Phallic symbols in art and religion. The origins of the phallic cult among the peoples of Central Asia Phallic cult in Greece and Egypt

The phallic cult is expressed:

1) in the deification of the organs of fertilization, male (phallus) and female (kteis), as independent divine beings;

2) in the deification of real or symbolic images of these organs;

3) in anthropomorphizing these organs as deities of the fertility of the earth and man,

4) and in the worship of these deities by extremely varied acts, starting with the sacrifice of images of genitalia and ending with excesses of voluptuousness, public prostitution and the opposite acts: self-castration, periodic abstinence and asceticism.

This cult reigned not only in the classical world, where its name came from. It is equally common in various stages of development among the most primitive tribes and among civilized non-European peoples (for example, the Japanese), and in the form of numerous experiences among the peasant population of Europe. The rude custom, which is so often found among us, of placing a “fig” on an offender or to protect against the evil eye, originates from the phallic cult, since the image of a phallus, the symbol of which in this case is the “fig”, was in the past considered everywhere as a protector from all evil spirits and enchantments. A typical country of phallic cult, which has survived to this day despite prohibitions, is Japan. The genesis of the phallic cult lies in the animism of primitive man in general and in particular in the idea of ​​the plurality of souls of the individual, that is, in the idea that, in addition to the main duplicate soul of the whole person, there are also independent souls of individual parts of the body. The organs of fertilization, from this point of view, more than any other, should have had an independent existence; Everything spoke for this: the mystery of the process of reproduction, and the even more impulsive unconsciousness of the process in which the organs of fertilization act in addition to and even against the wishes of the individual. Hence the idea of ​​the phallus as individual, able to exist even completely separately from a person and manifest its miraculous actions in such a state.

The meaning of the phallic cult

In the La Madeleine cave, a pebble of an apparently phallic shape was found with a man and a woman engraved on opposite sides. In all likelihood, gynandromorphic images symbolize the unity of the clan corporation. Researchers do not give a clear interpretation to individual finds, calling them simply objects. However, the specificity of the form and the peculiarities of the ornamentation also make it possible to discern a phallic semantic meaning.

Based on the general appearance of the sculptural figures and the repeating features of the details, it is reasonable to conclude that they had different functional purposes.

Firstly, phallic figurines undoubtedly served as an object of cult worship, a conventional sign of spiritual power coming from outside, physical and mental energy penetrating the female body through the phallus, turning there into the soul of the future person.

Secondly, These figurines seem to have been used during obstetrics, as was observed back in the 19th century among the northern peoples of Russia, when a phallic-looking god was placed next to the woman in labor and was supposed to contribute to the successful delivery of the child. It cannot be ruled out that in earlier times phallic figurines were widely used for the same purpose: to influence mentally and even physically on a pregnant woman in order to cause excitement and muscle contraction to facilitate childbirth (using the placebo effect).

Third, These items could be used in the ritual defloration of girls of the clan community. The sculptural phallus in this case acted as a symbol of the clan, whose members had lost the right to incest. Over time, the ancestral phallus acquired the meaning of a symbol of power in the family and became the rod of the ancestor. Echoes of this ritual have survived to this day. For example, in a number of places in India, on the eve of marriage, a girl performs self-defloration with the help of a stone deity. If an unmarried woman dies, then the priest of the temple performs the ritual of defloration with the same stone device.

Fourthly, The possibility of a purely pragmatic use of phallic-shaped objects as a lustmaker for masturbation and erotic experiences cannot be ruled out. For example, if a woman is dissatisfied with her sexual partners or lacks them due to war, protracted hunting, etc.

One can assume, by analogy with the Scythian-Sarmatian culture, a different practical function. The fact is that the Cimmerians, “milkers of mares,” the Scythians and Sarmatians, in order to increase milk yield, used an ingenious invention - a hollow bone tube through which air was blown in to excite the mare. The same effect of sexual irritation could also be used to increase the flow of mother's milk in lactating women, especially since breastfeeding, due to limited food supplies, sometimes continued until 5-7 years of age. And finally fifthly, It may well be that phallic objects were used for sadistically cruel punishments of incorrigibly guilty members of the clan, who were thereby deprived of their male social role. Among the same Scythian-Sarmatians, a young man who refused a military feat that should have transferred him to the category of men was obliged to wear women's clothing and perform all women's functions. According to the Old Testament, “whoever has his yatra crushed or his reproductive organ cut off cannot enter the congregation of the Lord.” But the most extreme punishment known in history was impalement - an execution that became widespread in Sarmatia, as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was called in the West in the 16th-17th centuries.

The identification of functional differences does not mean that phallic objects were strictly differentiated. They could also have a multi-purpose purpose. (Thus, the combination of the first and third of these functions gave rise to the idea of ​​power). At the same time, they themselves were subjected to stylization, turning into amulets and symbolic decorations, sometimes very piquant. For example, a ceramic figurine-vessel depicting a blow job (Peru), with a handle that has a vertical outlet. And these days, lipstick in the shape of a phallus was in great demand among Kursk women.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that the drawings, engravings and sculptural compositions contained motifs that are mildly called today “toilet creativity.” The fence-wall painting observed today has its origins in the work of the ancients, who, just like modern people, were characterized by a surge of sublimated energy.

As the patriarchal tendencies of the primitive community intensify, and especially with the transition to a productive economy and the virilocal principle of social organization, such ritual and cult objects and images are found more and more often, and their symbolic meaning is increasingly moving away from the original complex of emotional experiences, as evidenced by the gradual form stylization. One can even definitely say that along with the change in form, there is a transformation of the idea that takes on the meaning of strength, the power of tribal power, and, ultimately, power in general.

Perhaps the most indicative in this regard is the so-called “hammer pin”, found in burials (funeral complexes) of the Catacomb culture (2nd millennium BC), associated by archaeologists with ancestry. It was made from the bones of the now extinct spurus fish. The hammer-shaped pin had an elongated cigar-shaped shape and was decorated with an ornament of ribbon notches.

Characteristically in this regard, we note, the presence among the Don Cossacks up to the 20th century as the main symbol of the transfer of power to the ataman - an incision (analogous to the ancestor’s staff), on which each successive reign was marked with notches. Just as in other cases, the insect rod had a stylized shape. There is also a possible semantic connection between the marks drawn on the incision and the ornamentation of the chief’s staff in clan societies.

The idea of ​​power and authority is also objectified in the images of the snake, the royal staff and the scepter. It can also be seen in the architectural ensemble of the medieval knight's castle, an obligatory component of which is a soaring tower. The phallus also symbolized the general spiritualizing principle. The seed was considered the embodiment and source of life force. In ancient Indian mythology, it is identified with the absolute ideal principle underlying the universe. Among many peoples, castrati were considered socially inferior. Castrating a man meant depriving him of a symbol of power and life. The penis of a defeated enemy was often considered an honorable military trophy, like the scalp of the Indians. (A certain Egyptian pharaoh of the 19th dynasty, talking about the defeat he inflicted on the Libyans, names among the trophies 6,359 sexual members of Libyan warriors, as well as sons and brothers of leaders and priests.

