The poem, which takes the form of a witty, free-flowing dialogue, tells of a virgin woman (junkfrouwe) and her speaking vulva (fyd) who engage in a lively debate over which would give a man more pleasure. While the woman argues that is it her looks which win men over, her vulva accuses her of putting too much importance on her looks. After briefly parting company, the two decide that they are better together, because a person and their sex are inseparable.

While the author of the poem is unknown, Dr Christine Glassner, of the Institute of Medieval Research at OAW, told Austrian media that the text “at its core is an incredibly clever story, because of the very fact that it demonstrates that you cannot separate a person from their sex”.

As far as archaeological discoveries go, the find can now be considered the earliest form of The Vagina Monologues. But the parchment fragment also provides valuable confirmation that one of the most enduring narratives throughout history was the study of female sexuality. And with this information, we can adjust our perceptions of the past. We might like to believe that women in the Middle Ages were were meek, submissive, and permanently drifting around in long robes with pendant sleeves, but as The Rose Thorn proves, women are, and have always been, playful, assertive, and in complete control of their sexual destiny.

Image: Getty

This medieval “Vagina Monologue” poem shows the enduring power of female sexuality throughout history