Do you think the sex toy is a recent invention, born of the sexual revolution of the 1970s? Think again. Intimate toys appeared long before the wheel, writing or the locomotive. Here is the fascinating history of the dildo, the vibrator and pleasure accessories, from prehistory to the present day.
Where does the French word "godemichet" come from?
The etymology of "godemichet", the French word for dildo, is still debated among linguists. Two main theories compete. The first links the term to the verb "goder" (to pucker, to swell) combined with the diminutive "-ichet", literally suggesting a swollen or bulging object. The second, less documented theory suggests an Italian origin, from the word "godere" (to enjoy, to take pleasure).
What is certain is that the word appears in the French language as early as the 17th century, mainly in erotic literature. At the time, it referred to any phallic object used for solitary pleasure.
The first dildo in history: 28,000 years BC
The oldest known dildo was found in Germany, in the Hohle Fels cave in Swabia. Carved from carefully polished sandstone, it measures about 20 cm long and 3 cm in diameter: proportions that have clearly not changed much in 28,000 years. It dates from the Upper Paleolithic, before the invention of the wheel or writing.
Similar objects have been found at other archaeological sites around the world, some made of bone, clay or wood, confirming that the desire for solitary pleasure is as old as humanity itself.
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Cleopatra and the first vibrator: 40 BC
Legend has it that Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, invented an ancestor of the vibrator by filling a closed papyrus scroll with live bees. The buzzing of the insects provided vibrations… The anecdote is appealing but hard to verify historically. Still, it illustrates human ingenuity in matters of pleasure throughout the ages.
Geisha balls: Japan, 500 AD
Known today as "geisha balls", these small spheres appeared in Japan around 500 AD under their original name of "Ben Wa balls" or "Burmese bells". Their exact history is unclear: they are thought to have first been used by men before being adopted by geishas to maintain discreet arousal throughout the day.
Long forgotten in the West, geisha balls made a spectacular comeback after the worldwide success of Fifty Shades of Grey.
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George Taylor and the invention of the vibrator: 1869
We owe the invention of the first mechanical vibrator, in 1869, to an American doctor named George Taylor. Paradoxically, this steam-powered device was not designed for pleasure but as a medical tool: it was meant to relieve doctors treating "female hysteria" (a so-called disease of the Victorian era) by manually bringing their patients to orgasm.
The "hysterical paroxysms" provoked in this way were considered therapeutic, and demand was so high that doctors suffered from tendinitis. Taylor's mechanical vibrator automated the process. A few decades later, the first electric vibrators went on sale, officially as muscle massage devices.
The first butt plug: 1892
The butt plug also has a surprising medical origin. Developed at the end of the 19th century, the first model on the market measured about 11.5 cm and was sold as a remedy for hemorrhoids and certain intestinal disorders. It sold by the thousands in the United States until 1938, when a federal law banned it for false advertising.
Today, butt plugs are made of medical-grade silicone, borosilicate glass or stainless steel: materials incomparably safer and more pleasant than their metal or rubber ancestors.
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The rabbit vibrator: Vibratex, 1983
One of the best-selling sex toys of all time was born from a legal constraint. In 1983, the American company Vibratex wanted to sell its vibrators in Japan, one of the largest markets in the world for this type of product. The problem: Japanese law prohibited any realistic representation of genitals.
The solution? Dress the vibrator up as an animal. The small ears meant to stimulate the clitoris were presented as rabbit ears, and the "rabbit" was born. A legal workaround that became one of the most recognizable symbols of the pleasure industry.
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And today?
In just a few decades, sex toys have gone from absolute taboo to near-total acceptance. Certified medical-grade silicone, Bluetooth connectivity, air-pulse stimulation, eco-friendly materials such as French handcrafted wood… Innovation has never been so fast, nor so focused on well-being and mindful pleasure.
At Oh My God'Z, we select every product for the quality of its materials, its safety and the sensations it provides. From our prehistoric ancestors' sandstone dildo to today's connected vibrators, the desire for pleasure has never really changed.