Particular importance was attached to the erect phallus, the appearance of which, according to the beliefs of many peoples, was supposed to inspire fear and respect in others. Among the Australian Aborigines, when men met, they touched each other's penis as a sign of greeting. On the Stone Age Tassili frescoes, bearers of a high social cue are a religious symbol. In Ancient Greece, square columns (herms) with a male head and an erect penis were placed in front of temples and houses, guarding roads, borders, and gates. Damaging herms was considered sacrilege. Children wore phallus-shaped amulets around their necks as a means of protection against evil. And the mythological Priapus, the deity of fertility and the patron of sensual pleasures, was originally the phallus itself.

His name became a poetic euphemism for the penis. This is where the medical term “priapism” originated. The ancient Greeks and Romans sometimes tied the foreskin or used a special clamp - fibula (hence infibulation).

Along with direct symbols of strength and power, other indirectly characterizing signs of male sexual behavior were also widely cultivated. Eagles, falcons, lions act as a totemic power attribute, reflecting in their appearance the aggressiveness characteristic of the male ethological type. It is significant that in the initial periods of the formation of state power, its essence was associated in the minds of people with male potency, therefore social expectations required the ruler to have countless wives and concubines. Of course, to a certain extent this strengthened sovereign paternalism, since not only in public opinion, but also in reality, thereby reproducing the relationship between the father, the ruler, and the children, his subjects. However, to an even greater extent, male strength was regarded as the ability to govern the state, the ability to maintain the power of state education and protect the country from external enemies. Even the Egyptian queen Hatshepsut, having accepted the titular pharaoh, ordered herself to be depicted as a man with an artificial beard, and this despite the powerful remnants of matriarchy in the dynastic succession of power. And in the mythology of the ancient Greeks, Uranus, the god of the sky and the first ruler of Olympus, lost power over the gods along with the loss of his reproductive organ as a result of a conspiracy by his sons.

The youngest son of Uranus, Cronus, who carried out this operation with a curved steel sword, became the new heavenly hierarch. As is known, from the drops of blood of the divine phallus were born the goddesses of curse, punishment and revenge - Erinyes (Alecto, Tisiphone, Megaera), and from the foam raised by its fall into the sea - the goddess of love Aphrodite.

PHALLIC(Greek) Everything related to the sexual cult; or outwardly of a sexual nature, such as the Hindu lingam and ioni - symbols of male and female generative force - which do not have any of the impure meanings attributed to them by the Western mind.

Source: Blavatskaya E.P. - Theosophical Dictionary

Phallic, or sex cult. Honor and reverence is shown to gods and goddesses who, like Shiva and Durga in India, symbolize the two genders.

The phallic element found in every name given to God and in every tale Old Testament and to some extent New Testament, may also, over time, significantly change modern materialistic views of biology and physiology.

Devoid of their repulsive modern crudeness, such ideas about Nature and man, relying on the authority of the heavenly bodies and their secrets, reveal the evolution of human thinking and prove how natural such a flow of thought was. The so-called phallic symbols became obscene only due to the material and animal element contained in them. At first such symbols were only natural, for they originated in the archaic races, which, knowing that they were descended from bisexual ancestors, were in their own eyes the first manifestations of the division of the sexes and the mystery by which they in turn created. If subsequent races, and especially the “chosen people,” humiliated these symbols, this does not in the least change their origin.

Asking. Before we change the subject, we need to know the whole truth about this. Now some are writing that your teaching is “immoral and pernicious”, and others, relying on the so-called “authorities” and orientalists, who see nothing in Indian religions other than the cult of sex in various forms, accuse you of teaching a phallic cult . They say that since modern Theosophy is closely connected with Eastern and especially Indian thought, it cannot be free from this taint. Sometimes they even go so far as to accuse European Theosophists of resurrecting practices associated with this cult. How about this?

Theosophist. I have heard and read about this before, and I will answer you that more baseless and false slander has never been invented or spread. “A fool has bad dreams,” says a Russian proverb. Your blood boils when you hear such a base accusation made without the slightest foundation, based on mere assumptions. Ask hundreds of respected English men and women who have been members of the Theosophical Society for years whether we have ever preached to them immoral commandments and harmful doctrines. Open the "Secret Doctrine" and you will find that page after page the Jews and other peoples are condemned precisely for their adherence to phallic rituals because of the literal interpretation of natural symbolism and a grossly materialistic understanding of the dualism of nature in all exoteric creeds. This constant and malicious distortion of our teachings and views is truly shameful.

Asking. But you cannot deny that the phallic element does exist in the religions of the East?

Theosophist. I do not deny this, but only assert that it is present there no more than in Christianity, the religion of the West. Read Hargrave Jenning's The Rosicrucians if you want to be convinced of this. In the East, phallic symbolism is perhaps more direct because it is more true to nature, or, I would even say, more naive and sincere than in the West. But it is no more debauched, and does not inspire the Eastern mind with the same crude ideas which it evokes in the Western mind, with perhaps one or two exceptions, such as the infamous sect known as the Maharaja, or the Vallabhacharya.

Asking. One of your accusers in the Agnostic magazine recently hinted that the followers of this disgraceful sect are Theosophists and "claim to be the true comprehension of Theosophy."

Theosophist. He wrote a lie, that's all. There has never been and now is not a single vallabhacharya in our Society. As for the fact that they have comprehended Theosophy or claim to do so, this is another invention based on complete ignorance regarding Indian sects. Their “Maharaja” lays claim only to the money, wives and daughters of his stupid followers, and nothing more. This sect is despised by all other Hindus.

But you will find a lengthy treatment of this whole subject in the Secret Doctrine, to which I must again refer you for detailed explanations. In conclusion, I can say that the very soul of Theosophy is against the phallic cult; and its occult or esoteric part is even more than the exoteric teachings. There was no more false statement than the above. Now ask other questions.

The external genitalia of a man in the paintings of ancient masters are covered with a fig leaf. This modest outfit first appeared on Adam and Eve, who realized their nakedness. Showing a “fig” is an extremely indecent gesture, although on the other hand, the fig served as a protective gesture from the forces of evil and disease. This duality of society’s attitude towards the genitals has been traced since ancient times - perhaps there is no other organ in human anatomy that has not so often been a source of rude expressions and vulgar allusions. Therefore, one should not confuse, as was customary among the ancient Greeks, the anatomical penis and sacred ideas about the phallus. Sexual themes are reflected in all, without exaggeration, forms of art (painting, sculpture, theater, cinema, photography).

Since ancient times, the male reproductive organ has been endowed with the sacred functions of power and fertility, so it was loved and worshiped. In primitive society, a person who had big muscles, a large household and housing was richer compared to his fellow tribesmen. Body size, strength and fertility (the symbol of which was the penis), and therefore a large family, power made such a person a dominant figure in the clan. A large penis became the object of envy of others, and the person who owned it became a kind of idol, respected and worshiped. The axiom “the more the better” has survived to this day. It should be noted that a large penis evokes a feeling of delight from an aesthetic point of view, a sense of pride in the owner and inspires fear in others, causing them to respect.

