Is circumcision a modified ritual of castration?

Abstract

Aim: In the earliest records of human religion, castration was regarded as an act of devotion. Moreover, the ritual of circumcision is still followed by many modern religions. In this article, we have exposed the archeological, historical, cultural and religious evidence between the ancient ritual of castration and circumcision.

Materials and methods: We reviewed the reports about circumcision and castration in the English, French, and Turkish literature.

Result: Both the rituals of circumcision and castration had similar aims in human religions.

Conclusion: The ritual of castration evolved into circumcision as a less-invasive and bloody procedure than castration.