This week, in line with St Valentine's Day, the National Museum of Archaeology is exhibiting a unique couple figurine which dates back to the Maltese Neolithic period. The embracing couple figurine brings many hypotheses of the message and meaning behind it, and one can presume that it is a portrayal of affection and love which existed thousands of years ago. One could also presume it is a figure portraying an act of sexual behaviour, also something which has existed thousands of years ago. Discussing the history of Maltese sexual behaviour, Dr Simon Mercieca, a senior lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Malta, explained how our ancestors had a completely different view on sexual arousal and behaviour.

 

Our ancestors most likely had more sex than we do today

A number of scientific studies have shown that our ancestors had more sex than us, and it shows in terms of chromosomes which are shown to be weaker, said Mercieca. He explained how sexuality is linked with emotion, whilst controlling sex through contraception and postponing marriage is an act of reason.

"Before there was already this sense of control as in the past many married young, of course because life expectancy was shorter and especially in the case for women, who had a higher risk of death during childbirth."

Of course today the situation is very different, were most couples wait much longer to tie the knot, settle and have children.

The topic of nudity emerged, with Mercieca explaining that before the 19th century, nudity seen on beaches or even images was not really a big issue.

"A French traveller, Nicolas De Nicolay had visited Malta in 1551 and produced an image of a Maltese woman in a see-through dress. He considered her to be a prostitute, which is far from reality."

Previously, such images of women with bare breasts was common, especially in Church, were one would find paintings of the Virgin Mary lactating her breasts. Did people find these images erotic? "Far from it."

So if the issue of nudity did not arouse sexual feelings, what did?

"Numerous entries by the Inquisitions show Parish Priests being accused of touching women, some accusations are of priests simply touching a woman's shoulder." In the 16th Century there was a prohibition on touching, and such motives were seen as highly provocative and usually carried sexual meaning.

He also said that Confession Boxes were also created with this in mind, for the priest to be able to hear a women's confession without seeing or touching her.

Arranged marriages and the formality of an engagement

Before the turn of the 19th Century it was not uncommon for girls to be married by the age of fifteen, especially as most families at the time lived all in one room, parents had an interest to marry their children even quicker.

"Of course this is a complex issue, but one must also understand that before, most marriages were arranged between families."

Most families took the initiative and interest of who their children were to marry, and according to Mercieca, such marriages were successful.

"It is difficult to bring this fact in statistics, but speaking from personal studies, Mintoff's own parents' marriage was an arranged one, and the couple were described to be very happy."

Which highlights how today we view our own relationships, and how most couple's parents rarely, if ever, meet each other until the relationship turns into something serious. Or else it could bring up the concept that today there is less intention of finding the "one", but people are more interested in meeting and involving themselves in different sexual partners; also another reason why parents  are unlikely to meet.

"Previously, engagement was just as important as marriage, and to break off the arrangement one had to go to the Bishop and a go through a legal process."

He explained how an engagement was the first step towards allowing couples to openly have sex in their family homes.

"A particular case study focused on a family from Bormla, where a young man who was engaged to a woman moved in to her family's household. The woman had another sister and the man began to show strong sexual feelings towards her, and one time tried to make and advance towards her at night. To his surprise, instead of finding the sister in bed, he found the mother!"

Dr Mercieca also noted that there has been an increase in separations in Malta, which also highlights how today we are more economically independent from one another.

"It is no longer just a question of a woman being independent from the man, but also the man being less dependent on the woman. Let us face it, the 16th-17th century; it was the woman who would wash the clothes and cook, not the male figure."

It is not just a question of money, but industrialisation has helped us become more and more independent. He said that before, even until the mid-1970's, cases of separation would be a huge tragedy and dishonour for the family, especially amongst the middle class.

When questioned about his own perspective on sexuality, Mercieca turned to the teachings of the French philosopher Michel Foucault on how sexuality is simple a social construction.

"The more I study history and sexuality, the more I am aware that sexuality is simply a social construct which developed out of a relationship between power and knowledge, and a form of social control through societal institutions."

But the discussion for Michel Foucault is for another article all together. Instead one should reflect on how our relationships and perspective of sexuality has evolved and is constantly evolving throughout time.

 

Photo: Alenka Falzon