There is a myth among some people, including scholars, that pornographic images began with the invention of the photographic process. It is a way, I suppose, to keep us focused on the idea that today's immorality is far worse than yesterday's. But that all sexual art before the time of Christ represents a sacred union is, nevertheless, a lie. Of course, people have been prevented from knowing about these images by virtue of our puritanical outlook on things. The repositories for artifacts here in California contain more than a few examples of immaculately carved stone penises, the "sacred pestles" as would be explained to you if you were to wrangle permission to actually see one. American Indians didn't have a sense of humor? A sense of the erotic? Not even when rhythmically pounding acorns with a blunt cylinder? The sacred is the way we explain away much of what we can't--or don't want to--understand as erotica or porn. It's a smokescreen at best. Once Greeks and Romans learned how to make cheap, molded oil lamps, the market was flooded with sexual imagery in three dimensions. Call it sacred if you wish. Whatever lights your wick. But as with the image above, reproduce the same thing with a couple of models and a camera and it'll be called porn by just about anyone. Would it be beyond the realm of modern thought to believe that through sexual or even pornographic images, cultures have found a way to mitigate the sexual tensions that limiting access to sex imposes? Is providing a safe context for sexual imaginings as wrong and dangerous as it is universal? You decide, but if you have any ideas, feel free to email me. The secret room in the Naples Archaeological Museum, containing sexual artifacts from excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, has been closed to all but the very rich and influential for 200 years. But despite vociferous protest, it is now open to the public. You do have to go through a few hoops to get in. After you buy your general admission ticket, you might have to ask about the secret room (camera segretta). You'll be directed to another kiosk where you'll be assigned a visitation time and given a voucher good for that time period. All tours are free and guided by someone who speaks your language but who isn't necessarily knowledgeable about the artifacts. You can hire an archaeologist to tell you more about them if you wish. The interesting thing is, you are free to take pictures--as long as you don't use flash. You'll only have 45 minutes to tour the room, but it's smaller than you'd think considering the hoopla surrounding the exhibit. So, follow our tour if you'd like, or click on the individual pictures to see them enlarged. Clicking on the thumbnails below will open a full-size picture in a new window. You must have javascript enabled on your browser for this to occur. All photos © 2000 by James Martin

NEXT: lovemaking by lamplight
PREV: Erotica from the Naples Archeological Museum