The first images of the phallus found date back to the Perigordian period (35 thousand years ago). Early finds also include rock paintings of naked men hunting during the Bronze Age (Boguslan, Sweden). Also, figurines of phalluses next to the heads of killed animals (about 5000 BC found in the Sahara Desert), drawings depicting female genital organs and figurines of phalluses belonging to the Orian culture (Tuc de Odubert cave) are also of considerable age.

Among the pagans, phallic actions were equated with sacred ones, manifestations of the infinity of life. The fantasy of ancient people in this regard knew no bounds and was manifested in many rituals in the tribes of farmers. A woman, like the earth, gives birth from herself, so men copulated with women en masse in the fields (New Guinea). Plants were planted in holes and dug up with penis-like tools (Central Africa) or grain was ground with utensils of a characteristic elongated shape. It was the vertical pillars-limits that served to protect gardens and vineyards. The photo shows finds of phallic figurines from ancient times.

In Ancient Egypt, the cult of the phallus occupied an active place in beliefs and rituals: the phallus was a symbol of male power, this is connected with the legends of Osiris and Ra - the king of all gods, who was depicted naked. The goddess Nut had a phallic body with a female head. The priests of Ancient Egypt tried to heal the sick with the help of the phallus.

Phallus translated from Greek is an erect penis and its images, as well as a symbol of productive power and fertility. Ancient myths and legends contain references to the cult of the phallus; it was important in the culture of the Greek gods - dimeter, Hermes and especially Dionysus. We quote Herodotus: “The Greeks erect phalluses in the name of Dionysus and place wooden figurines on them, symbolizing men with a large, oversized genital organ.” Many drawings on antique vases depict holidays in the name of Dionysus (fig.).

During the festival of Bacchus, girls who were not devoid of chastity (they were called “canephors”) carried an image of the phallus, decorated with flowers. The Greeks made artificial phalluses from wood, leather, and interestingly, often with wings - this testified to the rapidity of production potential. Pan and Priapus also professed phallus culture. Priapus, as a rule, was depicted as a bearded grandfather with a menacing expression on his face and a large penis, hinting at being in a restless state (Fig.).

According to myths, Priapus is the fruit of the love of the god of wine Dionysus with the goddess of love Aphrodite. This is the god of fertility, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. The goddess Hera cursed Priapus, which resulted in his birth defect and he was banished from Olympus. But, despite this, people loved this deity and held holidays in his honor. During these holidays, complete sexual freedom was allowed. In France there were such analogues of Priapus: in the south - Saint Futin, in Burg - Saint Gerluchon, in Brittany - Saint Giles and Saint Genola. Often women came to such idols and occupied their statues in the hope of getting rid of infertility, because they gave women fertility and men - virility. The ancient Germans made sacrifices to the god Frico in honor of marriage. In Turkey, the analogue of Priapus is known under the name of the god Bes. Figurines depicting him are still popular with tourists.

The phallic cult existed among many peoples of the world; only the rituals of worship, the shape and size of the phallic symbols differed. All over the world, giant phallic columns appeared: herms and menhirs. Hermae is a square pillar with the head of a bearded man on top and an erect penis in the middle. These symbolic statues were installed both near roads, fields, and inside the house. They had a protective function and the function of amulets (Egypt, Greece, India). During archaeological excavations in Pompeii, a red phallus with the inscription “here lies bliss” was found in a baker’s house. In different regions of Europe, menhirs have been found, which are high stone pillars up to 20 meters high, cylindrical or conical in shape - symbols of the phallic cult. Such structures are common in the British Isles, France and the Caucasus (Fig.).

In the Roman Empire, the cult of the phallus was manifested through sacrifices and protection from evil forces with the help of phallic figurines. Phallic symbols were hung on the gates for the same purpose for which horseshoes are now hung - “for luck” and as amulets. And in Asia Minor, the phallic cult was associated with ceremonial burial: the phallus was used as a posthumous monument on the graves of men.

India has one of the oldest phallic cultures. The phallus in the form of a lingam is still worshiped here. In the Puruska Sukta it is written: the worship of the phallus does not mean the worship of an anatomical organ, but simply the recognition of the eternal divine form, manifested in the microcosm. The male organ is nothing more than an image of this divine emblem, the original life form is the lingam. Lingam in Hinduism is a symbol of Shiva and his fertility, classically shaped like pillars, resembling a horn, 75 cm high and 30 cm in diameter at the base, although those installed in temples can reach gigantic sizes (Fig.). Many Hindu women wear lingams around their necks, just like Christians wear crosses. In Buddhism, temple gates are guarded by impressively sized warriors with strongly protruding genitals to ward off evil spirits.

On the American continent, before the arrival of the Spaniards, they also worshiped the phallus: it was the Spaniards who found an idol in the temples of the Indians that had a phallic shape. From the feature film about the Mayan Indians “Apocalypse (Apocalipto)” we learn about the use of folk methods in treating infertility of one of the film’s characters and the tribe’s jokes about this. In Nicaragua and Costa Rica, sculptural depictions of sexual intercourse were found, and on the banks of the Mississippi River - figurines similar to the Greek Priapus, made of stone or scorched clay.

The Arawaks who inhabited the Antilles cut stones, giving them a triangular shape, in which phallic symbolism was clearly visible. They were called “zemis” and served in ritual ceremonies for initiates of the fertility cult. The peoples of Lika and Caria had the practice of lubricating the sacred cone with olive oil during celebrations. In the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, the sacred stone was anointed with oil.

Regarding the symbolism of the genital organs, the culture of the world has not spared its imagination! The circle and the stick are the most primitive of them. Sword and shield, staff and tonsure, scepter and crown, column and arch, flute and drum - this is an incomplete list of mankind’s rich imagination on this matter. According to some researchers of world cultural heritage, the Star of David is an image of sexual intercourse: a triangle with the top up symbolizes the masculine principle, and the triangle with the top down symbolizes the feminine. The image of a person’s genital organs symbolizes not only fertility, but also incorporates male or female character traits (courage, bravery, or inability to conduct combat operations). When a city capitulated quickly, without resistance, the victor erected one or more obelisk columns on which the name of the conqueror was engraved. “And nearby,” says Herodotus, “they reproduced the intimate parts of a woman’s body to demonstrate that the enemy lacks courage.” The installation of obelisks is a common phenomenon today, in all more or less large settlements affected by the war (in Kyiv these are memorial signs in honor of the legendary conquerors on Victory Avenue and in Glory Park). The personification of genitals has not escaped folklore and jokes. In one of the Irish stories, the hero Fergus is characterized primarily by the size of his genitals.

