By Elena Ognivtseva

You might think that sex toys really came into their own following the "sexual revolution" in the 1960s, but in fact their history goes back a lot further. Sex toys have been around for thousands of years, but some have had a more lasting impact on human civilization and sexuality than others. In this article, we'll be taking you through our picks of the sex toys which have changed the world- and if you buy one for yourself, we know that they'll change yours, too.

Dildos

The idea of something shaped like a penis, and used for exactly the same thing, seems like a pretty obvious idea, and that might explain why they have been found amongst civilizations across the world and throughout the ages. The oldest one that has so far been dug up is from around 23,000 BC, predating almost every other human invention. If you had any doubt that using a sex toy is a natural part of human sexuality, then the durability of the dildo across history should put you straight.

Sex Dolls

Sometimes, a man just needs sex, even if it's only with an inanimate rubber object with a hole to stick his dick in. In 1904, a Frenchman named Rene Schwaeble took advantage of the newly-invented vulcanised rubber to create what we would recognise as the first modern sex doll. Little could Schwaeble have imagined the developments that his invention would make in the next hundred years- from simple blow-up dolls that anyone can afford, to a huge international community has since developed around dolls which are eerily lifelike and can cost thousands of pounds.

Butt Plugs

In some ways, it's surprising that it took mankind so long to get around to inventing something specifically to shove in your rectum, but it's also a shock that the butt plug was first developed by the notoriously prude Victorians. In 1892, Frank E. Young began selling his "rectal dilator", a barely disguised device that anyone today would recognise as a sex toy. Incredibly, they were first advertised as a cure for haemorrhoids, although quite whether the average Victorian would have been willing to replace one pain in the rear end with another is another matter.

Cock Rings

One of the most widespread sex toys across history, the earliest record we have of cock rings is from an incredible 3,200 years ago in ancient China. Rather unpleasantly, these ones were made out of goat's eyelids, but they've since been dug up in countless areas around the world, out of almost every imaginable material.

Lube

No prizes for guessing that it was the Ancient Greeks who came up with the idea of lube- after all, they're famous for their celebration of male-on-male sex. Combining two ancient Greek practises into one handy sex aid, their lube was made out of olive oil. Even Aristotle references it, telling us that it was also used as a crude means of contraception.