A silken dildo – an entry into the #pluckingroses challenge
I could not resist executing another reconstruction from a great written source for my #pluckingroses Challenge.
My reconstruction is based on a court file from the end of the 13th century. The case was revolving around a Ms Bertolina, nicknamed “Guercia” from Bologna who was charged with sodomic practices (meaning sexual practices that were considered to be abnormal). I can’t tell her story any better than this amazing Podcast here (transcript can be found in this article here). I can really recommend this read, because Guercia seems to have been a very unusual woman and in my opinion a great example of women’s emancipation in the middle ages.
In the file, it is described that Guercia used silken dildos to have Sex with other women. She seemed to have different models in different sizes that had a shaft as well as testicles. Unfortunately the report does not offer any details as to how exactly they were made and what gave them stability, so I just tested it out.
My reconstruction is made from simple white silk fabric that I sewed into a tube and heartshaped form, which I filled with flocks of loose silk fibres. Admittedly, the testicles are a little small, but I think that is still fine since they dont really have a funtion in this device. :-) And before you say anything about the length of our friend, it is with 17 cm in the upper average European size range (yes, I googled it!) and therefor perfectly suited to its intended use.
I stuffed the tube very tightly and I do think that the stability of the dildo would suffice to imitate an erect penis, more stability could be reached with a mantled wooden core, if it were to stand up to more robust use.
I am pleasantly surprised by the feel of the silk. I have to say, other than super soft chamois deer leather, I can’t imagine another material available in medieval times that would better imitate skin. And speaking from experience, especially skin in this area of the body ;-)
It is clear that using this device more than once is practically asking for a UTI or yeast infection since a fibre stuffed piece of fabric is welcoming bacteria and yeasts, although one could reach a certain grade of hygiene by cooking the silk in lye as you would in medieval times.
Further reading:
Seeing Sodomy in the Middle Ages, Robert Mills
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