Our ancestors, namely the bearers of Trypillian culture, also had their own symbolism closely related to the theme of genital organs and relationships. “The Trypillian culture was discovered by the Czech archaeologist Vikenty Khvoika more than a hundred years ago on the Right Bank of Ukraine. From underground it was possible to get cultural sights so different from the examples of primitive society we are used to that it would be possible to rewrite the entire history of modern civilization,” writes Eduard Khalepa, in an article for the online publication “Museums of Ukraine.” Also, from his words we see: “Trypillians in their large villages left a lot of household and sacred clay products. Among the latter are small female figurines with sacred ornaments painted on their bodies. At the highest stage of development of our ancestors, magical designs were transferred to clothing. For thousands of years, the ancient symbol of fertility has been preserved: a magical outlined diamond - a generous field. In the spring - in honor of the Goddess of the fertility of spring grain, Demeter, in the fall - for the glory of her daughter, the Goddess of winter grains, Persephone, they held mysteries, where the priest poured water on the earth, imitating the heavenly fertilization of it with rain. In 1970, museum exhibits were brought to Moscow and St. Petersburg from the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia, among them was a jug with one handle and a spout - the prototype of a modern teapot. The spout was made in the shape of a woman holding a small jug without a bottom in her right hand. You can pour water from a large jug through it. This is a ritual object of those mysteries. The shape of the jug's spout also resembles the muzzle of a bull. The image of the sky God Zeus, who, by shedding rain, fertilizes Mother Earth. Demeter’s clothing is also indicative: over her dress she wears a checkered apron, drawn like a Trypillian rhombus. In Ukraine, since ancient times, they have been making a plakhta - an outer decorative skirt. Belief in the miraculous properties of this checkered clothing, which promotes fertility in a broad sense, came to us through the lines of eternal ritual songs. The Greeks, probably under the influence of Trypillian culture, jealously guarded the secret of national fertility. Under threat of the death penalty, men, heterosexuals, and any foreigners were prohibited from attending ritual ceremonies. Only respectable matrons were admitted, and according to recommendations. This is what Aristophanes' famous comedy says: "Women at the Celebration." The Hellenes were afraid that outsiders would not learn the riddle of transforming dead grain into a living sprout, so that they would not reveal the local secret of fertilization and would jinx it and harm national achievements.”

Nowadays, people have come up with the idea of ​​collecting collections of plaster prints of the genitals of famous rock performers (Chicago), and tying small corresponding pendants to boys’ stomachs as amulets (Thailand). All this is regarded as the promotion of human rebirth, and not actions that encourage lust and debauchery.

Representatives of different cultures have been quite open about their fascination with the big penis. Most of all, large phalluses were valued by Hindus. Their fine art and sculpture are dominated by images of men with large genitals hanging down like a horse’s. In life, however, small penises were considered the embodiment of male power. The Kama Sutra lists four types of men depending on the length of their manhood. “Shusha” is a hare man: the erect penis is only 5-7.5 cm, and is considered “flexible, elastic and strong.” Moreover, this is a wonderful ideal. “Mriga” is a man: his erect penis is of average size 10-15 cm, this type is called the “perfect warrior”, he is “graceful and agile”. "Vrishubia" - ox-man: has a dignity of 18-20 cm in length, characterized as "muscular and rough". “Ushwa” is a human stallion, last on the list, a liquid individual with a wrist-thick penis over 20 cm long. Hindus sardonically attributed to him such qualities as “absolutely weak and flaccid”. An analogue of the “folk” classification of genital organs exists in our culture, the culture of Kievan Rus. The smallest penis in the classification is “Laskun” (10 cm in length), the largest is “Balda” (17 cm or more). Also distinguished were “Swan” (11-12 cm), “Balun” (13-13.5 cm), and “Sultan” (14-16 cm). The Slavs classified the genitals not only by length, but also by diameter: “Baby” - 2 cm, “Prince” - 2.5-3 cm, “King” - 3.5-4 cm, “Golovan” - 4, 5 cm and “Elephant” - 5 cm or more.

The culture of Ancient Greece also expresses an ambivalent attitude towards the size of the penis. In the images of that era, the gods were endowed with fairly massive tools, and people, on the contrary, were endowed with relatively tiny gifts of nature. As for ancient Athens, a large penis was considered an abnormal phenomenon and had a barbaric characteristic, serving as the basis for caricatures, satyrs and savages. According to Aristotle, small members are more “fertile” than large ones, since the family does not cool down, covering a shorter distance during ejaculation. It is interesting that in Ancient Rome, young men were subjected to infibulation (fig.) - fastening the foreskin with a copper button. Without such manipulation, the athlete could not take part in the Olympic Games, where everyone who competed was naked.

The Arabs' interest in large phalluses was explained by an ancient Muslim aphorism: “a woman prefers an extra centimeter in the male organ to everything that both this and the other world can give her.” The Arabs treated the size of the genital organ with such great respect that the Ottoman Turks conquered them only because they had the reputation of being a nation of “possessors of great male dignity.” The Turks publicly displayed the size of the members of the conquered Arab leaders, comparing them with the real or even fictitious huge members of the Turkish commanders. This quite actively contributed to the suppression of resistance from the Arabs.

In Europe, during the Renaissance, men's false codpieces (fig.) came into fashion, which consisted of a backing of several layers of fabric and were sewn to trousers to visually enlarge the protruding mound between the legs, an integral part of the male anatomy of the body. The fashion news quickly caught on and was partially modified - they stuck everything into codpieces to increase their size - handkerchiefs, coins, keys and much more. On the statue decorating the facade of the building, you can even see specially made armor to demonstrate this part of the body (Fig.). If you look at the full-length portrait of Napoleon, you can suspect his passion for this accessory (fig.). Now, it happens that air is pumped into a specific place of special underwear to increase what is sticking out.

If we were to conduct a survey among men - whether they are satisfied with the size of their penis, then, of course, we would hear more pessimistic answers. If we put the question a little differently - if it were possible, as in a fairy tale, to enlarge your penis by a centimeter or two with a magic word, then 95% would answer: “Yes,” while the other 5% would either lie, or On the other hand, they are not satisfied with their size, as being too large. Analyzing the reasons why men attach such importance to the size of their genitals, we can simply evaluate them as individuals prone to competition. In various issues of a person's life - speaking about work, study, earnings or status - a man, comparing himself with others, more or less consciously evaluates himself in comparison with others similar to himself. The presence of a large penis, as well as a high status in life, provides it with a strong place at the top of the totemic list of male power. Men and women believe that a man with a larger penis has greater sexual power and masculine temperament.

Men, even with a mediocre level of knowledge on this issue, understand from a common sense perspective that it is more painful than pleasant for a woman to have sex with a man who has a very large “tool.” But the question of penis size concerns a man’s feelings rather than his common sense. This emotional side of the issue has bothered men since ancient times, because men of higher social status or rank with a larger penis and a larger stick were painted on rocks. Although today such drawings remain relevant in public places, where this artistic theme is updated for the purpose of the institution.

Boys begin to actively compare their penis during puberty, when hair appears in the groin area and the genitals intensively develop. Throughout their future lives, men continue to compare the sizes of their organs in locker rooms, rest rooms, and baths. These observations either dispel or, on the contrary, strengthen their phobias regarding their sexual usefulness. It is also known that much depends on the position of the penis being studied: if you look at it from above, the dimensions are somewhat hidden, which can only increase the owner’s fear of an underdeveloped penis. Men's anxiety regarding penis size is very high. Tribal shamans from the Ivory Coast, in Africa, consider the threat of reducing penis size to be an effective weapon against the enemy and annoying tourists.

