While the Egyptians are credited with being one of the first civilizations to use condoms, it wasn’t long before others followed suit. When the tomb of Tutankhamun was unearthed in 1922, the discovery of over 5,000 artifacts amazed archaeologist Howard Carter. Amidst the gold, silver, ebony, ivory, jewelry, weapons, furniture, linen, and perfumes, a small piece of cloth stood out to experts: King Tut’s condom. This humble item was deemed so essential that it was included among the treasures intended to accompany the pharaoh into eternity
Tutankhamun’s condom, which contained traces of his DNA, consisted of a sheath made of fine linen, soaked in olive oil, and attached to a string that would have tied around his waist. Dated to 1350 BC, it is the oldest known condom in existence. If the condom was used for contraceptive, rather than ritual purposes or the prevention of disease, it is unlikely to have been very effective. Indeed, the remains of two fetuses were also found in his tomb, and genetic testing revealed King Tut was the father.
The ancient Egyptians had other methods of contraception too. The Kahun Medical Papyrus (known also as the Gynaecological Papyrus), which has been dated to around 1825 BC, recommends the use of a mixture of crocodile dung and some other (now unknown) ingredients as a contraceptive. This mixture would then be formed into a pessary. According to one hypothesis, the dung of crocodiles is alkaline in nature, thus acting as a spermicide.
Page 1 and part of page 2 of the Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus dated around 1825 BC. (Francis Llewellyn Griffith. (1862-1934)/ Public Domain )
Other civilizations soon followed the Egyptians in using condoms. The ancient Romans, for example, made condoms out of linen and animal parts such as intestines or bladder. The Chinese used silk paper soaked in oil, while the Japanese utilized tortoise shell or animal horn to cover only the glans. The Djukas tribe of New Guinea had a female condom made from a specific plant. During the Middle Ages, Muslims and Jews used tar or onion juice to cover the penis. The need for protection against sexually transmitted diseases became more crucial during the 15th century, particularly during the well-documented outbreak of syphilis among French troops. At this time, linen sheaths soaked in a chemical solution were widely adopted. Condoms were revolutionized in the early 19th century with the introduction of rubber. By 1850, several rubber companies began mass-producing condoms, and their use became more widespread throughout history.