Pornography is perhaps one of the most decisive topics when it comes to human sexuality. These days, people don’t think twice about discussing sexual performance – or lack thereof – with friends over a glass of wine or hashing it out online with message boards, forums, Facebook posts and YouTube Videos. Pornography, on the other hand, is still seen as very much set apart from “normal” human sexuality.

The History of Porn

Most people are familiar with the recent and modern history of pornography. At every point in time there have been ‘girlie magazines’, pin-up models, pulp fiction novellas and plenty of romance novels chock full of steamy sex scenes. There were also hardcore films which could be seen in adult theatres or bought to view on a home projector. With the advent of magazines like Playboy and Penthouse in the 1950s and 60s brought pornography to a more mainstream audience. But that was far from the origination of accessible pornography.

The Victorians are typically held up as being one of the most sexually repressed generations throughout human history. Stories about books warning against masturbation, covering the legs of pianos and a variety of chastity devices have made Victorians well known prudes. Of course there can’t be one extreme without the opposite extreme existing. In terms of illicit, perverse and shocking pornography, the Victorians prove they can go both ways, so to speak. In 1886, the Victorian Era was at its height and city streets were the very picture of decency, civility and modesty. Behind closed doors, however, the most popular book of the day was a collection of stories so shocking, the book makes 50 Shades of Gray look like Cat in the Hat. Psychopathia Sexualis: eine Klinisch-Forensische Studie, which translates to English as Sexual Psychopathy: A Clinical-Forensic Study, is a collection of case studies covering every sexual paraphilia known at the time. The author, Richard Freiherr von Krafft- Ebing, was an established and well-respected psychiatrist at the time. He thought giving the book such a clinical title would prevent it from being devoured by the public but, as we all know, a book full of scandalous sex is a sure fire hit with the public.

The Pre-History of Porn

While learning that the Victorians were reading about everything from bestiality to BDSM may surprising, finding out that pornography stretches to the earliest forms of recorded history is bound to shock even more astonishing. The Kama Sutra is fairly well known and people know that it was written a long time ago, but few stop to consider exactly how long ago it was developed. Experts estimate the Kama Sutra was initially composed between 400 BC and 200 CE. The version as we know it today is thought to have been compiled during the second century, making it the oldest text on human sexuality.

The human desire for sexualized content extends further back, however. The Ancient Egyptians were incredibly sexual beings who used sexual imagery, stories and rituals in many aspects of their lives. A variety of Egyptian gods had overtly sexual powers, including:

• Isis and Osiris – According to Egyptian mythology, Isis attempted to piece her bother Osiris back together after a family brawl left him shattered in pieces. Unable to find a penis, she fashioned a new one and Egyptians later celebrated this event by having women march through the streets accompanied by puppets with abnormally large penises.

• Bes – Bes was a dwarf god known for his large penis. Bes’ popularity became so wide spread that rooms where sex took place were referred to as ‘Bes Chambers.’

• Bastet – During festivals to celebrate the cat goddess Bastet, women would routines expose their genitals in public.

Human sexuality is as old as the human race itself. Public and accessible views of that sexuality, known more casually as pornography, continues to ignite debate and grow in popularity. Some people say it has no place in the realm of healthy sexual interaction while others insist it can be a healthy and mutually beneficial part of sexuality. While the debate may never be settled, one thing is for certain: Pornography is a part of human nature.