item details
NameNatural sea sponge
ProductionDame Margaret Sparrow; maker/artist; 2010s; New Zealand
Classificationpersonalia
Materialssponge, cord
DimensionsOverall: 55mm (width), 39mm (height), 17mm (depth)
Registration NumberGH024426
Credit lineGift of Dame Margaret Sparrow, 2015
Overview
Natural sea sponges can be soaked in spermicidal solutions and held in the vagina as a barrier during sex to help prevent pregnancy. They are an ancient form of contraception. Egyptian women used sea sponges soaked in vinegar to act as a spermicidal barrier.
This object was assembled by Dame Margaret Sparrow, one of New Zealand’s leading specialists and advocates on birth control and sexual health.