History of Circumcision
This index page links to material relating to the origin and history of male circumcision. Material is indexed in chronological order of publication.
Introduction
The practice of male genital mutilation is far older than recorded history. Certainly, it is far older than the Biblical account of Abraham (Genesis 17). It seems to have originated in eastern Africa long before this time. 6
Many theories have been advanced to explain the origin of genital mutilation. One theory postulates that circumcision began as a way of "purifying" individuals and society by reducing sexuality and sexual pleasure. Human sexuality was seen as dirty or impure in some societies; hence cutting off the pleasure-producing parts was the obvious way to "purify" someone.
It is now known that the male foreskin, or prepuce, is the principal location of erogenous sensation in the human male (see Anatomy.) Removal of the prepuce substantially reduces erogenous sensation. 12,16 Therefore (in the appropriate cultural context), circumcision is revealed as a sacrifice of "sinful" human enjoyment (in this earthly life), for the sake of holiness in the afterlife. 12
The Jews adopted circumcision as a religious ritual 8,10,15,18 and preserved this prehistoric practice into modern times. 10,16,18 The circumcision of Abraham removed only the very tip that extended beyond the glans penis. 8,17,22,28 Moses and his sons were not circumcised. (Exodus 4:25) Although Moses apparently prohibited circumcision during the 40 years in the wilderness, 15,18 (Joshua 5:5) Joshua reinstituted circumcision at Gilgal after the death of Moses. 15,18 (Joshua 5:2-10) It is interesting to note that after the Israelites were circumcised, they immediately became soldiers in Joshua's army for the conquest of Palestine. (Joshua 6:1-3)
In contrast to the Jews, the Greeks and the Romans placed a high value on the prepuce. 31 The Romans passed several laws to protect the prepuce by prohibiting circumcision. 31
Much later in the Hellenic period, about 140 C.E., the circumcision procedure was modified to make it impossible for a Jew to appear to be an uncircumcised Greek. 8,18,25 A radical new procedure called peri'ah was introduced by the priests and rabbis. In this procedure the foreskin was stripped away from the glans, with which it is fused in the infant (See Normal.) In a painful procedure known today as a synechotomy, more foreskin was removed than before and the injury was correspondingly greater. With the introduction of peri'ah, the glans could not easily be recovered, and so no Jewish male would easily be able to appear as an uncircumcised Greek. 8,18,25
It may have been at this time that the Pondus Judaeus (also known as Judaeum Pondum), a bronze weight worn by Jews on the residual foreskin to stretch it back into a foreskin, 8,18,23 gained popularity amongst Jewish males. This lessened the ugly appearance of the bare exposed circumcised penis. 18 This restorative procedure was known by the Greek word epispasm, 8 or "rolling inward."
The third stage of ritual circumcision, the Messisa or Metzitzah, was not introduced until the Talmudic period (500-625 C.E). 8,17,23 In Metzitzah, the mohel (ritual circumciser) sucks blood from the penis of the circumcised infant with his mouth. 31 This procedure has been responsible for the death of many Jewish babies due to infection. 13 In modern times, a glass tube is sometimes used instead.
The Reform movement within Judaism considered circumcision to be a cruel practice. 17 The Reform movement at Frankfort declared in 1843 that circumcision was not necessary. 17,21
