So here’s an interesting fact that most history books leave out — apparently the people of Pompeii had a dirty little secret. They were obsessed with phallic symbols. When troves of penile and other erotic objects were found by archeologists they were so horrified that they locked everything away in a secret place. It was only the year 2000 when these artifacts became available for public viewing. Slate.com illuminates the details of the lost culture:
Citizens of Pompeii and Herculaneum believed penises provided protection, prosperity, and good luck, and incorporated them into everything from furniture to oil lamps. Frescos on the walls of homes depicted erotic encounters between wood nymphs and satyrs. Erotica was everywhere.