A metal detectorist discovered an ancient bronze nude figure with a hinged, oversized phallus in its right hand in a field in Lincolnshire. The artifact symbolizes something significant, according to a report.
Metal Detectorist Stumbles With a Bronze Nude Artifact
Paul Shepheard, 69, was a detector rally in Haconby, Lincolnshire, in 2022. He got a huge surprise when he stumbled upon a bronze Celtic artifact of a nude figure with a massive phallus in its right hand.
The retired processing consultant said his wife, Joanne, had found a medieval penny when he got a signal on his new XP Deus II metal detector. He initially thought he had found a large steel split pin that is used to retain wheels on farm carts after digging 10 inches.
When he looked closely at the artifact, he noticed it had a face and was holding a huge phallus in its right hand, hinged for movement.
The item is 2.1 inches (5.5 cm) high and 0.4 inches (1.2 cm) wide. It will be sold at auction at Noonans in Mayfair London, with a pre-auction estimate of £800 to £1,200 ($958 to $1,438).
Nigel Mills, a consultant at Noonans, said that the artifact was from the Celtic period from the 1st century AD, so it could be about 2,000 years old. It reportedly represents the God of fertility, probably based on the Roman God, Mercury, as he holds a purse in his left hand.
The male figure with an oversized hinged phallus reportedly has the symbolic power of good luck and can ward off evil spirits. Phalli were widely used across the Roman empire as protection against bad luck.
It was reportedly common for small phalli to be carved from bone or crafted from metal to be worn as pendants. Some homes were often decorated with frescoes or mosaics featuring phalli.
Meanwhile, the artifact's locking mechanism reportedly has a purpose: it could hold a belt and scabbard for a sword.
Mill said nothing was like it, so he hoped it would receive attention. Shepheard, an avid metal detectorist for 25 years, said he enjoys the hobby due to the various surprises it offers, like the one he just discovered.
Wooden Phallus Found Buried in Roman Fort
Meanwhile, a weird wooden phallus was unearthed somewhere in the Roman fort of Vindolanda. It was believed that it was used for sexual pleasure years before adult toys became a thing, Science Times previously reported.
The item was discovered alongside hundreds of shoes and dress accessories. It was initially thought to be a darning tool, but the new study, titled "Touch Wood: Luck, Protection, Power or Pleasure? A Wooden Phallus From Vindolanda Roman Fort" published in Antiquity, said the smooth 7-inch-long device could be a sexual instrument. Both ends of the wooden device were substantially smoother.
Dr. Rob Collins, one of the study's authors, said if the item were an adult toy designed to aid sexual pleasure, it would be the earliest example from Britain.
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