Archaeologists believe they have found a sex toy from the time of the Roman empire.
The 2000-year-old object discovered in a Northumberland ditch in the Roman fort of Vindolanda back in 1992 was originally catalogued as a darning tool.
However, the item has been reassessed by archaeologists who said it was either a sexual implement, a penis-shaped pestle or even an object from a statue which the Romans would have touched for good luck.
Senior lecturer in archaeology at Newcastle University, Rob Collins, told The Guardian: “I have to confess part of me thinks it’s kind of self-evident that it is a penis.
“I don’t know who entered it into the catalogue. Maybe it was somebody uncomfortable with it or didn’t think the Romans would do such silly things.”
Household items and art representing phalli were very common during Roman times and have been seen in mosaics, frescoes, on pots or as part of pendants designed to be worn around the neck.
The phallus in question measures 16cm, though experts said it was likely longer originally as wood is prone to shrinking over time.
Whatever it actually is, researchers from the Universities of Newcastle and Dublin have said it was the first wooden, disembodied phallus to have been found from the Roman world.
The wooden artefact was found alongside dress accessories, shoes and waste products from crafting - such as leather off-cuts.
Mr Collins said the phallus discovered previously had been miniature in size.
It was unusual that the phallus had been made of wood and has lasted this long as usually - as it typically would have broken down over a long period of time.
The team working on the discovery have had some "very interesting discussions", Mr Collins added.
According to archaeologists, the smooth end of the phallus suggested it was used for something over a substantial period of time.
Mr Collins said the item could have been used for sexual reasons, though there was no certainty around this.
He said that if it was in fact a dildo, it “would be, to our knowledge, the first Roman dildo that’s been encountered from archaeology”.
“We know from Greek and Roman poetry and Greek and Roman art that they used dildos,” he continued.
A secondary theory was that the object found is a pestle, used either for cooking purposes or to grind medicine or cosmetics, while a third theory was that it could have been an object that slotted into a status, which those walking by would have touched for good luck.
No final conclusion had been reached by archaeologists, though the object had prompted excitement and the hope it would lead to searched for similar items among other collections.
The phallus was now on display in the Vindolanda museum, in Northumberland.
