Dildos have been found in china for more than 12,000 years ago and most recently a tomb believed to be a rather collection of dildos was discovered in china's Han Dynasty in Xian. Seven cast bronze dildos were discovered and evidence indicates that they were used by the palace maids on sexually deprived imperial concubines. Also found were the hand crafted dildos which doubles the work of art that are made of wood, jade and ivory.

Dildos were widely used in Greece and Miletus city was the main manufacturer of these dildos. By then it was known as olisbos and was made of stone, wood or padded leather. It was meant for single lonely women with the lubricant of choice at the time being olive oil. In ancient Arab and Polynesia countries, unripened bananas were used. While in Africa the most shocking dildo discovery was said to be made of camel dung coated with layers of resin.

In Italy the dildo was known as a "diletto" from the Italian word delight. It was further invented and by mid 1800s it was known as the widow comforter. Besides dildos used for pleasure, they were often used in deflowering ceremonies. They were attached to statues like the case of priapus, a Greek god of ancient Greece whose erect stone statue was used to pierce the hymen of young aristocratic women to prepare them for marriage. While others did it to loose their virginity, others did it to seek fertility blessings. The ancient Egyptian women who had problems in getting pregnant believed that they could improve this by masturbating by the moonlight.

In the recent times, women's personal toys have often been disguised as an item of health. Vibrators were invented during the Victorian era as a treatment for women for what physicians called hysteria; it is where women are frustrated in their sexual release. The physician would massage the patient's clitoris until an orgasm was achieved, and then he would give an apparatus that was phallus shaped known as therapeutic device.

Dildos and vibrators began to make their way in the 20th century in women magazines and catalogues and were said to be massagers or a device for anxiety and female tension. The toys later on were described as aids that each and every woman would love. It was encouraged as a way that keeps women relaxed and content. Today's dildos are meant for both men and women due to the porn industry unlike in the past where it was strictly for female erotic pleasures. The first dildo was sold in the year 1911 and a town in Newfoundland is named dildo it was named so following the town's earlier industry in 19th century that was known for carving dildos from whale bone and the band steely Dan named after a giant dildo.