also have censored such finds.

Items believed to be ancient dildos have been discovered in China. Crafted from wood and ivory, they also showed distinctive polishing on the glans. However, they date back to the 6th and 7th centuries AD. This Roman-era item predates those.

The Vindolanda Fort site in Northumberland, England (Photo: The Vindolanda Trust)

“Wooden objects would have been commonplace in the ancient world, but only survive in very particular conditions—in northern Europe normally in dark, damp, and oxygen-free deposits,” said the study’s co-author, Dr. Rob Sands. “So, the Vindolanda phallus is an extremely rare survival.”

The phallus will now go on display in the Vindolanda Museum in Northumberland.

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