A six-and-half-inch wooden penis discovered at a Roman fort in northern England could be the first-known example of a dildo – rather than as a darning needle, as archaeologists first assumed.
The carved member was discovered in a ditch alongside dozens of shoes and dress accessories from the 2nd century, at Vindolanda – a Roman auxiliary fort in Northumberland – in 1992.
Originally, the artefact was catalogued as a darning needle but new analysis by experts at Newcastle University and University College Dublin suggest it might have been used during sex.
Research by the scientists has revealed that both ends of the phallus were noticeably smoother, indicating repeated contact over time – such as during sexual intercourse.