Phallus

Phallus, the Greek term for the symbol of generation which figures in the rites and ceremonies of most primitive peoples, and appears as a survival amongst civilised peoples. At the time when Mythology (q.v.) was universally considered to contain the teaching of ancient sages couched in the form of allegory, and everything in mythology was considered to be 'symbolical' of some profound and hidden truth, phallic worship was naturally conceived to conceal some esoteric teaching as to the mystery of the transmission of life. But this view of mythology is dissipated by an examination of the manner of life and mode of thought of those savage peoples in whom the scientific observer recognises primitive man. The savage leads not a speculative but a practical life, and his rites and ceremonies are practical. He lives in the midst of dangers, which as a practical man he wishes to avert; he has a variety of needs, which as a practical man he wishes to satisfy. Amongst the most important of his needs—whether he be in the pastoral or the agricultural stage—is the need of fruitful flocks, of fertile fields. Amongst the means which he employed to secure fertility were some which we should discriminate as magical, though probably to him they originally seemed to be not more supernatural or less rational than ploughing. Thus, it has been proved to demonstration by Mannhardt that one of the beliefs most widely spread amongst primitive men is the belief in a spirit of vegetation. The tree is regarded first as having life like a man, then as being the abode of a spirit, and finally the spirit ceases to be permanently attached to the tree. The savage has special means for promoting the vigour, for preventing the decay, for averting the displeasure of these spirits on whom the fertility of his crops depends. These various means are usually of the nature of what has been termed 'sympathetic magic.' Even civilised man, if he is abroad and is ignorant of the language of the country, acts what he wishes to have done. In a somewhat similar way the savage performs or mimics the things which he wishes the spirit of vegetation, say, to bring about. When he wishes a spirit to make his flocks multiply, his 'sympathetic magic' inevitably takes the form of a ritual which to us seems obscene, but is to him as harmless and necessary as the act of generation itself. Finally, let it be noticed that, if by 'worship' is meant 'adoration,' then phallic worship is unknown to primitive man; phallic rites and phallic objects are but the means by which, according to his notions, he incites or constrains the spirits to bring about the results he wishes; they are not the symbols of any esoteric mysteries.