What is the significance of penis size for a woman? Sexopathologists claim that for them, the partner’s knowledge of his partner’s erogenous zones and the technique of sexual intercourse are of greater importance than the anthropometric parameters of a person. Most women give the same arguments, but for some reason they do not sound convincing enough. Experienced women believe that techniques and behavior in bed affect their emotional sphere, so if men are equal in this regard, they (experienced women) will choose men with a larger penis. This position is described by the expression “Better a good big one than a good small one.” Therefore, for various reasons, men and women, for the most part, stand as a united front for a large penis.

In one of the issues, Playboy magazine published a study of its reader. He conducted a survey of a group of women who had given birth at least once between the ages of 25 and 50. There was not a single one among them who liked a small penis. Of course, this study has no scientific value, but it helps to further assert that most women prefer a large male penis.

Many women also believe that a small penis, from a psychological point of view, does not cause them as much excitement during preparation for sexual intercourse as a large penis, or even a medium-sized penis, which symbolize aggressiveness, power and strength, and masculine energy. In addition, if the penis is longer than average, a woman has the prospect of a more exciting, more captivating coitus, and due to these ideas she is excited with greater force. The fact is well explained from an etiological point of view - the choice of a more dominant male by a female. In addition, according to V.P. Samokhvalov, “the desire to possess prestigious values ​​is an important feature of human nature.” In addition to the psychological advantages of a larger penis (pride and confidence of the owner), it has some physical advantages - greater maneuverability and a wide range of positions, also greater vaginal stretching, contact area, and therefore more intense sensations for partners. But vaginal stimulation does not always lead to a woman's orgasm. This explains the arguments in favor of sexual intercourse techniques.

During its development, humanity has offered various ways to enlarge the penis. And not just with the help of magic. To do this, the penis was lubricated with various substances, in particular donkey bile. In the 16th century, the famous Italian anatomist Gabriel Fallopio advised those who wanted to engage in more masturbation. Some enthusiasts stuck pieces of wire, ivory, or even gold objects into pre-prepared cuts on the genitals. In hotter countries, a cover was put on the organ and tied to the body with laces. Papuans demonstrate this even today, not only hinting to others about their unprecedented potential, but also thereby affirming their social status, as natural as it is. They store tobacco and food in a cylinder that is clearly not fully occupied (Fig.).

To lengthen the penis, this method has long been known: a load was suspended from the organ, starting from adolescence. This process sometimes lasted a lifetime, but contributed to a significant lengthening of the penis. At the top of the Ganges River you can meet men from the Sadhu tribe with a knee-length phallus; a length of 92 cm was even recorded. Another thing is that this individual is incompetent in bed and penis lengthening procedures were carried out exclusively for aesthetic purposes and ritual traditions.

Men of the Brazilian Topinama tribe in the 16th century significantly enlarged their organs by exposing them to the bite of a poisonous snake. For six months later, these men endured unbearable pain, but as a result they were able to surprise women with the stunning appearance of their penises. In some tribes, needles were pierced through the head of the penis, which led to the formation of persistent fistulas. Subsequently, various objects were inserted into these holes in order to stimulate the sexual partner, and the person with the most exquisite “art design” was considered the best lover and women simply did not give him passage. In the middle of the twentieth century, a course of vacuum hyperthermia and surgical methods (intersection of the suspensory and sling-shaped ligaments of the penis) and methods based on static traction were developed.

However, gradually the cult of the phallus lost its significance. The Romans reduced it to an image on an amulet that a husband and wife were supposed to wear to preserve marital happiness, and at the same time their home from an unkind glance.

In the Middle Ages they completely ended the cult. The Christian religion and its supreme shepherds had a very negative attitude towards open propaganda of sex. The moral of that time was “sex exclusively for procreation.” In order not to lead believers into temptation, all sculptures of antiquity were publicly “castrated”. The 9th century Church condemned the use of phallic amulets common at that time. This custom continued until the 16th century.

During the Reformation and Counter-Reformation periods, a strict taboo was imposed on the topic of sexuality. Drawings of genitals or nudity were painted over or hidden behind fig leaves. Only scientific works of that time allowed images of the penis. With the French Revolution, which brought some freedom, there was a decrease in the pressure of public morality, but the phallus lost its symbolism of fertility and male power.

Prohibitory actions gave a negative result and provoked the emergence of a cult of brute force, a cult not of the husband-continuator of the family, but of the male male. The world was ruled not by the cult of copulation and love pleasures, but by the cult of primitive and thoughtless obedience. The lack of sexual literacy brought its bitter fruits - from the meaninglessness of incest to the horror of unwanted pregnancy, from the misfortune of a painful illness to the shame of deceived chastity. All this suffering was associated with the male genital organ. That is why the image of the phallus was prohibited for many centuries, after Greece and Rome, and its exposure became a shameful and depraved act.

Genetic memory is a great thing, it is long-term and stable, not subject to time and conditions. Therefore, whenever a person compares his penis, he subconsciously returns to those times when the phallus personified the strength and power of its owner. Time moves on steadily, everything changes. Views, worldviews, imaginations, and values ​​change. But a person will forever remain a person. And just as once upon a time, every person strives for leadership in something.

To summarize, it can be noted that the problem of “size” has confused the human mind since ancient times and has not yet completely lost its relevance. True, the principle “the more the better” is unprofitable and incorrect. That is why there are average statistical norms for the size of the male penis, in order to draw the line between “the bigger the better” and “too much is unhealthy.” More on this in our next articles.

Literature:

1. Etingen L. E. How are you made, Mr. Body? – M.: LINKA PRESS, 1997.- With. 162-168.
2. Shcheplev P. A., Kurbatov D. G. Small penis. Correction methods. – M.: Publishing House “ROSMEN-PRESS” LLC, 2003.- With. 8-30.
3. How to increase the size of the male penis. – Per. from English M: KRON-PRESS; 1995.
4. Vanggaard T. A Symbol and its History in the Male Word. NewYork; 1972. – P. 34-49.
5. Kon I. S. Introduction to sexology. – M.: Medicine; 1988.
6. Onian R. B. The Origins of European Thought about the Body, the Mind, the Soul ets. Cambridge: Univ. Press; 1951.– P. 133-135.
7. Sinitsky Yu. Yu., Sinitsky S. Yu. Falocorrhagic and faloreconstructive assistance in outpatient andrology // Andrology and Sexual Medicine No. 3(39) – p. 26-32.
8. Feustel R.Sexualität in den Anfangen der Menschheit. Sexuiogie 1978; 3: 87-89.
9. Lyubarsky A.V. Selected interdisciplinary aspects of the evolution of the treatment of erectile dysfunction from rectal massage to “phallic” Viagra // Men's health No. 2 (17) 2006.- With. 52-54.
10. Schonfeld W. A. ​​Beebe G. W. Normal Growth and Variation in the Male Genitalia form Birth to Maturity. // Journal of Urology – 1942. –– P. 759-777.

