Sex Positions From The Perfumed Garden

There are eleven main lovemaking positions featured in The Perfumed Garden. Some of them are variations on positions we have already looked at. They are simply described as ‘Manner the First’, Manner the Second’ and so forth. The Perfumed Garden does say that the positions that the Indian peoples use are more varied and better and goes on to describe them. We will look at these later.

Manner Of The First

The woman lies down on her back with her thighs raised. The man kneels between her legs and ‘introduces his member into her’. He presses his toes into the ground and can then ‘rummage her in a convenient, measured way. This position is said to be gentle for the woman whose partner has a ‘long measure’.

Manner Of The Second

The woman lies on her back and lifts her legs into the air and brings her legs as near her head as she can. The man then kneels and enters her. This position is said to be good if the man has a ’short measure’ as it will afford the woman a degree of satisfaction.

Manner Of The third

The woman lies down and the man enters her from the kneeling position. She raises one leg only over his shoulder. This position will enable the couple to enjoy really deep penetration.

Manner Of The fourth

The woman lies down and the man enters her from the kneeling position. He then raises her legs up so that they are over his shoulders and he can grip her thighs as he thrusts deeply.

Manner Of The Fifth

Both partners lie down on their sides, facing each other. This position is good for generating feelings of warmth and love; it is very intimate.

Manner Of The Sixth

The woman kneels on all fours and then lowers her head to the ground. The man kneels behind her and enters her.

Manner Of The Seventh

The woman lies on her side and the man squats between her thighs with one of her legs on his shoulders and the other between his thighs. The man can then draw her to him by using his hands.

Manner Of The Eighth

The woman lies down on her back with her legs crossed at the knees. The man sits astride her like ‘a cavalier on horseback’ and, being on his knees, can ‘put his member into her’.

The manner Of The Ninth

The woman kneels forward being propped up on a bed or raised couch. The man kneels behind her and enters her from behind. The man can keep his legs either side of hers.

Manner Of The Tenth

The woman half lies on a low couch so that the bottom half of her body is unsupported. The man kneels in front of her and enters her. She can then use her legs around his waist to support her and he can lean forwards and grip the low couch for support.

Manner Of The Eleventh

The woman lies down on her back with a cushion under her buttocks. The man lies astride her and enters her. She should then cross her ankles over just behind and below his knees – or she can get her feet to meet together, sole to sole.

The Twenty Five Superior Indian Lovemaking Positions

The Perfumed Garden then goes on to describe the twenty-five positions of Indian lovemaking which it claims are superior to the Arabic tradition. It also warns that these shouldn’t be tried by ill or unfit couples.

The Stopperage

The woman lies on her back with a cushion under her buttocks and the man enters her from the front. He should keep his legs outstretched and she should bend her legs up so that her knees are on his chest. The Perfumed Garden says this position can be uncomfortable for the woman and should only really be tried if the man’s member is short or soft.

Frog Fashion

The woman lies on her back with her knees raised but her feet flat on the floor. The man sits with his legs around her sides. He enters her and holds on with his hands to her shoulders. Her knees should be under the man’s armpits.

With The Toes Cramped

The woman lies on her back and the man kneels and enters her from the front. He should then grip with his toes and pull her up off the ground so that her buttocks can swing freely on to the front of his thighs. Her legs can then cross behind his back and he can grip her neck with his hands.

With Legs In The Air

The woman lies on her back and the man kneels and enters her from the front. Her legs should then be supported on his shoulders and he can lean forwards.

He Goat Fashion

The woman crouches on her side and she stretches out the leg that is underneath. The man squats down between her thighs with his calves bent under him. He then lifts her uppermost leg so that it rests on his back and enters her. During this position he can take hold of the woman by her shoulders for extra leverage.

The Screw Of Archimedes

The man lies down on his back and the woman sits on him, facing him. She should then lean forwards and take her weight on her arms, positioned either side of his head. She can then slide up and down his member and, if he is agile, he can assist her by moving as well.

The Somersault

This position is really only for the very supple and very agile. The woman lies on her back with her legs up, one foot placed either side of her head and the man lies along her and enters her. It’s called the somersault because it was originally recommended that to get into this position the woman should wear a pair of "pantaloons" that she should drop so that they fit around her ankles. She should then bend forwards and put her head in them and the man should then seize her legs and somersault her into this position.

The Tail Of The Ostrich

The woman lies on her back and the man kneels in front of her and lifts up her legs until only her head and shoulders remain in contact with the ground. He then enters her, from behind, and straightens his back so that he is kneeling upright. She can then cross her ankles behind his head.

