Porn has always been at the forefront of technological advancement. But even before porn or technology were a thing, humans have been jerking it to almost anything they can get their hands on. From explicit stone statues to cave paintings, sexually charged erotica and all the way to VR porn, there’s an extensive porn history to explore. Are you ready for part 1 of my series?
In the Beginning, There Was Porn
When I first started brainstorming for this blog, my mind was full of questions. When was the first pornographic material created? What did it look like? What was it made of? I instantly pictured the popular trope of a caveman dragging a cavewoman away before having his way with her. Or maybe even an entrepreneurial cavewoman carving out a wooden dildo.
If you had to guess, when do you think porn first emerged? I think it’s safe to assume that it was very different from what we’ve come to expect of modern-day smut. Even though humans have been getting it on for thousands of years, the first recording is from about 25,000 years ago. And it will probably have you wondering why it was such a pinnacle part of our porn history.
A Sex Statue From the Stone Ages
The Venus of Willendorf may be tiny but has made quite the mark. This tiny statue stands at only 4.4 inches tall and depicts a voluptuous naked woman. Carved from oolitic limestone, it gives off an orange-reddish hue. Unlike the fit and fabulous pornstars on Naughty America VR, Venus was an homage to the curvaceous goddess of motherhood who reared strong children.
It is suspected that Venus, and other similar statues, represented fertility and the celebration of sexuality. Yes, there were giant orgies back then too! Scholars assume that the statues were smashed during festivals to help increase fertility. Considering we’re still obsessed with creampies and thick thighs in the 21st century, has that much really changed at all?
Paintings From Porn History
I think it’s pretty clear that the majority of porn relies heavily on visuals. Every now and again, an archaeologist discovers the secret site of a hidden tomb full of treasures and artwork dating back thousands of years. The more common drawings tell stories about ancient gods visiting the population and blessing them with goodness according to their sacrifices.
The Proof is in the Cave Carvings
In 1980, a group of scientists in China discovered the Kangjiashimenji Petroglyphs. At the time, the scientists deemed the artwork as the first pornography ever recorded, but now we know it was the lovely Venus of Willendorf. To an unknowing eye, the petroglyphs simply look like some basic finger painting, but these works date back a whopping 4,000 years.
As with the majority of this kind of proto porn, the meanings are always up for debate. It’s accepted, however, that the hourglass-shaped figures are of women and the others are of men with erect penises. Actual penetration isn’t shown, but to me, it almost looks like the women are dancing around the men. Is it another celebration of fertility? Or maybe an ancient gangbang?
Learn the Porn History of Anal
Yup, you heard me! Although anal sex used to be considered taboo, in Ancient Greece, everyone (and I mean everyone) was doing it. Men with women, men with men, giant orgies and gangbangs were the norm. If I didn’t love VR porn so much, I’d start thinking that I was born in the wrong century. I suppose I’ll just binge things virtually to make up for it.
Ancient Greece had a bustling trade system and they sold olive oil. The oil was transported in ceramic pots decorated with people having sex. Plates and bowls had intricate paintings of men fucking each other in the ass in playful, almost-Cirque du Soleil style acrobatics. And let’s not kid ourselves – we all know they were using olive oil as lube.
What About the Babylonians?
Oh, don’t worry, I could never forget those party animals! Historically, the Ancient Greeks were well known for their lavish sex parties. But compared to the Babylonians, they were amateurs. To these guys, sex was like a religious experience and they took it pretty seriously. Ever screamed oh god during a wild fuck sesh? The Babylonians believed you were speaking to god.
They depicted these moments of religiosity with terra cotta sculptures that showed full-on penetrative sex dating back over 4,000 years. Some of them can still be found in the Israel Museum today and scholars believe that these clay plaques were the first portrayals of anal sex. They also believed it to be a great form of birth control. Better to be safe than sorry.
BDSM of the Middle Ages
Right now, most of the top VR sites like Naughty America VR have a team of scriptwriters that think up the debauchery that you get to fap to. But compared to the writing of Marquis in the 18th century, that stuff is PG-13. His work has been called a Middle Ages version of 50 Shades of Grey because of how rough the writing was. It makes Christian Grey look like an amateur.
During those times, the Church ruled over everything for the most part, and one thing they vehemently spoke against was immoral sex acts. Reverse psychology was alive and well though. The more the Church doubled down, the more people yearned for deep and sadistic ways to express their sexuality. 120 Days of Sodom was by far the darkest of them all.
Become a Porn History Buff
Porn has gotten a bad wrap over the years and honestly, it’s pretty frustrating. Without sex, we literally wouldn’t exist. It’s confusing and hypocritical how we’re expected to love and hate porn at the same time. On one hand, we’re supposed to follow a moral path and be monogamous with one person. On the other hand, popular media pushes hypersexuality in our faces.
We’ve come a long way from carefully carved limestone statues. Compared to the Babylonians, modern society appears rather prudish. But in other ways, porn has opened so many avenues for safe, consensual exploration. And the only limits I see now are our imaginations. Want to learn more about the history of porn? Check back soon for part two of my series.
