Abstract
Abstract. – This article focuses on the apotropaic function and meaning of the erect phallus. The simultaneous experience of fear or anxiety and the attainment of a (non-sexual) erection may have led to the attribution of apotropaic properties to the penis. There are several possible physiological explanations for this phenomenon that are discussed. Since great apes have a socio-sexual communication repertoire that closely resembles that of Homo sapiens, I assume that it is a phenomenon that can be traced back to the common ancestor. Given the age of the apotropaic function and significance of the male genital, a course of development is outlined that provides insight into how the apotropaic phallus reached the Upper Paleolithic in behaviour, rituals and/or myths. About 125 phallic artefacts from the Upper Paleolithic are known. By the context in which they were found or how they were created, they confirm Dissanayake’s artification theory.
[apotropaic phallus, apotropaic bodily mechanisms, fear and/or anxiety drives culture]