From Sheep Gut to Latex: The Fantastic Evolutionary History of Condoms

As a mature sanitary protection product of modern times, the condom has had unexpected forms throughout history. In ancient and medieval times, people used a bizarre array of materials to achieve contraception and disease prevention. Archaeological data shows that ancient Egyptians used specially treated animal skins or linen to create protective covers. In 16th-century Europe, with the syphilis pandemic, Italian physician Gasparo Tagliacozzi invented an early 'condom' made of linen combined with chemical agents, specifically to combat sexually transmitted diseases. In the 18th and 19th centuries, animal by-products became mainstream. Processed sheep intestines, lamb cecums, or fish bladders were widely used in European society at the time to create reusable condoms. Although these products were expensive, cumbersome to clean, and had limited elasticity, they were an indispensable defensive tool for the aristocracy of the era. It wasn't until the invention of vulcanized rubber technology in 1839 that latex and rubber condoms in the modern sense were born and gradually popularized, completely changing human public health and reproductive choices.