It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Group sex. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2012.

Illustration by Édouard-Henri Avril

In modern usage, an orgy is a sex party where guests freely engage in open and unrestrained sexual activity or group sex

Swingers' parties do not always conform to this designation due to the fact that at many swinger parties the sexual partners may all know each other or at least have some commonality among economic class, educational attainment or other shared attributes. Some swingers contend that an orgy, as opposed to a sex party, requires some anonymity of sexual partners in complete sexual abandon.^[1] Other kinds of "sex party" may fare less well with this labelling.

Participation in an "orgy" is a common sexual fantasy and group sex targeting such consumers is a subgenre in pornographic films.

The term is also used metaphorically in expressions, such as an "orgy of colour" or an "orgy of destruction" to indicate excess, overabundance. The term "orgiastic" does not generally connote group sex and is closer to the classical roots and this metaphorical usage.

[edit] Ancient orgia

Bacchanal with a wine vat (c. 1475) by Andrea Mantegna

In ancient Greek religion, orgia (ὄργια, sing. ὄργιον, orgion) were ecstatic rites characteristic of the Greek and Hellenistic mystery religions. Unlike public religion, or the private religious practices of a household, the mysteries were open only to initiates, and were thus "secret". Some rites were held at night. Orgia were part of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the Dionysian Mysteries, and the cult of Cybele, which involved the castration of her priests in a frenzied trance. Because of their secret, nocturnal, and unscripted nature, the orgia were subject to prurient speculation and regarded with suspicion, particularly by the Romans, who attempted to suppress the Bacchanals in 186 BC. Orgia are popularly thought to have involved sex,^[2] but while sexuality and fertility were cultic concerns, the primary goal of the orgia was to achieve an ecstatic union with the divine.

In popular culture [link]

The 1956 movie The Ten Commandments has the golden calf scene in which the Israelites are shown having an orgy but instead of an explicit one, they are shown drinking, playing music, and doing adult acts. This is based on the reference to the golden calf in the Bible in Exodus 32:6.

The films Caligula (1979) and Perfume (2006) have a number of orgy scenes, and orgies have been depicted in numerous works of art.

In the 1966 musical-comedy film A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, a Roman general calls for a "sit-down orgy" for his troops while he waits for his virgin bride to be delivered.

Stanley Kubrick's 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut includes a prominent orgy scene that has the members wearing masks and other concealing clothing.

See also [link]

• Orgia, on the ancient Greek rite
• Bacchanalia
• Sex party

References [link]

Notes

Bibliography

External links [link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Orgy in art

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Orgy

• World Record: Largest Orgy