Pornography in Context - History of Pornography - Part 1
Complex Sex
Episode 2: The Ancient Roots of Erotica — From Cave Art to Sacred Sex
Season 1 — Pornography in Context
What if pornography isn’t a modern invention at all, but a reflection of something humans have always created, celebrated, and wrestled with?
In this sweeping, cinematic episode of Complex Sex, Dr. Mallorie Sorce takes listeners on a journey through 33,000 years of erotic history — from prehistoric cave carvings to phallic Roman street signs, from sacred Egyptian fertility gods to medieval penis trees drawn by monks. This episode uncovers the surprising, provocative, and deeply human ways sexuality has always been expressed.
In this episode, you’ll explore:
- Erotic carvings inside Chauvet Cave, some of the oldest sexual art in human history
- How ancient Egypt saw sexuality as divine, spiritual, and life-giving
- Mesopotamian, Indian, Islamic, Chinese, and Japanese erotic traditions that shaped global views of sex
- Pompeii’s explicit brothels, frescoes, and phallic street markers — and why Victorians locked them in a “Secret Cabinet”
- How early erotica blended spirituality, humor, medicine, political power, and social hierarchy
- The origins of fetishism, queer desire, and erotic power dynamics across cultures
- Why medieval Europe wasn’t prudish at all — monks drew dicks in margins, saints wrote erotic poetry, and churches displayed vulva carvings
- How ancient and medieval cultures honored sexuality long before it was moralized, censored, or hidden
This episode is perfect for listeners who want to understand:
- The true origins of pornography
- How erotic expression shaped culture, religion, and power
- Why sex has always been political, spiritual, and deeply human
- How ancient attitudes toward desire differ dramatically from today
- The roots of shame, censorship, and sexual control in the Western world
Dr. Sorce brings storytelling, humor, research, and global history together to reveal a powerful truth:
Before porn was a product, it was a carving, a poem, a ritual, a joke — and a mirror of who we’ve always been.
If you’re fascinated by the intersections of pornography, sexuality, religion, culture, and history, this episode will completely reframe how you see erotic media.
Next up: Part 2 — how Victorian morality, obscenity laws, photography, and the internet transformed ancient erotic expression into the modern porn landscape we know today.
Follow Dr. Mallorie Sorce:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmalloriesorce
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorie-sorce-8729a1122
Learn more at: https://www.healingheartscounseling.co
