The present somewhat slight sketch of a most interestingsubject, whilst not claiming entire originality, yet embracesthe cream, so to speak, of various learned works of great cost,some of which being issued for private circulation only, are almostunobtainable.
During the past few years several books have been writtenupon Phallicism in conjunction with other kindred matters,but not devoting themselves entirely to one ancient mystery,the writers have only partially ventilated the subject. Thepresent work seeks to obviate this failing by confining itsattention entirely to the Sex Worship or Phallicism of theancient world.
Many of the topics have received only slight treatment,being little more than indicated; but the work will enable thereader to understand and possess the truth concerning thePhallic Worship of the Ancients.
Those who desire to know more, or to authenticate thestatements and facts given in this book, should consult the largeand important works of Payne Knight, Higgins, Dulaure,Rolle, Inman, and other writers.
It was intended to give with this volume a list of worksand miscellaneous pieces written on the subject, but the lengthof the list prevented its being added.
Sex Worship has prevailed among all peoples of ancienttimes, sometimes contemporaneous and often mixed withStar, Serpent, and Tree Worship. The powers of naturewere sexualised and endowed with the same feelings,passions, and performing the same functions as humanbeings.
Among the ancients, whether the Sun, the Serpent,or the Phallic Emblem was worshipped, the idea was thesame—the veneration of the generative principle. Thuswe find a close relationship between the variousmythologies of the ancient nations, and by a comparisonof the creeds, ideas, and symbols, can see that they springfrom the same source, namely, the worship of the forcesand operations of nature, the original of which was doubtlessSun worship. It is not necessary to prove that inprimitive times the Sun must have been worshippedunder var