lunachick

There is a myth among some people, including scholars, that pornographic images began with the invention of the photographic process.

Inspired by a combination of a BBC Radio 4 programme I'm listening to right now, and this thread, I decided to explore the history of sexually explicit images and pornography.

Why? Because, quite frankly, I get bored with modern arguments in the modern world regarding the erotic. They are almost inevitably aggressive/defensive on a personal level, and the arguments tend to be circular. On one hand, there will be someone asserting "empowerment!". And on the other hand, someone will cry "victim!" And around and around it goes. Some are empowered, some are victimised - just like in any business, any enterprise. Today, Zoe and I have been victim to our laziness and the fast food industry, via McDonalds. (ick).
~ and if you think I'm being trite here, think again. As flesh, we need both sex and food to survive. They are our deepest instincts. "Food and sex, sex and food; food is sex, sex is food".

What I think is more interesting to explore, is the history and development of something as powerful and influential as the erotic, as pornographic images, and human sexuality, and the changing views of various cultures in various times.

From the "Secret Museum" of Pompeii excavations and the discovery of explicit scenes of sexual acts of all kinds there, through the ages of art and culture, to modern adult video; pornography ain't no nu thang. It's sex as visual art! Or, at least, it can be.

In fact, with regard to Roman times, "early archaeologists were surprised to discover just how drenched in sexual imagery that life was: statues, paintings, mosaics, amulets, bracelets, necklaces, images on shop fronts, in dining rooms, bedrooms and gardens -- not to mention the pictures in brothels." Goodness!


Here are some links you may find interesting, should you wish to explore such a rich history:

http://ancienthistory.about.com/gi/d...ret%5Froom.htm

http://ancienthistory.about.com/libr...hel_images.htm

http://latinlinks.users.btopenworld....c/phallus.html

http://www.angelfire.com/zine/dailytravesty/64.html

http://www.dropbears.com/b/broughsbo...erotic_art.htm

http://www.allyourtv.com/moviesspeci...graphythe.html

http://www.vergemag.com/0201/features/feat1.html

and, of course, there is always more...

So, please feel free to share your ideas or knowledge (without moral 'judgement'), as I endeavour to learn more of the objective history of the erotic and it's role in culture, modern and ancient.

Thanks.

PS: I'm not entirely sure I'm in the right forum, so please feel free to move it if i got it wrong.

ju'iblex

and ive seen them all!

i find it strange archelogists would be surprised at such a thing though, what did they expect, a continuous and unchanging set of morals and values? pft, if they thought that then they deserved what they got.

But yes, there are penises everywhere in the streets, they used to hang statues of them from trees, everything. I believe it was a symbol of feritility and power IIRC. And sexuality was certainly nowhere near as much of a problem in Roman times, especially not if you were a member of the equites class and upwards, the people who could afford prostitutes, concubines etc. And male homosexuality was almost expected. In Greece it was the norm to have a male lover until marriage, and even then, it was common for older men to keep younger boys for such purposes. Take for example Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great.

Really, it was only with the conquering of Jerusalem and the consequential migration of Jews into Rome <during Domitians time> that sexuality as something immoral began to come as a concept. Especially considering the backlash against Roman culture that is apparent in the Bible and early Christian art, considering Jews and Christians were persecuted and killed.

But then again, so was every other culture the Romans came into contact with.

The Hindu's also believe sex and sexuality to be somewhat of a gift. According to them, sex is a union of the spirits and the nearest one can come to the spiritual world without leaving Earth. And there are plenty of pornographic images there.

Thats all i can think of for now, although i have done a fair bit of research on the subject, especially homosexuality. I could go on forever and ever about Roman culture and attitudes though... oh, that and sexuality in art. i know a fair bit about that too...

Gurdur

I don't think it's the archeologists who are meant to be surprised.
After all, archeologically, you have all the prehistoric figurines called the Venus statuettes -- are they Stone-Age goddesses or Stone-Age porn ?

Plus Priapus was a Roman god, and worshipped by many.
We're not even mentioning the rites of Cybeles yet, and all those happy little fertility frolics of various kinds, are we ?

lunachick

C'mon, Gurdur - tell me more.

Ju'iblex has given me some areas of study: I had quite forgotten about Hindu art and literature, even though I've been more exposed to sexuality and the erotic in the Orient, rather than the Occident.

I want more, baby! History, art, literature. From as far back as you can go, right up till today. Make it hot. And make it horny.

Gurdur

Tell your local library to get (on inter-library loan) the book The Golden Bough, by James Frazer.

More fertility and porno rites in that then you can shake a symbolic fertility stick at !

lunachick

Ooohhh. Ok.

Gurdur

And if you can't get it, let me know when your birthday is.

lunachick

11th May. Heh.

Gurdur

Recorded.

tronvillain

How clueless is someone who thinks that porn started with the invention of photography? We were probably scratching sex acts on cave walls fifty thousand years ago. *chuckle*