I mentioned Joseph Campbell's book Occidental Mythology as a reference source. An excellent source for what you are talking about is his book Primitive Mythology.
Druss, when you mentioned that book yesterday, I checked it out on Amazon and found that he has written a series. I've put them on my list of books to read...someday.
Coincidentally, I caught a bit of a movie on TV yesterday called Missing Link, which traced the path of a lone primitive man-like creature wandering in Africa. He learned to eat a beetle by watching a lizard eat one. That got me thinking about how the first circumcision came to pass. Certainly not by watching a lizard do it first!
It's easy to imagine how primitive people might have come to try certain things for the first time. Others are not so apparent. There must have been many, many people who tried something once, came to a bad end, and so taught others not to try that again. Early experiments with circumcision must have proved at least benign, if not beneficial. One has to wonder, though, about the mind of the first person to get the idea. Was he nuts, or desperate for attention, or competitive, or whatever to think of such a thing? The same goes for the first Navajo to cut off a finger. Maybe I just don't have enough imagination.
AJ's scenario about the infection seems plausible. Also, I suppose it could have evolved gradually from more benign mutilations--a bunch of guys trying to outdo each other. From face paint to missing body parts in only x generations.
The Campbell books look interesting. Thanks for the lead.
Karen |
