SEXUAL LIFE IN ANCIENT AGES – PART 2

Number and diversity of Aphrodisiacs used by old nations is amazing. Not they have used only Aphrodisiacs, but they had sexual equipment, contraceptives for both sexes and help books. As much as we think we are more advanced then Ancient were, they could still compete with us with their imagination, practices, liberal thinking and open mindedness towards life.


Ibn Battuta, 14th st., traveler and aficionado of Maldivian cuisine based on fish and coconut milk lived on Maldives for a year and half because of food "and few other things". As per his notes, food is what made local men great and durable lovers. And him as well!
Maybe Ibn Batuta's notes were not just pure imagination. Roman writer Apuleius was accused by competitors for using black magic to gain the attention and seduce a wealthy widow by feeding her with shellfish. It seemed she was very pleased with the menu.

Those who like to experiment are welcome to use some ideas from huge collection of notes about aphrodisiacs made by Ancient Greeks and Romans. Or just try to find somebody who makes Chinese recipes for four seasons...

Mandrake or Mandragora

The most known Aphrodisiac plant is Mandrake or Mandragora which reputedly has and fertility enhancing properties. It's still used today because mandrakes contain hallucinogenic alkaloids and shape of their roots often resemble human figures, so they have been associated with a variety of superstitious practices throughout the history. Literally translation meaning "love plant" (Mandrake) occur in the Bible, in both Genesis 30:14 and Song of Solomon 7:13. Another suggested plant which looks similar to the mandrake root and reputedly has fertility enhancing properties is ginseng. It can be used as aphrodisiac, stimulant and for sexual dysfunction.

Taken from scientific side, the most effective seems to be recipe from Kama Sutra, made out of white dates, hot pepper, black pepper and honey. A paste made out of mentioned ingredients man puts on his phallus just before intercourse. 

A woman with a dildo. Red figure amphora attributed to the Flying-Angel Painter c. 490 BC; City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts

After you have taken aphrodisiac and discovered you man has gone, you would need... hmmm, replacement. 

The oldest proofs of dildo existence comes from Ancient Greece. According to texts they were made of all kind of materials. Leather, wood, bone, different metals... and even bread. Yes, bread. It was confirmed 1986 by professor Oikonomides. He noticed that in the old Greek texts words dildo and bread were combined in to one word. Confirmation of his discovery were ancient vases showing women caring baskets full of bread in the shape of dildo.

Kama Sutra talks about dildos as penis extenders as well - in cases where natural equipment is not big enough. As well talks about of all kind of materials from which dildos and extensions can be made.

By all the mentioned above (except bread), Chinese women were using a mushroom which grew in the shape of phallus. Interesting fact was that mentioned mushroom grew larger when placed in humid area.

In Aristotle’s History of the Animals he implies that smoother sex make pregnancy less likely. And the way to make sex smoother in the Ancient times was olive oil, Ancient lubricant.

Did you know?
A 28,000-year-old phallus found in Germany is quoted as being the oldest known 'sex toy' ever found. Due to its size, experts believe it may be the earliest example of a sex aid ever found.
The Penis Ring can be found in Chinese history. 
The origins of Geisha Balls are uncertain. Appeared in the Orient sometime around A.D. 500 and were originally used to pleasure men. 

Neolithic Carved ivory phallus is found in France.

IMAGE: JAVIER ANGULO / HOSPITAL UNIVERSITARIO DE GETAFE

c. 12,000 B.C. Several portable phallic pieces with replications of totally retracted or absent foreskin, piercings, scars and tattoos.

c 6,000 - 4,000 B.C. Carved stag antler phallus found in Sweden. 10.5 cm long, 2 cm in diameter.
Turkey, during the 6th century BC, ancient Anatolians used sculptures of sex organs to ward off evil and ill luck as they believed they contained special powers. :)
One artifact from Egypt, called the Turin Erotic Papyrus has been dubbed the "men's magazine" of its time. It partly consists of explicit depictions of sexual acts and was painted in the Ramesside period (1292-1075 BC).
The Moche of Peru are another ancient people that sculpted explicit scenes of sex into their pottery. At least 500 Moche ceramics have sexual themes. The most frequently depicted act is anal sex, with scenes of vaginal penetration being very rare. Most pairs are heterosexual, with carefully carved genitalia to show that the anus, rather than the vagina, is being penetrated.

A satyr masturbating (Greek krater, 6th century BC)

From the earliest records, ancient Sumer had a relaxed attitude toward sex, and masturbation was a popular technique for enhancing potency, either alone or with a partner.
The ancient Greeks regarded masturbation as a normal and healthy substitute for other forms of sexual pleasure. They considered it "a safety valve against destructive sexual frustration".
Masturbation is little noted in the sources for ancient Roman sexuality. The poet Martial considers it an inferior form of sexual release resorted to by slaves.
Within the African Congo Basin, the Aka, Ngandu, Lesi, and Ituri ethnic groups all lack a word for masturbation in their languages and are confused by the concept of Masturbation.

Kamasutra Lakshama temple

The earliest account of fellatio dates back to the ancient Egyptian myth of the resurrection of Osiris. 
Male masturbation was an even more important image in ancient Egypt. When performed by a god it could be considered a creative or magical act.
Since the ancient Egyptians believed that the Pharaoh was the representative of their god Ra to the world, it was his job to help the gods maintain balance. One of the onerous jobs was walk to the edge of the river bank, disrobe, and masturbate, with particular emphasis on making his semen fall in the river and not on land.
Not satisfied with the usual dildo, Cleopatra was said to have a vibrator made using a hollow gourd filled with live bees. 
In old Hawaiian culture, everyone had public names for their genitals. Hawaiian royalty and commoners each had their own genital chants which described their sex organs both figuratively and literally.
The Guajiro people of Colombia engage in a ceremonial dance in which if a young lady trips a young man while dancing, they must have sex.
The little island of Inis Beag, off the coast of Ireland, is considered to be one of the most sexually repressed societies ever. Adults keep their underwear on during all sexual encounters and people consider intercourse to be hard on their health.

Le Temple Kandariya Mahadeva (Khajurâho)

Mangaia, a tiny island in the South Pacific: starting at 13, boys have sex with older women who teach them restraint and how to last longer to please a woman.
The Kreung tribe in Cambodia built love huts for their girls when they reached their mid-teens. Different boys spend a night in the hut with the young girl until she finally finds a match. Divorce is illegal.
Roman empire: youngsters performed elaborate daisy-chains of sexual acts, the emperor Tiberius by turns voyeur and participant. Even grosser activities took place in his bathing pools.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/news/pompeiis-xrated-art-will-titillate-a-new-generation-1973977.html

Male-female public kissing was frowned upon among Greek and Roman aristocrats, although husbands did routinely kiss their wives upon returning home after a hard night of male partying.

At first I thought making this in to two parts. But after going through the resources I learned that sexuality is more taboo today than it was in Ancient times. So, third part is on the way. Hope you had fun learning about our ancestors and that you will learn something new as well as few recipes in the third part.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_erotic_depictions
http://mashable.com/

http://listverse.com/

http://www.nerve.com/
http://www.therichest.com/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

http://www.publishersweekly.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_masturbation