New research has found that the world’s oldest sex toy could also light fires. The broken siltstone phallus was reassembled in 2005 after being found in Hohle Fels Cave near Ulm, Germany, and is estimated to be around 28,000 years old. It has been studied by the University of Tubingen who say that the 20cm dildo doubled as a tool for ignition. There are marks and indentations on the object that show it was regularly struck against flints to create sparks, whereas the carved rings around its polished end are thought to have been put there for reasons of pleasure rather than practicality. Prehistoric people could certainly multi-task…

Learn about other finds at Hohle Fels here.