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Ancient Roman Penis Graffiti Shows Humans Will Never Change

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Tom Hale

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Tom Hale

Senior Journalist

Tom is a writer in London with a Master's degree in Journalism whose editorial work covers anything from health and the environment to technology and archaeology.

Senior Journalist

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This Phallus found at Hadrian's Wall is a Roman symbol meaning "good luck." © Jon Allison/Newcastle University

Humanity has achieved a lot of the past 2,000 years. We’ve explored every continent, painted masterpieces, eradicated diseases, and even landed on the Moon. But despite this sense of progress, most aspects of the human condition remain unchanged, most notably the desire to draw penises.

Earlier this year, archeologists discovered Roman graffiti near Hadrian’s Wall in the UK that depicts a phallus and testicles. The R-rated doodle was carved into the wall at a sandstone quarry in 207 CE by soldiers who were carrying out repair works at Hadrian’s Wall. Hadrian’s Wall was built following orders from the emperor Hadrian after his visit to Britain. Found in the north of present-day England, the wall marked the end of the province of Britannia to separate the Romans from “the barbarians" in the north.

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It’s easy to assume the penis was drawn to be funny or provocative, but the phallus was actually a “good luck” symbol to the Romans. In fact, most towns under the Roman Empire were not strangers to rude graffiti, dirty jokes, and penis artworks.

“The Romans had a very different interpretation of the phallus to us. It was basically a sort of good luck symbol, or a charm to bring good fortune and it was fairly ubiquitous across ancient Rome,” Michael Collins, Historic England’s inspector of ancient monuments for Hadrian’s Wall, told i newspaper.

This image shows a Roman figure carved in the quarry face. © Jon Allison/Newcastle University

While this rude doodle is undoubtedly the show stealer, the archeologists from Historic England and Newcastle University also discovered a number of historically important carvings at the site. One inscription, which reads “APRO ET MAXIMO CONSVLIBVS OFICINA MERCATI,” refers to two consuls of the Roman Empire at the time. Another shows the face of a cartoon-like man’s face.

In order to document the graffiti for posterity, the team used scanning technology to create a three-dimensional digital model of the rock surface.

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“These inscriptions are very vulnerable to further gradual decay. This is a great opportunity to record them as they are in 2019, using the best modern technology to safeguard the ability to study them into the future,” Ian Haynes, professor of Archaeology at Newcastle University, said in a statement.

Roman quarry inscription thought to be done by a detachment from the Second Legion under the junior officer Agricola, as well as a presumed drawing/cartoon of this officer. The 'Written Rock of Gelt' as the graffiti is known was left by the Roman Army in the remains of a quarry near Hadrian's Wall in 207 CE. The inscriptions are now at risk of erosion. (C) Historic England 

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