Flying penis on legs: medieval obscenity surfaces in Alkmaar

This summer, archaeologists investigated the ground under two demolished buildings in the narrow Boterstraat, a side street that connects the Langestraat with the Laat. “We are literally diving into the late Middle Ages here,” said city archaeologist Nancy de Jong at the time.

They discovered that there must have been a much larger house on that site with wealthier residents than previously thought. They also found a cesspool and a cellar, which – now that everything has been washed and sorted – were full of metal surprises, shards and tiles.

The finds will be inventoried in the coming months by Erfgoed Alkmaar. “The entire excavation on Boterstraat is a top find, a sensation for us,” says De Jong, as she proudly shows the lead-tin penis badge. “This is the most striking thing.”

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“These penises have been found in other places in the Netherlands, but this is the first for Alkmaar. In any case, we have found a lot of metal that is also well preserved and that is very special for our city, because the soil here is composed in such a way that it quickly perishes.”

Instagram from the past

The ‘flying penis’ appears to be a phallic animal badge from the period 1350-1400. “Badges are pins that were used when you had been on a pilgrimage, like: ‘Look, this is where I have been’. A bit like Instagram now, but back then you pinned it on.” An example of insignia can be seen at The Seven Acts of Mercy in the Rijksmuseum.

“Only this symbol does not belong in that class; this is not something of a merit. You should see the penis more as a medieval superstition. That if you pin something like that on, the demons get distracted from you and focus on the obscene representation. A kind of protection against the evil eye.”

But according to De Jong, this obscenity would certainly have been laughed at at the time, and there were many variations of it. She doesn’t yet know how the ‘little penis’ ended up in Boterstraat. “We are actually just starting our research and hope to be able to explain that later.”

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In addition to the penis badge, hundreds of shards and dozens of other metal objects were also found during the excavation. “Even more badges, but also metal utensils such as a valuable arrow weight with a lid that can still be opened, a bronze thimble, tools and coins,” says archaeologist De Jong.

Extremely rare tile

Some of the shards and tiles now form pots and plates with the help of adhesive tape. “And one tile that is still intact is my favorite: with the Dutch Lion on it. These are extremely rare. We only know of two in North Holland, which were found in the Egmonden. That tile can be related to the Graven from Holland, but it was here.”

What he did in Boterstraat is another of the many questions that De Jong and her colleagues are looking for an answer to. “So much has emerged, which is phenomenal for Alkmaar. But how did it all end up in this place? Was it a workshop or a shop, for example? We would like to find out.”

“I hope that in time we can find a place to display these objects. This needs to be seen, because it is too beautiful to leave in a cupboard. All in all, it is simply a great find. And it shows that archaeologists can still bring up many untold stories.”