The spinario

During the Middle Ages sex and the male penis was represented, on occasions, in a disguised way. This is true in the case of the gures that form part of the named Spinarios, a set of representations carved into the exterior of many Roman temples (case of Marcol- fo from Chartres Cathedral or of Ourense) that pre- sent a seated man that, in appearance, is removing a thorn from his foot. The aim of the sculptor was to draw attention to the male sexual organ visible under the tunic, as in one of the church’s brackets, with the intention to condemn lust.