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BDSM, a term collectively referring to a variety of erotic practices involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism, has a rich and complex history that predates modern civilization. Let’s explore the ancient roots of BDSM, tracing its origins and evolution through various cultures and time periods.

Preparing rope for tying

Etruscan Tomb of the Whipping

The Etruscan Tomb of the Whipping near Tarquinia, Italy, dating back to approximately 490 BC, stands as one of the oldest graphical evidences of activities linked to sadomasochistic practices. This burial site, part of the larger Necropolis of Monterozzi, provides a glimpse into the funerary practices and cultural expressions of the Etruscan civilization, a significant precursor to early Roman culture​​.

The tomb is named for a fresco that features two men flagellating a woman in an erotic context. The right wall of the tomb, in particular, presents two erotic scenes, each flanked by a false door. These depictions have been subject to various interpretations. While one scene suggests the possibility of sexual intercourse, the other more explicitly shows a woman in a submissive posture, engaged with two men in a manner suggestive of both eroticism and violence. The presence of a whip, held by one of the men, not only gives the tomb its name but also implies that these acts may have had a ritualistic element​​.

Overall, the Tomb of the Whipping is invaluable in providing insights into Etruscan beliefs about the afterlife, the significance of funerary art, and the cultural mores of a society that significantly influenced Roman civilization. The vivid and somewhat enigmatic depictions in the tomb continue to captivate historians, archaeologists, and art enthusiasts, serving as a poignant reminder of a civilization that deeply valued the celebration of life, even in the context of death​​.

These ancient depictions do not directly represent modern BDSM practices. They suggest an early fascination with and ritualization of dominance, submission, and erotic pain, central to today’s BDSM.

Whip-Mistress in Pompeii

The Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii, renowned for its well-preserved frescoes, plays a central role in understanding the influence of BDSM in ancient ceremonial practices. These frescoes date back to approximately 70-60 BC. These frescoes depict a woman’s initiation into the Dionysian Mysteries, dedicated to Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and ecstasy. Interpreters see this initiation as a central theme in many mystery cults of the time.

One of the key frescoes depicts a scene that aligns with the concept of BDSM in ancient rituals.
It depicts a woman, possibly a bride undergoing initiation, kneeling before a priestess. She appears to be whipped by a winged female figure, while a dancing Maenad (a female follower of Bacchus) and another figure holding a thyrsus (an initiation symbol of Bacchus) are also present​​. This scene symbolizes a transformative rite of passage from the physical to the spiritual realm.

The broader themes of transformation and transcendence in ancient rituals tie to the significance of BDSM in this context. Interpreters can view the act of whipping as a form of ritualistic purification or a test of endurance and faith. The presence of the winged figure adds a supernatural dimension to the scene, emphasizing the sacred nature of the act.

The connection of BDSM to ceremonial initiations in ancient times reveals the complexity and depth of these practices. Not merely physical acts, they were embedded in a rich tapestry of religious, cultural, and spiritual beliefs.

The Kama Sutra’s Insights

The Kama Sutra, an ancient Indian text, has significant implications for the history of BDSM. The philosopher Vatsyayana compiled the Kama Sutra around the 4th century from earlier texts. It is the earliest extant and most important work in the Kama Shastra tradition of Sanskrit literature. It addresses kama or desire, which in Hindu thought is one of the four normative and spiritual goals of life​​.

These acts were not merely physical but embedded in a rich tapestry of religious, cultural, and spiritual beliefs. Notably, it describes four different kinds of hitting during lovemaking, specifying the allowed regions of the human body to target and different kinds of joyful “cries of pain” practiced by bottoms. The text emphasizes that one should only perform impact play, biting, and pinching during sexual activities with consent.

Emphasizing consent acknowledges that not all individuals find such behavior pleasurable, thus requiring their full consent. This approach to consensual sadomasochistic activities and the establishment of safety rules positions the Kama Sutra as one of the first written resources addressing these activities​​.

The historical context of the Kama Sutra reveals that practices associated with BDSM can be traced back centuries. Textual and archaeological evidence from the 5th century BC suggests early BDSM-like activities, including erotic whippings. The 14th century saw anecdotal accounts of consensual physical stimulation either as a prequel or substitute for sexual acts. These early instances of BDSM-like activities, although not categorized under this term until much later, were part of a broader spectrum of sexual exploration and expression that was present in various cultures across history​​.

Medieval Courtly Love as a Precursor

The concept of courtly love, characterized by slavish devotion, has been suggested as a precursor to BDSM. This medieval phenomenon entailed rituals and behaviors around love, often with a knight’s devotion to a noble lady. These relationships were typically non-physical and based on idealized, often unattainable love. This love form highlighted slavish devotion, obedience, and trials to prove love and valor, mirroring aspects of today’s BDSM relationships.

Courtly love also entailed the lady subjecting her admirer to various trials to prove his devotion. These trials involved valor in tournaments, restraining sexual desires, and secret observations of the lady. They mirrored BDSM’s physical or moral tests. Similarly, these challenges were key to courtly love, akin to BDSM’s dominance and submission dynamics.

The 14th century saw voluntary binding and flagellation in erotic contexts, beyond courtly love. These acts, as preludes or substitutes for sex, mark early instances of BDSM-like practices. Flagellation within an erotic setting has been recorded from at least the 1590s, suggesting a long history of these practices before they were formally recognized or named as part of the BDSM subculture​​​​.

Flagellation in Literature and Art

The practice of flagellation within an erotic context has a documented history dating back to at least the 1590s. During this period, literature and art started to depict scenes of flagellation, highlighting its growing integration into popular culture. John Davies’ 1590s epigram and mentions of “flogging schools” in Thomas Shadwell’s works (1676, 1680) illustrate early BDSM references. Furthermore, 1600s mezzotints and prints showing flagellation scenes further evidence its cultural prevalence. A notable example is the late seventeenth-century English mezzotint “The Cully Flaug’d” from the British Museum collection.

This integration of flagellation continued to evolve, as seen in the 1749 novel “Fanny Hill” by John Cleland. Following this, a surge in flagellation publications occurred, like “Fashionable Lectures: Composed and Delivered with Birch Discipline” (circa 1761), which promoted the services of ladies offering flagellation in a lecture-room setting with implements such as rods and cat o’ nine tails​​.

Conclusion

The ancient history of BDSM is a mosaic of cultural, religious, and erotic practices spanning several millennia and continents. BDSM-like activities, from ancient rituals to early literature and art, have been a consistent yet often hidden element in human history. Understanding this rich and diverse background helps in appreciating BDSM as more than just a modern erotic preference.

You can learn more about the history of BDSM by reading the works of Anne O Nomis. Her book, ‘The History & Arts of the Dominatrix’ is an accomplished accounting of history that takes readers from the rituals of the gods to the secular practices of today.

[Her] research took four years, of dedicated internship in a top dungeon learning from the collective knowledge of the Mistresses, formal research in the British Library and Museum, and into the underground sources of hidden knowledge – to discover the Dominatrix’s history and arts. Image permissions were sought out from the world’s top museums and libraries, vintage polaroids and contemporary art, and brought together for the publication.