Abstract

ANGULO CUESTA, Javier  and  GARCIA DIEZ, Marcos. The meaning of erection, genitality, and other representations of urologic topics in the paleolithic imaginary. Arch. Esp. Urol. [online]. 2007, vol.60, n.8, pp.845-858. ISSN 0004-0614.

The history of urology starts with written documents making express reference to procedures, practices and descriptions of morbid processes related with the male genitourinary tract. Oddly, the most recent prehistoric period, the superior Paleolithic (from approximately 40.000 years to 12.000 years ago; the longest period since our species entered the history of humanity) also has graphic documents expressing how the human being understood the physiologic phenomena and how he observed the pathologic processes of this organism. The representations with genitality expressions enable us to understand the meaning of erection from the Paleolithic perspective, and even the possible existence of a culture based on preputial retraction or rituals of circumcision. Several urologic disorders such us phimosis, paraphimosis, discharge, priapism, and even scrotal mass appear represented at that time and constitute the first sign of knowledge of what can be called primitive urologic knowledge.

Keywords : Prehistory; Urology; Cave painting; Portable art; Circumcision; Erection; History of Urology.

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