Availability of Information Throughout History

Once upon a time… the history of contraception began. 

Description: Silphium depicted on an ancient silver coin from Cyrene

Source: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com [4]

The first written document that discusses birth control is the ‘Kahun gynecological papyrus’ that was compiled around 1825 BCE in Egypt.[3] The papyrus was found in El Lahun, Faiyum, Egypt in 1889. Many subjects are covered within the document’s 34 sections, including health concerns, fertility, pregnancy, and birth control.[2] Two contraceptive methods are discussed within the papyrus. One involves the use of crocodile feces (discussed more in this project under the section: Crocodile Feces), and the other method involves honey and natron salt.[2]

As time continued, evidence of different contraceptive methods has continued to appear around the world. There are many texts from Ancient Greece and Rome written by physicians discussing different contraceptive methods.[1] These contraceptives typically fit into three categories: oral contraceptives, which, as the name suggests, were taken orally; vaginal suppositories, which were used by placing them in the vagina; and different sex positions that wouldn’t allow conception.[1] While there are some texts from other places around the world during antiquity that provide evidence that contraceptives were used, the ancient Greeks and Romans have more surviving information available in comparison. This is why the majority of the stories you will read here are from the ancient Greek and Roman world.

Sources:

[1] Riddle, John M. “Chapter 1 - Populations and Sex.” Contraception and Abortion from the Ancient World to the

Renaissance. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1994, pp. 1-15,

hdl.handle.net/2027/heb01463.0001.001. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

[2] Riddle, John M. “Chapter 7 - Egyptian Papyrus Sources.” Contraception and Abortion from the Ancient World to

the Renaissance. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1994, pp. 66-73,

hdl.handle.net/2027/heb01463.0001.001. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

[3] Riddle, John M., and J. Worth Estes. “Oral Contraceptives in Ancient and Medieval Times.”

 American Scientist, vol. 80, no. 3, 1992, pp. 226–33. JSTOR,

http://www.jstor.org/stable/29774642. Accessed 1 May 2025.

Image Source:

[4] “CNG-Ancient Greek, Roman, British Coins.” www.cngcoins.com, www.cngcoins.com/.