Sex toys are hardly a new concept. Across time, they’ve been used, cherished and evolved to suit shifting cultural attitudes and evolving technologies. Pleasure has always been a natural part of human history.
Pleasure in early cultures
Humanity’s relationship with pleasure goes back thousands of years. Some of the earliest known symbols of sensuality were found in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, where sexuality was often celebrated and ritualised. It wasn’t just a private matter either - sexuality was often a public celebration.
Often expressed through art, ritual and even literature, pleasure was often tied into spirituality. The Egyptians, for example, revered the goddess Hathor, who embodied love, beauty and sensual pleasure. Temples dedicated to her were spaces of worship and indulgence, where rituals celebrated fertility and human connection.
The Greeks held festivals like the Dionysia, dedicated to the god Dionysus, that celebrated wine, theatre and the ecstatic joys of life, highlighting the communal and liberating aspects of sexuality. Sexuality was celebrated in ancient figurines, amulets and artefacts, as well as at ceremonies.
And in Asia, ancient sex toys were found buried in the tombs of aristocrats - including a 2,000-year-old hollow, bronze dildo. Sex toys were worldwide, and have been throughout history.
