Erotic Spanking - History and Literature

History and Literature

The origins and scope of erotic spanking and flagellation are largely unknown. One of the earliest depictions of erotic flagellation is found in a 6th century BC Etruscan burial site named in modern times the Tomba della Fustigazione or "Tomb of Flogging" after its depictions of eroticized flagellation.

Representations of erotic spanking and flagellation make up a large portion of Victorian pornography (see 1000 Nudes by Koetzle.) Hundreds of thousands of engravings, photographs, and/or literary depictions of spanking and flagellation ("birching") fantasies circulated during the Victorian era, including erotic novellas like The Whippingham Papers, The Birchen Bouquet, Exhibition of Female Flagellants or the pornographic comic opera Lady Bumtickler's Revels. Many well-known people since their deaths have been discovered to enjoy spankings for erotic purposes or emotional gratification including renowned British Army officer T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia"), influential English theatre critic Kenneth Tynan, TV broadcaster Frank Bough, and English writer John Mortimer.