Old dildo? Archaeological find puzzles

Bones, tools, jewelry – archaeologists keep finding remnants of human history during their excavations. The finds allow us to understand how our ancestors lived. But sometimes they also pose riddles.

In 1992, researchers found a carved piece of wood in the remains of the Roman fort at Vindolanda in northern England, a former Roman military camp. Archaeologists Rob Collins of Newcastle University and Rob Sands of University College Dublin have now re-examined the 1,800-year-old find.

The scientists published their findings in the journal Antiquity. It is not yet clear what the strange find was used for. Is it a pestle, part of a statue or – an antique dildo? At least that’s what the appearance of the phallic object suggests.

The researchers who excavated the relic more than 30 years ago initially suspected it to be a tool for stopping textiles. They came to that conclusion when it was found with items such as trimmed pieces of leather, spindles, knives and other tools.

But Collins and Sands see it differently. According to the researchers, it is a “non-miniature disembodied carved wooden phallus” with a prominent glans. 3D scans show that the tip and thicker end of the 16 centimeter long object are more worn than the center. This could also be determined by feeling.

The archaeologists put forward three propositions for the possible use of the find. For example, the phallus may have been part of a statue with an erect penis. This is typical of depictions of the god Priapus. However, this would not explain the wear of the object.

Perhaps the mysterious find is also a pestle for stirring cosmetic or medicinal substances, as the researchers suspect. This would also solve the problem of wear and tear. Due to the shape of the penis, there could be a connection with fertility. In ancient times, phallic symbols were also used to ward off evil forces.

The researchers’ third theory is probably the most obvious – if you look at the exterior of the find. Because it might just be an antique sex toy. There are many images from ancient Rome and Greece showing the use of dildos. However, there are only a few finds, as they are mostly made of organic materials.

The traces of use could support the dildo position, but little is known about the traces of use on such utensils, according to the archaeologists. One thing is clear, though: as wood shrinks over the centuries, the phallic object was once larger than it is today.

(t-online, lhe)