Last month, Newcastle University archaeologists suggested that this rather phallic object above is a 2,000-year-old Roman dildo. The 16 cm object—dug up at the Roman fort of Vindolanda in Northumberland, England—was also thought to be a darning tool for sewing or possibly even a pestle. However, avid yarn spinner Linsey Duncan-Pitt believes that it's actually a Scottish dealgan or farsadh, a "drop spindle" used to produce fabric by hand. From The Guardian:
The tip looks a little glans-like, but it is also like the notch at the pointed end of the dealgan, used to secure the spun fibre with a half-hitch. The spindle is then rotated to add twist to the drafted fibres, and the spun fibre is wound around the shaft. The base of the artefact is wider than the tapering shaft; that would help stop the fibre slipping off[…]
It's a bit understated as a dildo, and would no doubt make for a more satisfying spin than anything else.
