Obscene traditions of antiquity that can confuse even a modern person
For some reason, we believe that before the sexual revolution of the 1960s, sex was considered something obscene and those who were not interested in it for procreation automatically became libertines and were strongly condemned. But this is not so – the interest in sexual life has existed at all times among all peoples and this is evidenced by the folk traditions of antiquity, which can make even a sophisticated modern person blush.
An old Japanese custom with the jarring name "ebai" appeared around the second half of the 16th century. A guy could sneak into the room of an unmarried girl he liked at night and invite her to engage in sexual intercourse. This was a kind of matchmaking, which could, if a "consensus" was reached, turn into a long-term relationship and even into an official marriage.
The girl could either agree or refuse the offer. In case of failure, the night guest had to also quietly leave the other person's house by the same way through which he entered it. Yes, one caveat – so that the object of desire and her parents do not confuse the groom with a thief and accidentally cut with a sword, the guys went completely naked to the "ebai". This spoke eloquently of the night visitor's intentions and provided him with a very necessary alibi sometimes.
The girls ' parents themselves treated the tradition positively and even left the doors to the house unlocked, and the dogs on a leash. "Ebai" was a great way to find a girl a groom and marry her off. Chastity was never appreciated in Japanese society, so a marriageable girl could sleep with a few late-night guests before getting married. The custom disappeared only at the beginning of the 20th century, when Japan took a reference point to Europe and Puritan values came into fashion in the country.
In Christian Europe in the Middle Ages, divorce was a very troublesome procedure and one or both of the spouses had to present serious grounds for it. The only "iron" way to divorce in this case was the marital insolvency of the husband or wife. The woman could be left if she was infertile, and the man-if he had a violation of potency.
But the words in such a serious case were not particularly believed, since the wife could slander the disgusted spouse, and he, in turn, in every possible way deny his male weakness. Therefore, from about the 14th century, they began to conduct special processes with the verification of potency, in the presence of an authoritative commission. The "jury" consisted of judges, healers and, often, just idle onlookers as independent observers.
The male organ of the spouse was examined and if no visual defects were found, the couple was sent to a bed set up immediately in the courtroom, where they were to have public sex. For everything about everything, no more than two hours were given, and if during this time the spouse, excited by the presence of "fans" and judges in robes, could not commit a love act, he was publicly declared impotent, and the marriage was dissolved. It is worth adding that sex in the Middle Ages-it was always difficult.
Such examinations soon became so popular that in the 15th-16th century they sold tickets, as in the movies, and the aristocrats were dozens of such trials, for the sake of entertainment. Recall that the first porn films were still several centuries away, and the expression of interest in sexual life in other conditions in Catholic and Protestant countries could be misinterpreted by the church.
The inhabitants of the British Isles, whom we used to think of as prim and delicate, in the Middle Ages showed an unexpected tolerance for erotic games and traditions. In the 16th century in England there was a fashion for the so-called cockle-bread or "clam bread". Under the clam in this case meant the female vagina, as the bakery product tried to give it this shape.
The dough for such bread should be kneaded by women with the help of ... buttocks, performing a kind of medieval twerk. Such a clam bread, presented to a man, was a kind of invitation to bed and this symbol was understood by any English guy without unnecessary words. It was believed that among other things, this pastry had the properties of an aphrodisiac, turning a man in bed into an insatiable male.
This ancient tradition is firmly established in English culture and references to it can be found in such classics as George Peel and Richard Broome. Echoes of it have survived to this day, however, in a completely harmless and devoid of any sexual overtones. At the end of the 19th century, there was a children's dance and a song called Cockle-bread, which are popular with English kids even now.
By the second half of the 19th century, the custom of giving your favorite bread-shellfish began to be considered old-fashioned and common. City youth began to use other ways of expressing sympathy and special business cards or, if you want, invitations became fashionable. Unambiguous printing products appeared in England, but quickly spread throughout Europe, including in Russia.
The owners of printing houses earned good money by showing imagination and coming up with original designs and unusual texts for this specific product. The cards were good because they could be used by both boys and girls. A piece of cardboard with text and, sometimes, images, the guys handed the girls during a ball or other event, asking permission to accompany them home, with the hope of "continuing".
Interestingly, the girls ' version of such business cards was more straightforward and the texts directly hinted at intimacy. One of the most popular in the 19th century was a card with the inscription: "Come see my new lamp. You can even turn it off." Such business cards were in demand until the 20s of the last century, then gradually went out of fashion. Since then, arranging dates in person has become a sign of good taste, but the piquant intrigue has completely disappeared.
Keywords: Japan | History | Tradition | Middle Ages | Sex | Sex life | Obscenity | 18+