A Brief History of Sex Toys
Contrary to popular belief our pursuit of sex is not a modern condition. Sure, how could it be? As long as there’s been humans, there’s been sex to make more humans - it’s literally how we all got here! But don’t start thinking that sex has always been for perfunctory baby-making purposes either - as long as humans have existed, we’ve been relentlessly pursuing pleasure both alone and with a partner. So while our buzzing, silicone friends may look like a marker of the modern day, sex toys are in fact nothing new.
Humans invented dildos long before we invented the wheel - it’s estimated around 30,000 years ago. You can spot dildos being used in both Ancient Greek pottery and old Japanese art. Phallic polished stone objects have also been found in caves dating back to 28,000 B.C. When these artifacts were found initially, archaeologists were very keen to write them off as tools to sharpen blades, but it soon became apparent from the level of detail put into each different tool found (we’re talking a large variety in piercings, foreskins, veins etc.) that our ancient ancestors were not using these for purely practical purposes.They were literally getting their rocks off. Obviously they had their priorities well in check!
The Victorians created the first ever vibrators (that we’re sure of - there are some myths about ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra using a box of angry bees for this purpose. Ouch.) They were steam powered and used as a medical instrument for the treatment of pain relief and various other ailments. One such ailment was ‘female hysteria’. Symptoms included recurrent sexual fantasy, ‘pelvic heaviness’ and excessive lubrication - which sounds a lot like Victorian for horny to us. The local doctor was then called to provide the women with relief through ‘paroxysm’ (orgasm) using both their hands and their new steam powered vibrators. Unfortunately for the women due to the number of repeat appointments, it seems the condition was a chronic one.
For the next hundred years or so, ‘vibrating massagers’ were sold in the backs of magazines and in catalogues for their supposed health and beauty benefits. The ads for these products were loaded with innuendo and slightly more sexualised than the other ads of the time, but just innocuous enough that they wouldn’t be noticed by the average consumer. Rubber dildos did exist, but they were sold solely as medical aids to straight couples experiencing ‘marriage difficulties’. It wasn’t until the 1970’s, in the middle of the sexual revolution, that the first ever silicone dildo finally emerged. It changed the sex toy landscape forever - and ultimately lead you, dear reader, right here to browsing a sex toy blog on PlayBlue.ie in 2019.
So there you go. We went from a society that was so sexually liberated that they literally painted dildos on vases, to one that felt the need to hide their sexual urges behind medical conditions, to one where you can order adult toys online in a discreet box right to your door the very next day. Why not have a look at some of our range? It’ll save you whittling one out of stone.