Nobody really thinks about it, but our whole life is directly connected to the symbols that surround us. Some people are neutral towards them, while others create a cult out of them, sometimes reaching the point of fanaticism. Whole around us. They exist in all spheres of life, from television shows and films to We must not forget about the poetic form, where each composition often has subtext in addition to the main meaning. And double meaning is one of the main characteristics necessary to determine the true essence. It would seem that seemingly ordinary objects actually carry a completely different symbolism and subtext. Hermann Hesse, for example, believed that every phenomenon on earth is a symbol, and through it the soul penetrates into our world.

Images with a phallic meaning were popular among most nations, on all continents of our planet, therefore, creators (painters, sculptors, writers) often used them in their works.

Phallic symbols - what are they?

These include images and objects that can evoke associations with the organs of fertilization, both male (phallus) and female (kteis). However, you should not limit such symbols to elongated and standing objects, as many authors studying this issue do. Since the reproductive function is one of the most important for humans, accordingly, many nations, their cultures reverence everything that is directly or indirectly related to this process. In almost every religion in the world you can find symbols that are similar or directly depict the phallus or other genital organs. Christianity, which seems righteous at first glance, did not escape this feature.

Prehistoric phallic symbols

The first information about the use of phallic symbols takes us back to Neolithic times, the post-glacial period. The drawings discovered in caves on the territory of modern France depicted phalluses, symbolizing male strength and the basis of the clan. According to the examination data, these drawings are about 30 thousand years old. Bronze Age images were found in Sweden in which a hunter with clearly exaggerated genitals is clearly visible.

In Zimbabwe, a drawing of a huge penis was discovered with a straight line stretching along and turning into a lily flower, which, according to historians, symbolized sexual intercourse and procreation. As these finds show, phallic symbols of antiquity were used in art and everyday life throughout the entire territory of our planet, despite the lack of contacts and connections between continents.

Symbols of the phallus in Egypt and Rome

The birth of modern civilization began in the Mediterranean region, at the source of the Nile, the most fertile part of Egypt. The cult of the phallus was quite popular in Egyptian ancient mythology and was represented by the deities Min, Amon Ra and Asiris. There were legends about the size of the pharaohs' penis. Some phallic symbols can be found in the exhibitions of the local history museum in Cairo.

Many artifacts from the era of Ancient Greece have been preserved: sculptures in the form of a phallus erected in honor of the god Dionysus, as well as images of celebrations in his honor. Sculptures of Priapus, the demon god, the main representative of phallic symbolism in this ancient culture, have also survived to this day. Often, Priapus’s reproductive organ was depicted as longer than his body, thereby showing his power. In his honor, sculptures were erected representing a long stone log with the head of a bearded man and a long penis. Later, the phallic traditions of the Hellenes migrated to Ancient Rome, where such images and artifacts acquired the magical power of amulets. According to legend, they warded off the evil eye and protected from evil otherworldly forces. Almost every yard had a similar totem.

Slavic culture

Phallic symbols among the Slavs can be found in almost every pagan deity. In addition, they were widely used in rituals. They were perceived by the Slavs as amulets. Sometimes a talisman in the form of a phallus was hung on the gate and, according to the owner, helped in the development of the household. Even the Russian word “luck” has an ancient Slavic root “ud”, which corresponds to the name of the ancient god responsible for the successful fulfillment of love affairs. The god Oud was depicted in drawings with another erotic sign - a wreath of viburnum, a symbol of virginity and chastity. The wreath was pierced by the horns of Ud, which signified the first sexual intercourse. Souvenir phalluses on the territory of Ancient Rus' were made from different materials. Bronze was held in special esteem.

Another pagan tradition was baking Easter cakes. The shape of such a product resembled the male reproductive organ with a characteristic cap on the top, filled with white sugar icing (similar to a male seed). Kulich was sprinkled with grain, which symbolized fertility and the awakening of nature. Often, such baked goods were supplemented with colored eggs, which together formed a clear symbol of the male reproductive organ. It was the Easter cake that, after the baptism of Rus', passed from the pagan to the Christian tradition, actually retaining its original meaning.

The role of symbols in Christianity

Having replaced paganism in Kievan Rus, Christianity, however, absorbed many phallic symbols. At the same time, it also brought its own. Phallic symbols in Christianity can be found at every step. For example, the dome that the Orthodox crown is nothing more than a symbol of the uncircumcised phallus (like the Jews). It is also worth looking at the classical structure of Christian churches, where the base looks like a scrotum, and the high part resembles a phallus. It should be noted that at the dawn of Christianity, Jesus was depicted with genitals. A good example is the Merovingian Terracotta from the Saint-Germain Museum, depicting Jesus with a penis. At the same time, he holds a spear in one hand and the moon in the other and defeats the evil represented in Another main symbol that every Christian should have is the cross. According to legend, it was also a sign of the reproductive organ. In addition to hidden symbols, open images of phalluses were also used in Christianity, for example, in the decoration of some Catholic churches in Spain, the Czech Republic, and France. Also, with the development of pilgrimages to holy places, phallic symbols appeared in commemorative badges offered by monks.

Declining popularity of phallic symbols

With the advent of the Reformation, this cult lost its popularity. Phallic symbols in art have become less common. There was a taboo on sexuality, and they tried to paint over all references to the phallus in works of fine art, and the genitals on sculptures were covered with fig leaves. Many scientists of those times condemned sexuality and were ashamed of mentioning its attributes in culture. This ban lasted for about 200 years, and during this time many works of art were redone, but not all of them could then be restored to their original form.

Freud and the revival of the culture of sexuality

One of those people who lifted taboos from the topic of sexuality was the famous German psychologist Sigmund Freud. He believed that human thoughts are transformed into images and symbols. Phallic symbols, according to Freud, occur in almost any object. They, along with other unconscious images, often manifest themselves in sexual forms. Many consider Freud's theory to be erroneous and untenable, but the resonance it left in society clearly influenced modern art and society as a whole, re-opening sexuality to the world and eliminating the taboo placed on phallic symbols.

Modernity

Nowadays, phallic symbols are not something shameful and are used everywhere. They can be found in modern painting, sculpture, and literature. Many artists try to shock the public by using images of genitals in their installations. A form of phallic art has appeared, such as nude performance, where the main canvas for the art is the person himself, and the direct demonstration of the genitals is nothing more than an expression of one’s emotions through symbols of body parts. Also, images of phalluses and their symbols are sold as various souvenirs in many countries, especially in the Asian region.

The phallic symbol is both a ritual icon, a relic of pagan magic, and a concept used by modern psychologists.

It is one of the so-called sexual symbols - images in the form of an image, drawing, sound or action that serve to designate certain ideas, ideas, concepts, experiences, sensations or objects. The symbolic character (from the Greek word symbolon - sign, identifying mark) is what makes them “tangible”.

We are surrounded by a world of symbols. They are used in advertising, sexual symbols are found in many paintings, on television, in cinema, in the theater, in stories, in poetry, in cartoons. Many ordinary objects have a symbolic character in their appearance, although we are not always aware of this.

