Chasтιтy belts — devices that were reportedly worn by women in the Middle Ages to prevent Sєxual intercourse — are often referenced in popular culture as an extreme method of enforcing fidelity. But these belts are curiously missing from most legitimate medieval texts, which initially puzzled historians.
So what are chasтιтy belts, and did women really wear them?
Chasтιтy belts were supposedly used by men in the Middle Ages to protect their wives’ virtue while they were away on business trips. These metal ʙικιɴι bottoms could be locked around a woman’s hips; they featured two openings for latrine purposes, which were occasionally patterned after hearts or flowers. As scholars have pointed out, the entire getup would have been both inhumane and very unsanitary.
This richly decorated metal chasтιтy belt is from the 15th to 16th century. It consists of two panels hinged together. But was it actually used as intended? Nobody really knows.