Fitting On Of The Sock

The man kneels down and the woman lies with her legs open and either side of his waist. He can lean back on his calves. He should then be able to use his member to stimulate the area around her vulva. In this position he can use his fingers to stimulate her clitoris as well.

The Perfumed Garden says that: when her vulva gets moistened with the liquid emitted from his verge she is thus amply prepared for enjoyment by the alternate coming and going of your weapon in her scabbard; put it into her in full length.

Reciprocal Sight Of The Posteriors

The man lies stretched out on his back and the woman sits down on his member with her back to him. He can press the outside of her thighs between his thighs and legs while she places her hands on the ground as a support.

The Rainbow Arch

The woman lies on her side with one leg raised. The man lies also on his side with his face towards her back. He then enters her and keeps his hands on her back. She can then reach forwards and grip his feet and bring them forwards towards her front forming him into an arch.

The Alternate Movement Of Piercing

The man sits with his legs outstretched and the woman sits facing him in his lap. He then draws his legs up under her thighs and she grips his back with her legs. He should hold her round the waist and she can support herself by leaning back on her arms. All he has to do then is move his feet together to provide all the movement and friction they will require.

Pounding On The Spot

The same basic position as the Alternate Movement of Piercing except the man keeps his legs stretched out and the woman grips him tighter round the back.

Coitus From The Back

The woman lies face down and the man enters her from behind. He should keep his legs outstretched and inside hers. She should place a cushion or pillow under her so that her buttocks are raised.

Belly To Belly

The couple stands facing each other. He brings one leg forwards and she raises one leg. He should then be able to enter her quite easily. Both the partners should have their arms around each other’s hips.

After The Fashion Of The Ram

The woman is on her knees with her forearms on the ground. The man kneels behind her and enters her and places his hands on her shoulders.

Driving The Peg Home

The woman leans back against a wall and the man enters her from the front. She takes her weight on her back and raises her legs, which she should lock around the back of his thighs. She can give herself additional support by holding on to his shoulders. He can then ‘drive the peg home’.

Loves Fusion

While the woman is lying on her right side, the man should lie on his left with his left leg extended. The man’s right leg should be raised until it is up to her flank when he then places her upper leg on his side. The Perfumed Garden then says ‘after having introduced your member you move as you please, and she responds to your action as she pleases.’

Coitus Of The Sheep

The woman is on her hands and knees; the man, behind her, lifts her thighs until her vulva is on a level with his member, which he then inserts. In this position she ought to place her head between her arms.

Interchange In Coition

The man lies on his back. The woman, gliding in between his legs, places herself upon him with her toe nails against the ground. She lifts up the man’s thighs so he can enter her. She can then take her weight on her hands, which she places, either side of the man’s body. The Perfumed Garden says this is an exact opposite of our traditional ‘missionary position’ and that a variation is for the woman to kneel with her legs under her but between his legs.

The Race Of The Member

The man, on his back, supports himself with a cushion under his shoulders but with his buttocks on whatever is underneath him. He then draws up his thighs until his knees are on a level with his face.

The woman then sits on him, "impaling herself on his member" she must not lie down but keep seated as if on horseback, the saddle being represented by the knees and the stomach of the man’. All she has to do then is jog up and down by flexing her knees to bring them both to orgasm.

The Fitter In

The man sits with his legs apart and the woman sits between them. He enters her and they grip each other’s elbows or forearms. Her legs should be around his waist and all four feet should be on the ground. They can then rock gently back and forth.

The One Who Stops At Home

The woman lies down on her back with her shoulders and upper back supported by cushions. She arches her back and brings her feet back so that her knees are raised. She opens her legs and the man can half-kneel and enter her. She then raises and drops her buttock to provide excitement and friction, but the man has to follow her movements or his member will become dislodged – he has to ’stick like glue to her’.

The Coition Of The Blacksmith

The woman lies on her back with a cushion under her buttocks and her knees raised as far as possible towards her chest so that her vulva stands out as a target. She then guides her partner’s member in. He then: executes for some time coition in the usual manner then draws his tool out of the vulva, and glides it for a moment between the thighs of the woman, as the smith withdraws the glowing iron from the furnace in order to plunge it into cold water.

The Seducer

The woman lies on her back, the man sits between her legs. She can then draw her legs up around his shoulders and guide his member in. She can clasp her legs around his waist if that is more comfortable.