Sex Toys - A Historical Overview

Posted on: September 29, 2008 11:09 | Posted by: Carly

Have you ever wondered just how sex toys came about? LoveHoney is on the case!

Earlier this century, archaeologists uncovered stone objects that were clearly phallic in shape! They were thought to be used in fertility and religious rituals, as it has previously been reported that these objects played an important role in ancient communities.

In Japan, during the period of the Shogun (794 - 1867 AD), a law was passed that craftsmen were strictly prohibited from creating products that resembled male genitalia. But, as a way of getting around this law, and creating the lucrative business of sex toys, the craftsmen would carve a face onto the end of them so they didn't resemble phalluses quite as much!

The practice has continued to this day and that's why rabbit vibrators often have faces on the heads.

It was the Greeks who understood sex and satisfaction better than most and realised that if they went to war, they wouldn't be around to pleasure their women who would look elsewhere for attention.

So instead, they'd leave their wives with dildo-like objects made of wood or leather to satisfy themselves with until they returned. Naturally, the olive oil which the Greeks so revered, became a natural and healthy lubricant for such devices!

It wasn't until the late 1800s when a British physician decided to perform "therapeutic massage" on his female patients to relieve hysteria, that the first vibrator was created.

Hysteria was originally perceived as a disease, but what it basically boiled down to was sexually frustrated women suffering from an intense need or longing for an orgasm!

To cure this terrible affliction, doctors would manually massage women to orgasm in the hope of relieving them of this mysterious illness.

Soon a steam powered device was invented that could be stroked over the genitals and let it do the work for them! Cue the invention of the first vibrator, sorry, therapeutic massage device!

During the 1950s, the idea of hysteria was replaced by the concept of sexual frustration and deprivation and no longer were GPs employed for their hands-on approach to relief.

Today, however, there's such a range of sex toys that you wouldn't even think about the crude stone, wood and steam powered models of the past! There are all different lengths, sizes, shapes and textures and even toys for men and couples!

Owning a sex toy is a sign that you're comfortable with your sexuality and exploring it. There are whole ranges of new sex toys from LoveHoney so whatever you're into; there will be something to suit you!

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