History of the Chastity Belt

by Chastity-UK.CO.uk

The history of the chastity belt is difficult to prove. With little documentary evidence available until the 15th Century any myths, legends and stories before that time can only really be considered as conjecture.

Some of that conjecture includes:

• Stories of Roman female slaves who were locked into chastity belts and were only granted release for the sexual pleasure of their masters and mistresses.

• Tales of Roman prostitutes being forced to wear chastity belts which exposed their vulvas, these were worn to tease potential male customers, the belts only being removed once money had exchanged hands!

• Legends and myths of Medieval Ladies being locked within chastity belts until their Knights and Lords returned from fighting in the Crusades to free them. Chaucer does mention chastity in his writings, and medieval knights of the Crusades did swear vows of obedience, loyalty, poverty and chastity. However, chastity belts which claimed to have been manufactured around that time have since been proven to be 19th Century "replicas", "curiosities" or "fakes. In 1996, Felicity Riddy, a representative of Medieval Studies at York University said "There is no medieval evidence, from Chaucer or anyone else. It all points to an early urban myth brought back to life by the Victorians".

Two of the best examples of so called Medieval chastity belts can be found in Musée National du Moyen, the Cluny Museum of Paris. The photograph, left, below is a belt originally thought to be made in the 12th Century, which has been proven to be a "curiosity". It has it has a metal waist band covered in velvet and a crotch guard made of ivory which is supposed to press firmly against the vagina. To the right of that is another in the Cluny collection.

Chastity Facts:

The first documented reference to the term "chastity belt" is credited to R'gine Pernoud, a Medieval historian who, in the 14th Century explained that a simple cord worn around the waist was a symbol of chastity (such as the robes of a monk or priest - the cord around his waist is a symbol of his vows of chastity and purity).

The first written evidence of a chastity belt was recorded by Keyser von Eichstad, a retired solider who compiled a manuscript in 1405 about the art of war and military equipment. In his book "Bellifortis" he included a drawing of a chastity belt (picture below), with the inscription "Est florentinarum hoc bracile dominarum ferreum et durum ab antea sit reseratum" ("breeches of hard Florentine iron that are closed at the front"). This chastity belt was worn by the women of Florence, Italy as a method of preventing rape. The Bellifortis manuscript is held in the library of Goettingen University, Germany.

The emergence of the Male Chastity...

Unlike female chastity belts, the development of the male chastity belt or device has been much easier to follow. It's history is much more recent and can be traced through patients records. Below are 4 examples - the top 2 are American and the lowest one is of a patent held at Leeds County Council, Yorkshire. The middle called "The Timely Warning" is also an American design of 1905 and is similar to the "Kali's Teeth Bracelet" (an anti-erection device).

Between the 1850s and the beginning of the Second World War male chastity devices were developed for the purpose of preventing masturbation which the Victorian’s believed was a cause of insanity. It is at this point where we can see a distinct difference between male and female chastity belts/devices.

The Victorian view of the female chastity belt was to protect the wearer from rape, and where therefore considered as a method of security. However male chastity belts and devices were developed to prevent "self abuse", "self pollution", "nocturnal emissions" and "insanity, imbecility and feeblemindedness" which were considered to be the natural fate of any young man with lax moral attitudes!

Above is a chastity device Auctioned by Sotherby's in October 2001: The Catalogue Description read "A rare French silver chastity device for a boy, 19th century shaped to closely fit the anatomy, struck with a French control mark, on a bronze stand length 4in. (10.2cm.) Exhibited: "Les Anti-Onania." Paris, Galerie Robert Montagut." Sold for US$6,000

Today's modern stainless steel chastity belt was developed by improving upon the Florentine design by Hal Higginbottom in the late 1950s. Since 1958 Hal produced male and female chastity belts from his workshop in Sheffield, England, under the brand name of Tollyboy. His craftsmanship was of excellent quality and his belts were considered to be the "Rolls Royce" of chastity belts. It is Hal Higginbottom who was credited with bringing the chastity belt into the 20th Century.

However, due to demand and the increased interest in chastity, Hal had a long waiting list and his speed of production seemed slow to the eager, impatient buyer. With the demand for chastity belts increasing others were encouraged to manufacturer belts. The Tollyboy design was adapted in the USA by Jones and Access Denied (01/07/1997), and in Germany by Neosteel.

Hal Higginbottom became very ill with respiratory problems, and passed away on 21/05/98. Today the Tollyboy name lives on with Richard Davies (apprentice to Hal) continuing to produce the "Florentine" design, made to measure, steel chastity belts for men and women.

Since the late 1990s the availability of male chastity devices is much higher. Major Players have been Frank & Doris Miller who launched the CB-2000 in 1998. It was the world's first easily available hygienic male chastity device. The Millers have since gone from strength to strength adding the Curve to their range for the "larger" man and in August 2003 introduced the third design the CB-3000. World-wide sales of the CB-3000 currently far out weigh any other single design.

As you will see from viewing our gallery pages there is now a wide choice of male chastity devices, with noticeable differences in design. However, in comparison little advancement has been made to the female belt, the basic design remain the same.

Male chastity devices are now readily available from many specialist sex shops. We recommend that when purchasing you look for those shops and web sites, which know something about chastity, and will be able to help you with any problems you may initially have. Those Chastity UK recommend include:

Tickleberry - UK/Europe

Sufferware - USA