Phallus and fascinus jewellery by Macabre Gadgets: pendants, charms, earrings and rings in bonded marble and sterling silver, part of our THEA line.
A familiar form, a less familiar history
The phallus is immediately recognizable. Its place in ancient life is less familiar.
Although it’s always very hard to pin down a singular or definite meaning of the symbol as used in antiquity, scholars have a good understanding of some of the meanings it carried.
Phallic imagery appeared in vast quantities as amulets, on all sorts of everyday objects, as sculptures, and as frescoes on walls throughout history. A large portion of these examples come from Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Alongside its sexual meaning, it could have served a protective purpose: a sign believed to ward off the evil eye and misfortune.
The term apotropaic (from the Ancient Greek apotrépein) means intended to turn away harm. It describes the purpose people attributed to these objects.
In Ancient Rome, fascinus was also associated with the divine phallus and protection against the evil eye. The difference between a phallus and a fascinus is quite simple. A phallus is a precise or symbolic representation of a human body part. Fascinus belongs to a particular Roman religious and protective tradition. We might say that every fascinus is a phallus, but not every phallus is a fascinus.
Throughout history, people have changed the meaning and perception of the phallus countless times — from a protective amulet to a saucy graffiti joke, from a symbol of sensuality and pleasure to a representation of male military force and violence. It also frequently has been revered as a sacred symbol of cosmic creation, protection, or the cyclical nature of life.
Erect, gigantic, tiny, sometimes severed from the body — the variations and symbolism behind it are among the most colourful.
One thing is clear, though: however fascinating it is, the place this symbol occupies in people’s minds is definitely much bigger than the object itself.
In today’s world, the meaning of the phallus is even more complicated. In addition to its multicultural and historical layers, we are looking at this symbol through the modern lens of unforgiving censorship.
Our reading
At Macabre Gadgets, our fascination with this symbol is not only an echo of past traditions. On top of that, we also fill it with our own symbolism.
For us, this object is more closely connected with the sensuality and intimacy of human relationships. It is not authority or force that we see when observing this symbol, but a meaning often overlooked in today’s reality — the meaning of sensuality and tenderness. After all, what should this object represent in the first place, if not the most natural desire for intimacy and love?
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Part of THEA
These pieces belong to THEA by Macabre Gadgets, our line of mythological jewelry inspired by Ancient Greek and Roman art. Wearable fragments of classical antiquity, reimagined through marble, silver and our own darker point of view.
Questions about phallus and fascinus jewelry
What is the difference between a phallus and a fascinus?
A phallus is the bodily form or its symbolic representation. Fascinus is associated with an ancient Roman religious and protective tradition. Winged phallic amulets are familiar examples, but not every phallic amulet has wings.
Which types of phallus jewelry does Macabre Gadgets make?
Macabre Gadgets makes phallus and fascinus pendants, charms and earrings, along with the Janus ring and Faun pieces that use the phallic motif in other mythological settings.
What materials are used?
Most pieces here combine bonded marble and sterling silver. The Janus ring is solid sterling silver. Selected Fascinus pendants include gold-plated sterling silver, and the Fascinus earring also uses glass pearls. Each product page lists its materials and fittings.
Do the pendants include a chain?
All pendants include a chain or cord. See each product page for details.