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by goodmythical 4 days ago
The oldest example I know of is Hadrian's Wall from ~1700 years ago engraved with a larger than life example.
2 comments
johng 4 days ago
Amazing. Apparently they used to draw them for luck!

"In Roman Britain, the phallus (often called the fascinum) was a symbol of protection. It was believed to ward off the evil eye, bring luck and guard people, buildings and journeys from harm. On the empire’s northern frontier, it also made a diplomatic statement: Rome was here, with its symbols; and Rome was in control."

A quote from this article: https://www.zmescience.com/science/archaeology/phalluses-rom...

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goodmythical 3 days ago
>Amazing. Apparently they used to draw them for luck!

Damn, missed a shot on "Fascinating, apparently they used to..."

I had to look it up to be sure, but fascinating does indeed derive from fascinum.

1. Fascinum = protective phallic charm (object)

2. Fascinare = to exert the magical power of such a charm (action/spell)

3. Fascinate = to hold someone's attention irresistibly, as if casting a spell (metaphorical)

4. Fascinating = inherently gripping, captivating, exciting (modern adjective)

Meaning, kind of, that 'fascinating' means 'as captivating/hypnotic as a penis'

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zimpenfish 4 days ago
If carved stone phalluses count, Pompeii has loads of those[0] which would knock the date back a few hundred years.

[0] https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/stone-phalluses-of-pompe...

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