The Phallus, or Lingam, which stood for the image of the male organ, or
emblem of creation, has been worshipped from time immemorial. Payne
Knight describes it as of the greatest antiquity, and as having
prevailed in Egypt and all over Asia.
The women of the former country carried in their religious processions,
a movable Phallus of disproportionate magnitude, which Deodorus Siculus
informs us signified the generative attribute. It has also been observed
among the idols of the native Americans and ancient Scandinavians, while
the Greeks represented the Phallus alone, and changed the personified
attribute into a distinct deity, called Priapus.
Phallus, or privy member (_membrum virile_), signifies, “he breaks
through, or passes into.” This word survives in German _pfahl_, and
_pole_ in English. Phallus is supposed to be of Phœnician origin, the
Greek word _pallo_, or _phallo_, “to brandish preparatory to throwing a
missile,” is so near in assonance and meaning to Phallus, that one is
quite likely to be parent of the other. In Sanskrit it can be traced to
_phal_, “to burst,” “to produce,” “to be fruitful”; then, again, _phal_
is “a ploughshare,” and is also the name of Siva and Mahadeva, who are
Hindu deities. Phallus, then, was the ancient emblem of creation: a
divinity who was companion to Bacchus.
The Indian designation of this idol was Lingam, and those who dedicated
themselves to its service were to observe inviolable chastity. “If it
were discovered,” says Crawford, “that they had in any way departed from
them, the punishment is death. They go naked, and being considered as
sanctified persons, the women approach without scruple, nor is it
thought that their modesty should be offended by it.”