Penis or mushroom

fearn · 8th May 2009, 06:00 AM

Hoo boy. Let's go off to the side for a sec. If you look up the scientific name of the stinkhorn family, you'll find that the group is known as the Phallaceae. Need I say more about their shape? One of them is colloquially known as the "devil's dipstick (scientific name: Mutinus caninus). That one's kept students giggling for years.

Basically, mushrooms have been looking phallic since long before humans were around to use their own phalluses. It's an efficient shape for certain functions. That includes club heads and hilts. Sometimes a club is just a....never mind.

And yes, there are mushrooms in New Caledonia. Whether this club is supposed to be a mushroom, a phallus, or both...I'm not sure.

Neat object though.

F

VANDOO · 8th May 2009, 06:50 AM

I USUALLY HAVE SEEN THE MUSHROOM REPRESENTED IN ETHINOGRAPHIC ITEMS AS HAVING TO DO WITH SHAMAN OR WITCHDOCTOR OR DRUIDS AS THEY WERE OFTEN USED IN MAGIC CEREMONIES IN MANY CULTURES OVER THE WORLD. THE MAGIC MUSHROOM AS WELL AS OTHER PHYSOACTIVE THINGS HAVE BEEN USED FOR SEEING, HEALING AND MAKING PROPHSIES. MUSHROOMS CAN BE EATEN OR CAN BE USED AS A DEADLY POSION BUT MOST ARCHEOLOGICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THEM FOUND USUALLY HAVE TO DO WITH THEIR MAGICAL PROPERTIES. THERE IS A VERY PHALLIC STONE CARVEING IN A MUSEUM IN MEXICO ? THAT HAS THE PICTURE OF SEVERAL PSYCOACTIVE PLANTS CARVED ON IT. FOR A LONG TIME IT WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH FERTILITY SYMBOLS BEFORE THEY DISCOVERED WHAT IT TRULY WAS. THERE ARE PHALLIC FERTILITY SYMBOLS IN MANY CLUTURES AS WELL.
BUT GENERALLY THE PHALLIC SYMBOLISM IN A WARRIORS WEAPONS HAS TO DO WITH HIS MANLINESS AND OF COURSE TO WAG IT AT THE ENEMY OR SHOW YOUR BEHIND IS A DEFINITE INSULT TODAY AS WELL AS IN THE DISTANT PAST.

fearn · 9th May 2009, 02:38 AM

Hi Vandoo,

I think you left out the most famous culture that used: the Mycenae. That's where we get the mycology, the study of fungi from. Their capital city may have been named after a mushroom (mykes, link). Not sure what Perseus was up to in naming Mycenae, and I'm really not sure why the Greek word for mushroom is the same as the word for the "cap" of a scabbard (which may have fallen off of Perseus' sword, causing Perseus to name the accident site Mycenae). Whichever.

Aside from the Eleusinean mysteries, I've never seen any suggestion that the bronze-age Greeks had anything to do with hallucinogenic fungi, and I'm pretty sure they never touched magic mushrooms. Some people have suggested that rye ergot was behind the Eleusinian mysteries, but we'll probably never know.

I'd also point out that on bronze Hallstatt swords, that "Mexican hat" pommel sure looks like a mushroom to me, but it is somewhat phallic, too. That mushroom or phallic head is a useful shape for some things.

Best,

F

Tim Simmons · 9th May 2009, 08:02 AM

It is a little more obvious in this form.
http://www.spearchuckasart.com/default.asp?PageID=83

8th May 2009, 06:00 AM	#1
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hoo boy. Let's go off to the side for a sec. If you look up the scientific name of the stinkhorn family, you'll find that the group is known as the Phallaceae. Need I say more about their shape? One of them is colloquially known as the "devil's dipstick (scientific name: Mutinus caninus). That one's kept students giggling for years. Basically, mushrooms have been looking phallic since long before humans were around to use their own phalluses. It's an efficient shape for certain functions. That includes club heads and hilts. Sometimes a club is just a....never mind. And yes, there are mushrooms in New Caledonia. Whether this club is supposed to be a mushroom, a phallus, or both...I'm not sure. Neat object though. F

8th May 2009, 06:50 AM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I USUALLY HAVE SEEN THE MUSHROOM REPRESENTED IN ETHINOGRAPHIC ITEMS AS HAVING TO DO WITH SHAMAN OR WITCHDOCTOR OR DRUIDS AS THEY WERE OFTEN USED IN MAGIC CEREMONIES IN MANY CULTURES OVER THE WORLD. THE MAGIC MUSHROOM AS WELL AS OTHER PHYSOACTIVE THINGS HAVE BEEN USED FOR SEEING, HEALING AND MAKING PROPHSIES. MUSHROOMS CAN BE EATEN OR CAN BE USED AS A DEADLY POSION BUT MOST ARCHEOLOGICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THEM FOUND USUALLY HAVE TO DO WITH THEIR MAGICAL PROPERTIES. THERE IS A VERY PHALLIC STONE CARVEING IN A MUSEUM IN MEXICO ? THAT HAS THE PICTURE OF SEVERAL PSYCOACTIVE PLANTS CARVED ON IT. FOR A LONG TIME IT WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH FERTILITY SYMBOLS BEFORE THEY DISCOVERED WHAT IT TRULY WAS. THERE ARE PHALLIC FERTILITY SYMBOLS IN MANY CLUTURES AS WELL. BUT GENERALLY THE PHALLIC SYMBOLISM IN A WARRIORS WEAPONS HAS TO DO WITH HIS MANLINESS AND OF COURSE TO WAG IT AT THE ENEMY OR SHOW YOUR BEHIND IS A DEFINITE INSULT TODAY AS WELL AS IN THE DISTANT PAST.

9th May 2009, 02:38 AM	#3
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Vandoo, I think you left out the most famous culture that used: the Mycenae. That's where we get the mycology, the study of fungi from. Their capital city may have been named after a mushroom (mykes, link). Not sure what Perseus was up to in naming Mycenae, and I'm really not sure why the Greek word for mushroom is the same as the word for the "cap" of a scabbard (which may have fallen off of Perseus' sword, causing Perseus to name the accident site Mycenae). Whichever. Aside from the Eleusinean mysteries, I've never seen any suggestion that the bronze-age Greeks had anything to do with hallucinogenic fungi, and I'm pretty sure they never touched magic mushrooms. Some people have suggested that rye ergot was behind the Eleusinian mysteries, but we'll probably never know. I'd also point out that on bronze Hallstatt swords, that "Mexican hat" pommel sure looks like a mushroom to me, but it is somewhat phallic, too. That mushroom or phallic head is a useful shape for some things. Best, F

9th May 2009, 08:02 AM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,855	It is a little more obvious in this form. http://www.spearchuckasart.com/default.asp?PageID=83