Many sexual and erotic symbols have been understood in the same or similar ways in many different countries at many different times. Thus, already in primitive society, a rhombus, an oval and a triangle symbolized the female sex and fertility. The meanings of different symbols are often not clearly differentiated, and transfers and changes in meaning often occur.

The founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, discovered the function of the language of dream symbols, which, especially in adults, is often aimed at sexual desires, but due to internal self-censorship changes beyond recognition - then the symbols come into play.

The most common symbol - it can also be seen on the walls of houses - is a rhombus as a symbol of “Venus Hill”. Well-known symbols of happiness can be interpreted as sexual, for example, a mushroom - as a male member, a horseshoe - as a female womb, a chimney sweep signifies coitus, a pig - an ideal image of having many children.

A phallic symbol carved into the ground at Pompeii points towards a brothel. The man who trampled on him will apparently be happy in love affairs from now on.

Fairy tales, which at first glance do not contain anything “obscene”, have strong sexual symbolic content. In the legend of the white stork, the pond from which children are taken symbolizes the fertile waters of the mother's body, the stork's beak is the penis, and the stork's peck (also on the leg) is coitus.

Ancient cult

The worship of the phallus as a continuator of life and a symbol of male strength and fertility is a cult known from ancient times, from the Neolithic to the present day. The imprint of this cult is left in all civilizations around the world. Phallic symbols were first discovered at the beginning of the Neolithic, after the Ice Age. Despite the fact that phallic images were rare in prehistoric times, they were certainly highly symbolic, showing the strength, power and fertility of a man. An excellent example of anatomical precision were the drawings in the caves of Loselle and the Dordogne in France, which contain the first images of the phallus, dating from the Perigordian period, 30 to 35 thousand years ago.

In Sweden, there are Bronze Age paintings of naked men hunting. Also in the Sahara Desert, images of phalluses were found next to the heads of killed animals, the age of these images is 5000 years before the birth of Christ. In Zimbabwe, drawings from prehistoric times were found that depicted an erect penis with a long line extending from it and ending with a tulip flower.

In the culture of Ancient India, the linga is known - a phallic symbol in the cult of Shiva. It is a short cylindrical pillar with a rounded top. In India today you can still see thousands of lingas resting on the female “yoni” in every temple dedicated to Shiva, where millions of Hindus come every day to worship the gods. It is written in the sacred books: the worship of the phallus does not mean the worship of a physical organ, but simply the recognition of the eternal divine form manifested in the microcosm. The human organ is nothing more than an image of this divine emblem, the original form of life.

The culture of the phallus is widely represented in Egyptian mythology by the gods Min, Amon-Ra and Osiris.

The phallus is a symbol of male power and this is associated with the legends about the phallus of Osiris. Amon-Ra, the king of all gods, is also shown in all images with a naked phallus.

In ancient Greece, the gods had unlimited power and could personally determine the fate of people, at the same time, despite the fact that the gods were almost always located on Mount Olympus, the fame of their sexual exploits spread throughout the world. During the reign of the Cretan-Mycenaean civilization, wild orgies took place in the month of December and this is reflected in many drawings on antique vases. These orgies were called festivals of Dionysus - the son of Zeus and his mistress Semele.

During these festivals, a procession would carry large wooden or stone phalluses and glorify Dionysus. The gods Pan and Priapus also preached the culture of the phallus. Pan - the Arcadian god of sheep, son of Hermes and Penelope, was turned into a goat by Hermes. Priapus - the god of fertility, in Asian countries was known as the god Bes, and was always depicted with a penis higher than his own body.

In Hellas, and later in the Roman Empire, here and there there were “herms” dedicated to Priapus can be found everywhere. Herma is a square pillar with the head of a bearded man at the top and an erect penis in the middle. These herms were placed near fields, roads and inside houses, people believed that they would provide protection from thieves and robbers and were also used as scarecrows. Their main duty was to ward off the “evil eye.”

The sexual significance of the phallus in the Roman Empire expanded into a more significant magical power. This also applies to the countless phallic sacrifices and the use of phallus figurines as “amulets” to protect against evil forces. The phalluses were called "fascinum", translated from Latin it means "to bewitch, to enchant." Large phallic sculptures were installed on the gates of Roman cities and the walls of houses and this also had a protective function - it warded off the "evil eye" and brought good luck and happiness.

In the early Middle Ages, the Celts adopted some Roman traditions and early Christendom also adopted Roman and Celtic cultural elements.

In Scandinavia we find the phallic god Freyr, who was worshiped by the Vikings in the 9th century AD. Also, a similar cult was discovered in France - phallic symbols were found dating back to the Middle Ages AD. In the late Middle Ages, from 1250 to 1550, pilgrims were very popular in Europe - they wore special insignia on their clothes or attached to their staves, since anyone wearing such an insignia could count on hospitality in any home.

About half of these icons are images of saints or other religious emblems. However, a great variety of worldly phallic icons have been found, such as winged phalluses, which were known in Roman times and were also discovered in the times of the pilgrims. Why did they appear? What is the significance of a brooch found in Belgium that depicted 3 phalluses carrying a crowned vulva?

Perhaps this means that the old belief in the magical power of witchcraft to ward off the “evil eye” was not forgotten in the Middle Ages. People who do not know writing in the Far East, Australia and Melanesia. Even in the Antipodes, on the other side of the world, we find phallic symbols on the staves wielded by the Kanaka chiefs in New Caledonia.

Even though Japan has a Buddhist-Shinto culture, the phallus symbol has also been found here. For example, the city of Komakashi holds the Toshira jinga festival in March. The priests carry a huge phallus carved from wood through the streets of the city. After the festival, this new phallus will be installed next to the phalluses installed in previous years.

In the Himalayas lies the small state of Bhutan, ruled by a feudal system and entirely Buddhist. Each boy spends a number of months or even years in one of the many monasteries, where the gates of the temples are guarded by impressively sized warriors with very prominent genitals, the reason for this is also to scare away evil spirits. In Bhutan, it is customary to paint phallus symbols on the facade of a newly built house - this will also protect the house from evil spirits.

Phallic symbols also play a huge role in the life of every Thai - they are a mixture of folk belief in spirits and also the way in which their leaders and Buddhism itself are associated with magical powers. These amulets can be found in every temple and shop, worn by every man and woman, and give a magnificent picture of the fusion of folk religions - Buddhism, Hinduism and Animism.

Between the 8th and 16th centuries, Vietnam was dominated by the Sham civilization. For many centuries this kingdom was Hindu, however, most of the palaces and temples were turned into ruins. Magnificent lingas were discovered during excavations and can now be seen in museums.

Antiphallic Europe

In Western Europe during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, old habits changed and a strict taboo was placed on sexuality. Drawings of genitals or nudity were painted over or hidden under fig leaves. Only in “scientific” works were images of the penis allowed.

