# Do All Cultures Practice Oral Sex? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770 "2003-06-27T15:43:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/1 "2003-06-27T15:43:17Z")
Is oral sex a ‘cultural universal’, or are there societies that do not engage in this practice? And has oral sex, in some form or another, been practiced throughout human history, or is it a more recent ‘invention’? As I understand it, daily bathing is a fairly recent phenomenon, and people at the turn of the century typically only bathed once a week. Under these circumstances, I can’t imagine that oral sex was common before the 20th century. Was it?? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![dragongirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/2 "2003-06-27T15:50:37Z")
Some time ago, I saw a show on the history of sex. I seem to remember seeing a picture on the show from the middle ages of a man performing oral sex on a woman. The guy who was talking about it said something about it being a suprising discovery. ---
**Author:** ![Phantomkat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9a140/32.png) [@Phantomkat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantomkat)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/3 "2003-06-27T15:53:48Z")
I know it was practiced in Ancient Greece. There are several pots on display in the Getty Museum in LA that depict a young boy performing oral sex on an older man. It’s also my understanding that in the remains of the resort town of Pompeii, one of the houses of prostitution has various pictures of the sexual services it provides and I’m pretty sure fellatio is one of them. ---
**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/4 "2003-06-27T16:15:33Z")
See, for instance, [History of Fellatio](http://www.allhosting-x.com/sex/guides/fellatio/history.html). It shouldn’t be assumed that historically people were invariably dirty; the Romans liked to bathe, and in early mediaeval times - up to the 1200s or so - mixed-sex public bathhouses were common in Europe. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/5 "2003-06-27T16:26:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Surreal \* > \*\*As I understand it, daily bathing is a fairly recent phenomenon, and people at the turn of the century typically only bathed once a week. Under these circumstances, I can’t imagine that oral sex was common before the 20th century. \*\* I would wager that the modern obsession with bathing also created the modern aversion to body odor. Back in the day, the human aroma was ubiquitous, and people were much more tolerant of each other’s bouquet. Sexual attraction can be enhanced by the carnal scent, and those with an over-developed “ick” factor are the losers. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/6 "2003-06-27T16:44:40Z")
I somehow cabn’t imagine that it was only “discovered” in the 20th century, somehow. I _was_ going to remark about cultures such as that of the Romans being quite keen on baths, but I see I have been beaten to it. Hmm - just thought - what about that letter from Napoleon to Josephine saying he’d be home in a few days or a week or whatever and telling her please _not_ to wash? ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/7 "2003-06-27T17:55:06Z")
Thanks. My line of reasoning here is that there doesn’t seem to be any oral sex ‘instinct’, but there does seem to be such an instinct for coitus. Therefore, it doesn’t seem likely that humans have been performing oral sex on one another for that long, otherwise it would come instinctively. Does that sound reasonable? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_of_Sandwhich)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/8 "2003-06-27T18:13:58Z")
There is no instinct for religion either, but people have been worshipping one god or another for a very long time. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/9 "2003-06-27T18:29:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Earl of Sandwhich \* > \*\*There is no instinct for religion either, but people have been worshipping one god or another for a very long time. \*\* Well, a lot of people suppose there is. I didn’t think it was something so easily settled (but please correct me if I’m wrong.) The basic point is still valid though - people may not have found oral sex instinctively, but I guess it’s fairly obvious once you start playing around for a few hundred years trying to have orgasms 🙂 More to the point, maybe some cultures have taboos against it. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/10 "2003-06-27T18:30:57Z")
What about the bible and sodomites and all that? I’m sure it has been around for a very very long time. I mean, how big of a leap in imagination is it to think that a warm soft tongue will feel good on your naughty bits? I can’t believe that people thousands of years ago would go :smack: Why didn’t I think of that!?! -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/11 "2003-06-27T18:49:34Z")
You kids, you all think you invented (oral) sex. I’d wager that cultures that practice female circumcision, especially in its more extreme forms, don’t practice cunnilingus. Other than that, I can’tcome up with a good reason why a culture _wouldn’t_ practice oral sex. C’mon, people have had the same parts and the same imaginations for a hell of a long time. I’m fairly sure that the idea occurred to someone (likely several someones) well before the Industrial Revolution. Besides, some of us _like_ the way our partners smell. The whole pheremone thing, you know. I love my husband’s scent. Not his soap, or his deodorant, or the few colognes I’m not allergic to, but **him** , sweat and all. His smell is exciting and vital and unbelievably arousing. And he tastes better when he’s not straight out of the shower. ---
**Author:** ![BlueMit11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@BlueMit11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMit11)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/12 "2003-06-27T19:20:46Z")
Yeah, I’m sure any two lovers with any bit of curiosity and spare time would think of putting “this” “there” as opposed to “that” “here” after awhile, just to mix things up. Or if they’re not ready to do “this” they’ll start off with a little of “that”. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/13 "2003-06-27T19:25:16Z")
Cunnilingus was certainly practiced with great enthusiasm in the seventeenth century, if Thomas Carew’s [A Rapture](http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/carew/rapture.htm) is anything to go by: > [@](#): > > Then will I visit with a wand’ring kiss > The vale of lilies and the bower of bliss ; > And where the beauteous region both divide > Into two milky ways, my lips shall slide > Down those smooth alleys, wearing as they go > A tract for lovers on the printed snow ; > Thence climbing o’er the swelling Apennine, > Retire into thy grove of eglantine, > Where I will all those ravish’d sweets distil > Through Love’s alembic, and with chemic skill > From the mix’d mass one sovereign balm derive, > Then bring that great elixir to thy hive. ---
**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/14 "2003-06-27T19:27:55Z")
**Surreal** _Does that sound reasonable?_ Not really, given the antiquity of such practices (you did read the historical link I posted?) and that our close relatives the bonobos also do it; see this link on [bonobo sexuality](http://www.trussel.com/prehist/news28.htm) and its possible relevance to human behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/15 "2003-06-27T20:21:50Z")
As a friend once said, “no, some have perfected it!” ---
**Author:** ![sweet\_contradiction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@sweet\_contradiction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweet_contradiction)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/16 "2003-06-27T21:14:51Z")
Crazy Cat Lady? could you talk to my husband please? I need more more more!! ---
**Author:** ![Shiva418](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Shiva418](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva418)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/17 "2003-06-27T21:59:28Z")
Look at any book that covers the history of eroric art and you’ll see dozens of examples of oral sex in Japanese and Indian paintings and sculptures. ---
**Author:** ![meanyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8edcca/32.png) [@meanyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meanyblue)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/18 "2003-06-27T22:56:55Z")
Well, as I remember it was pretty popular in the movie “Quest for Fire”. Dragongirl, as I recall the program “History of Sex”, what was surprising about the diagram of oral sex, was that it was drawn in the margin of the Bible, by monks. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/19 "2003-06-27T23:39:38Z")
Well, considering that chimpanzees and bonobos have been observed performing oral sex, I don’t see an insurmountable barrier to humans having picked up the habit early and often. [http://www.goddesscafe.com/opinion/monkeysex.html](http://www.goddesscafe.com/opinion/monkeysex.html) ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cultures-practice-oral-sex/184770/20 "2003-06-28T00:03:38Z")
No, some bureacratic cultures are restricted to written sex. 😉