A discarded Roman penis may be more than just a good luck charm

It was all dumped in a former moat in a 2nd century castle. Just south of Hadrian’s Wall, Vindolandia Castle was located in northern England, which was supposed to defend the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, and a civil settlement also developed around it. What is remarkable about the fort is that the soil is partly anaerobic – it does not contain oxygen – so that materials that would have decomposed elsewhere, such as wood, leather and textiles, are excellently preserved.

So does the wooden phallus, which, according to a new analysis by experts from Newcastle University and the University of Dublin, is the only known example of a “disembodied” wooden phallus found anywhere in the Roman world.

However, phallus were spread throughout the Roman Empire and were believed to protect against disasters. They were often depicted in frescoes and mosaics or were part of the decoration of other objects, such as ceramic vessels or knife handles. Small bones or metal rods are usually worn as pendants around the neck.

But the research team believes the object, which was found in the Vindolandia excavations in 1992, may have been used for more than just to ward off evil. After all, analysis shows that both ends of the penis were noticeably smoother than the rest, indicating repeated contact over a long period of time.