The antiphallic tendency increased with the publication in England in 1715 of a pamphlet entitled "Onanism, or the terrible sin of self-defilement, and the terrible consequences thereof, considered in both sexes, and mental and physical advice for those who have already injured themselves by this abnormal practice." Three ideas were considered here: “mortal sin”, “abnormal practice” and “terrible consequences”, this brochure influenced the morals of citizens until the twentieth century. There was also a book by Dr. Tissot published in 1758, first in Latin and then, with much greater effect, in French, Masturbation or an Inquiry into the Mental and Physical Effects of Masturbation.

Tissot's main idea was not so much to instill in young people repentance and fear, but new views. From that time on, the boys were not left alone for long; when they went to bed, their hands had to be on the blanket to prevent masturbation. The depiction of genitals was prohibited; scientists discovered only isolated works, mostly of a satirical nature, for example, illustrations of the adventures of Pantagruel.

With the French Revolution, which brought some freedom, there was some deviation from public morality, but the phallus lost its power as a symbol of fertility and male power, we can see it in some images of modern art, although these may also be distorted due to the many taboos that existed throughout the last two centuries.

Currently, all these taboos have dissipated and we are rediscovering a huge layer of world culture containing phallic symbolism.

Other erotic symbols
(according to Freud and not only)

1. The apple serves as a symbol:
a) seduction, temptation (the forbidden fruit with which Eve seduced Adam in paradise; at the same time symbolizes her breasts);
b) assessments of beauty (the court of Paris);
c) fertility, love, joy, knowledge, wisdom (the apple symbol is used by the Macintosh computer). Offering someone an apple can mean a declaration of love. Like orange blossom, apple blossom is used as a sign of fertility. In Christianity, the apple symbolizes, on the one hand, temptation and the fall, on the other - in connection with the Virgin Mary and Christ - the new Adam and salvation. In ancient Greece, the apple, as a sign of love and sexual desire, was dedicated to Venus and was used as a symbol of the bride and given to the newlywed.

2. The shell is considered a symbol of the womb, creative power, feminine principle, initiation and fertility, in China - the power of Ying.

3. The triangle combines many different meanings: with the point up - the masculine principle (lingam, fire, life), with the point down - the feminine principle (the great Mother as the ancestor).

4. Even among the Celts, acorns served as a symbol of life, fertility and immortality.

5. The fig symbolizes fertility, life, peace and good fortune. The fig tree is considered a symbol of insight and connects the masculine and feminine principles. The fig leaf symbolizes the phallus and male creativity, sensual pleasure and sexual desire. A basket of figs signified a woman's fertility and motherhood. In Christianity, the fig leaf has the function of covering the genitals after the Fall.

6. The donkey symbolizes humility, but also lust and fertility. As a beginning denoting fertility, it is dedicated to Priapus; among the Greeks it served as a symbol of laziness and blind passions. He appears as a symbolic erotic figure in Apuleius's "The Golden Ass" and in stories and stories from Lucian to Voltaire. In psychoanalysis, the donkey symbolizes anal eroticism.

7. The symbol of a woman is everything related to conception, protection, feeding, passivity, shaped like a diamond or oval. These include caves, a lonely garden, a well, a door to a door, a fold, a wound inflicted by a knife or sword. In addition, everything related to ships, water, shells, fish or pearls. Vessels are perceived as feminine symbols in the broadest sense.

8. The frog most directly signifies eroticism, being associated with fertility and productivity.

9. Hair symbolizes the power of love, power and energy. Hair on the head is associated with higher powers and inspiration, hair on the body is associated with sensuality. Cutting off someone's hair or even one lock of hair means suppressing the masculine principle - also a symbol of castration.

10. The hammer is considered a symbol of male strength and potency and is directly related to the anvil, corresponding to the passive feminine principle.

11. The cave, as the womb of Mother Earth, denotes the feminine principle, as well as the center of initiation (the ritual of transferring boys and girls to adulthood). The mountain symbolizes the masculine principle, the cave inside the mountain symbolizes the feminine, hidden, hidden.

12. The cup serves as a symbol of the thirst for life, immortality and fulfillment; at the same time - an open, accepting, passive, feminine form.

13. The club hints at great potency, denotes the phallus and also symbolizes strong desire.

14. Lotus is a symbol common throughout the East, all the way to Japan. It signifies both life and death, the cosmos, the root cause of all things, return, fertility, beauty. A blossoming flower is also considered the female principle of conception. At the same time, it signifies the birth of a god, since it grows unsullied from dirty water. The lotus stem, dedicated to Buddha, symbolizes the axis of the world. The lotus flower belongs to the eight jewels, or signs of happiness, in Chinese Buddhism and as the "heart lotus flower" stands for fire, sun, time, the development of all things, peace, harmony and union. In Ancient Greece and Rome, the lotus was considered an attribute of Aphrodite or Venus.

15. The maypole, with its trunk cleared of leaves, resembles a phallic symbol, and with a disc-shaped wreath at the end - the feminine principle. Both together signify fertility. Its origin should be sought in the ancient Greek sacred pine of Attica, which was carried out in processions; men and women accompanied her to the temple of Cybele, dancing around her. In the Roman era, the spring festival was associated with it. The maypole symbol was later used during the procedures for electing the May Day Queen and the Green Man. The maypole ceremony, which still survives today, symbolizes not only spring, but also sexual union and awakening.

16. Almonds signify virginity as well as marital happiness. The almond blossom, as the first flower of the year, is considered a sign of awakening and embodies vigil, as well as sweetness, love and tenderness. In China, it denotes primarily beauty, in Christian symbolism - virgin purity.

17. Man - traditionally most often in the form of a man - symbolizes the microcosm as a reflection of the macrocosm. The masculine principle in the past - with the exception of the Germanic and Pacific world - meant the sun, the sky, everything phallic, drilling and directional.

18. The stupa symbolizes the empty, accepting - feminine principle - the pestle knocks down the elixir of life in it.

19. The shell valves symbolize the feminine, moist principle, nourishing maternal soil, birth, life, love, fertility, the moon and virginity. Shells are also used as a talisman and are intended to help at birth. In the Greek and Roman eras, they also denoted sexual passion, since their halves were difficult to separate from each other. Aphrodite, "born from the sea", was often depicted on a shell.

20. Myrtle symbolized the feminine principle; as a magical plant, it was considered the flower of the gods and signified joy, peace, tranquility, happiness, constancy, love and marriage, family happiness and the birth of a child. Those who passed the initiation were given a myrtle wreath on their head.

21. The bull symbolizes the male natural principle; this includes fertility, male creative power, potency. In all myths, tales and religions, it plays an important role - starting with the heavenly and world gods and ending with the Akkadian (named after the ancient city in Mesopotamia) Taurus, with which the signs of the Zodiac in the form of animals begin.

22. Various other animals also symbolize sexuality and fertility; often they denote the animal nature in a human being. On the other hand, friendly contact with them means a connection with nature and the inclusion of a person with his sexuality in the global cycle of life. In the Zodiac in the form of animals, according to Ptolemy, male and female signs alternate. Masculine signs: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius; female signs: Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces. Zodiac signs are widely used in astrology - even to the selection of sexually harmonious partners.