It turns out the history of sex toys goes back much further than most people realise. You may have seen on the news recently that a 2000-year-old dildo was found. Well, technically it had been found years ago, but the poor soul cataloguing it decided it was a darning tool. Which is either extremely optimistic or suggests they had never seen a penis before.
Either way, it got me thinking about how long humans have actually been using sex toys. Because while modern toys come with USB chargers, Bluetooth apps and more settings than a washing machine, the basic idea is definitely not new.
The History of Sex Toys: Much Older Than You Think
There is evidence of sex toys dating back thousands of years. Obviously they didn’t have rechargeable batteries or air-pulse technology, but humans have always been creative when it comes to finding ways to get their rocks off.
From ancient civilisations to modern times, sex toys have been used for pleasure, fertility, and occasionally under the extremely thin disguise of “medical treatment.”
Ancient Sex Toys
The earliest evidence of sex toys comes from ancient civilisations including Egypt, Greece and Rome. Archaeologists have discovered phallic objects made from materials such as stone, wood, leather and even ivory.
These weren’t exactly subtle. Ancient Greeks in particular seemed quite fond of carving penises into basically anything that would hold still long enough, and the Romans weren’t exactly shy about celebrating fertility either.
Some historians believe these objects were used for sexual pleasure, while others think they may have been connected to fertility rituals or religious ceremonies. Personally, if you carve something into the shape of a penis and keep it in your bedroom, I think we can probably all guess what it was for.
The Middle Ages and Renaissance
During the Middle Ages things got a little more… discreet. Religious attitudes towards sex became stricter in many parts of Europe, which meant that anything remotely connected to pleasure tended to be hidden away or not talked about at all.
That doesn’t mean sex toys disappeared entirely though. Historical records still show devices and tools being used for stimulation or fertility purposes, although they were often described in far more respectable terms. Much like that Roman “darning tool.”
Victorian Vibrators and “Medical Treatments”
Things took a particularly strange turn in the 18th and 19th centuries when doctors began using early vibrators to treat a condition known as “female hysteria.”
This supposed medical condition was blamed for symptoms including anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness and basically anything else doctors didn’t feel like explaining properly. The treatment involved stimulating the patient until they experienced what physicians politely referred to as a “paroxysm.”
In modern language, that’s called an orgasm.
The first electric vibrator was invented in the late 1800s by British physician Joseph Mortimer Granville. It was technically designed as a medical device, but it didn’t take long before people realised it was rather good at… other things.
The 20th Century: Sex Toys Go Mainstream
By the early 20th century, vibrators and other sex toys were becoming more widely available, often sold through mail-order catalogues disguised as “personal massagers.”
The sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s helped change attitudes even further. Sex toys slowly became less taboo, and manufacturers started developing products specifically designed for pleasure rather than pretending they were medical equipment.
This era also saw the introduction of silicone as a safer material for toys. Compared to earlier materials, silicone is non-porous, durable and much easier to clean, which is why many modern toys are still made from it today.
(If you’re curious about which materials are actually safe, you can read more about the best materials for sex toys here.)
Modern Sex Toys: How They Evolved
Today’s sex toys look a little different from carved stone dildos and Victorian medical devices. Modern toys are made from body-safe silicone, stainless steel and glass, and many are rechargeable, waterproof and whisper-quiet.
There are now toys designed for just about every preference imaginable, including clitoral stimulators, rabbit vibrators, remote-controlled couples toys and even app-connected devices you can control from the other side of the planet.
Human ingenuity, it turns out, really shines when it comes to sex.
From Ancient Dildos to Modern Sex Toys
Thankfully, modern sex toys have come a long way since carved stone and suspicious Roman “darning tools.”
Today’s toys are made from body-safe materials like silicone and stainless steel, and many are rechargeable, waterproof and surprisingly quiet.
If you’re curious what modern sex toys are actually like to use, you can check out some of our reviews:
- Our guide to the best sex toys for beginners
- A review of the popular Satisfyer Pro 2 clitoral suction toy
- The Lovehoney Magic Wand vibrator review
Modern toys might be a bit more high-tech than their ancient ancestors, but the goal hasn’t really changed much.
People have always been inventive when it comes to pleasure.
The only real difference today is that modern toys are rechargeable, waterproof, and slightly less likely to be mistaken for sewing equipment in a museum catalogue.
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