Pete Wright

You know what, Pete, there's a surprising problem with the entire idea of chastity belts because they most likely never actually existed. What? Hold on. Instead, kind of like the term humble pie that we talked about a few episodes ago, the chastity belt was kind of a joke that got taken way too seriously later on in history.

You know what, Pete, there's a surprising problem with the entire idea of chastity belts because they most likely never actually existed. What? Hold on. Instead, kind of like the term humble pie that we talked about a few episodes ago, the chastity belt was kind of a joke that got taken way too seriously later on in history.

So chastity belts, do they actually physically exist? Yes, they can largely be seen only in museums, including the Science Museum in London. There is also a belt on display at the Musée de Cluny in Paris, which was alleged to have belonged to Catherine de Medici. It's a word I should know. Medici, the one-time queen of France.

So chastity belts, do they actually physically exist? Yes, they can largely be seen only in museums, including the Science Museum in London. There is also a belt on display at the Musée de Cluny in Paris, which was alleged to have belonged to Catherine de Medici. It's a word I should know. Medici, the one-time queen of France.

But here's the thing. They tested the metal in Medici's belt, and it was revealed that the metal originated in the early 19th century. That's hundreds of years after her death in 1589. What are we doing? Is this a prank? What are all these ideas? Where did these ideas come from? Okay, remember I talked about in German. He, before him, let's go back to where so many things begin.

But here's the thing. They tested the metal in Medici's belt, and it was revealed that the metal originated in the early 19th century. That's hundreds of years after her death in 1589. What are we doing? Is this a prank? What are all these ideas? Where did these ideas come from? Okay, remember I talked about in German. He, before him, let's go back to where so many things begin.

Ancient Rome, Pete. Oh, the sights, the smells, the tunics. I found an article written by Sarah Bond, who is a professor of classics at the University of Iowa, where she explained that brides in ancient Rome wore white tunics, follows up, but with a Herculean knot. These are also known as reef knots or love knots to signify her chastity. And it's just sort of like loosely worn around her waist.

Ancient Rome, Pete. Oh, the sights, the smells, the tunics. I found an article written by Sarah Bond, who is a professor of classics at the University of Iowa, where she explained that brides in ancient Rome wore white tunics, follows up, but with a Herculean knot. These are also known as reef knots or love knots to signify her chastity. And it's just sort of like loosely worn around her waist.

It's not really breaking any contact, but it's there to symbolize ever-dying love and virginity. It's called a Herculean knot because it's extremely hard to untie. And then her husband would untie the knot on their wedding night. A lot of people think this is where the phrase tying the knot originated, even though it would be untying. It's untying, but we get everything wrong.

It's not really breaking any contact, but it's there to symbolize ever-dying love and virginity. It's called a Herculean knot because it's extremely hard to untie. And then her husband would untie the knot on their wedding night. A lot of people think this is where the phrase tying the knot originated, even though it would be untying. It's untying, but we get everything wrong.

So the idea of protecting a woman's downstairs from non-husbands started in ancient Rome. And it persisted, but only, it seems, in writing. Because Germany McGerman, von Eichstadt, who wrote about the device in his battle book, he was probably just joking. Because his book also described, like, tanks, and I'm not joking, that run on flatulence.

So the idea of protecting a woman's downstairs from non-husbands started in ancient Rome. And it persisted, but only, it seems, in writing. Because Germany McGerman, von Eichstadt, who wrote about the device in his battle book, he was probably just joking. Because his book also described, like, tanks, and I'm not joking, that run on flatulence.

like fart tanks he talks about certain devices you can step in to be invisible like he makes literal jokes in his book alongside actual seed technology um does it seem like did anybody close the book and see that the title was like dare mad magazine right it was the cracked of its time yeah uh

like fart tanks he talks about certain devices you can step in to be invisible like he makes literal jokes in his book alongside actual seed technology um does it seem like did anybody close the book and see that the title was like dare mad magazine right it was the cracked of its time yeah uh

And so it was just an idea that someone had, but it was so catchy that it kept on, but it was never really used. There's actually a professor, Albrecht Klassen, another German, went as far as to write a book called, and this is available on Amazon, The Medieval Chastity Belt, colon, A Myth-Making Process.

And so it was just an idea that someone had, but it was so catchy that it kept on, but it was never really used. There's actually a professor, Albrecht Klassen, another German, went as far as to write a book called, and this is available on Amazon, The Medieval Chastity Belt, colon, A Myth-Making Process.

He wrote it because he was so fed up with it keep coming back up and back up and back up in history. And he was like, it was a joke. Why does he say they never really existed other than jokes and ways to sell things to museums? Well, I also, I already mentioned that none of the metal tested comes from medieval times. So the basic premise doesn't work.

He wrote it because he was so fed up with it keep coming back up and back up and back up in history. And he was like, it was a joke. Why does he say they never really existed other than jokes and ways to sell things to museums? Well, I also, I already mentioned that none of the metal tested comes from medieval times. So the basic premise doesn't work.

Do you have another guess that maybe he might say chastity or else probably weren't in a lot of use?

Do you have another guess that maybe he might say chastity or else probably weren't in a lot of use?