Visiting Pompeii one immediately realizes, how for Pompeians, the phallus was a recurring symbol.
They used it, in every corner of the city. Carved on the walls of the houses, on the sidewalks, on the paving stones of the streets, painted in the stores and houses.
While sex was a relevant element for Pompeians, the symbol of the phallus for them was not only intense in erotic conception.
Indeed, while the erotic scenes painted on the walls of Pompeii’s famous lupanare had a precisely sexual connotation. Tied to attracting more visitors and increasing their sexual pleasure through the depiction of various erotic positions.
On the other hand, the phallus engraved in public spaces and homes was not meant to represent an erotic symbol in this case, but a symbol of good fortune and wealth.
Pompeians, in fact, used the phallus to ward off the evil eye, bad luck, envy and disease.
Even, it was worn in the form of an amulet and pendant by both adults and children in Pompeii.
The phallic symbols of Pompeii
Phallic symbols in Pompeii were reproduced on walls, sidewalks (to indicate to customers that they would find a brothel in the immediate vicinity). In the form of wooden statues or even wooden pendants hung around children’s necks, complete with a bell.
In short, while for many the phallus thus reproduced represented an element of scandal, so much so that it was initially censored when the first findings were made.
For Pompeians, however, it was an auspicious and prosperous symbol.
The phallus was reproduced in enormous, sometimes outsized. And even equipped with wings, referred to as a winged phallus, precisely to emphasize its positive and protective connotation against evil spirits and capable of protecting homes and people.
Such as the famous painting of Priapus, found on the doorframe of the front door of the house of the Vettii and later also in a house on the Via del Vesuvio, intent on weighing his enormous phallus on a scale plate.
The phallus thus depicted for Pompeians was believed to be a symbol of the origin of life and used by the ancient Romans to wish fertility, well-being, good trade and wealth.
It was even used on the tripod, an ancient three-footed vessel that was placed on a fire to heat water. Like the one now in the Archaeological Museum in Naples, which depicts the completely naked bodies of three beautiful young fauns. They confidently display their phallus, stretching their open left hand forward, just to emphasize that they are proud of their manhood.
Or like that reproduced on the various bronze sculptures found during archaeological excavations. Among them also appears the sculpture of the god Mercury, protector of mercantile activities. It is actually a tintinnabulum, or rattle, which was probably hung on the doorway of a house or in front of a store along with a lamp, against the evil eye.
Want to find out just about everything about the phallic symbols of Pompeii?
Do it together with an expert tour guide will show you the symbols found during the archaeological excavations in Pompeii and their meaning. Book your guided tour on the following link Pompeii tour with guide
