Yerevan Diaries (+ more): cult of the erect penis

Downtown Yerevan. The very heart of it. You are in for a treat. Well, depending on your taste and preferences. Still, whatever they are, this could be interesting from historical perspectives too. A statue of soldier with the erect penis.

No, it's not that Cascade soldier welcoming you to Yerevan.

As a friend of mine rightly pointed out: “The Cascade guy doesn't have a penis; it's rather a penny”. The soldier I am talking about has a pretty big one. And you may see it as soon as you enter the National History Museum (Republic square). Up your face! Well, as long as you pay attention to the art work on tickets you are issued. Many people don’t. I do! ;)

But this is just a piece of paper, you may say. Enter the museum, and you are in for a real treat. Statues of soldiers with the erect penises. [Also, this is even more interesting, statues of intersex people (they are described in the museum as “statues of men and women”)... If/when more info on intersex statues become available, I will make a separate post]

But before you enter the hall with the statues, you get a ‘real size’ - sort of :) - experience with the Armenian phallic cult. Quite a few exhibits of stone representations of the phallus excavated from various parts in Armenia are on a prominent display at the National History Museum.

I posted about the Armenian phallic cult two years ago. I’d suggest re-reading that post.

There were times. Some say these were “golden ages” ;)

*source

I was reminded of my post when read Areg’s travel diaries via Turkey (highly recommend!). This one, in particular.

Day 15: Cocks (quotation and two pics below - via One Hell of a Ride)

***

[...] I swear to God, even though the hotel itself is crap, it is completely worth to get the experience of getting a man you met two minutes ago to ask you if you are gonna see the cocks, and then quickly clarify that he actually means the penises.

“Which penises?” I inquired

“The ones in the Love Valley!” he made a circle on a particular area of the map with pen and wrote “L. V.” — “Love Valley!”

“What are these… penises?”

“They are strange rock formations. Everyone loves to see them! Some of them here” — he marked another part of the map — “have three heads!” [...]

And finally, it all opened for me! I found the cocks! A valley full of phallic symbols — all natural — all carved by nature itself! [...]

I looked around and realized that I was literally surrounded by all sorts of them!

Thin and thick! 

Some surrounded with trees… and bushes! [...]

And so ended the day that shall always remain a day of cocks to me. Amen!

Oh, and you did not read this if you are under 18, did you?

Armenian phallic cult

There were times. Some say these were “golden ages” ;)

*source

"[...] The Armenian gousan as the mimes of Greece not only had repertory of farces but also the butaphoric phallus, a common attribute of all mimes. The phallus was an indispensable part of the costume of the gousan, a traditional adjunct of the clothing of mimes. This symbol was deeply rooted in the local phallic cults and its presence as such in Armenia is underscored by many recent findings, such as stone representations of the phallus excavated at the monastery Sourp Minas in the village of Noratous, on the southern shore of Lake Sevan, the portza-kar in Zangezour, bronze statuettes found also in Zangezour, among the ruins of the citadel near the village Ardzevank, on the southern shore of Lake Sevan near Nor-Bayazet, among the ruins of a citadel in the village of Sarekamish in the province of Kars, and in the region of Lake Van. Some of the figurines represent dancers who, although clothed have their phallus bare, which is typical of the stage costume of the mimes. Vestiges of the symbolic use of the phallus in the scenic arts also appears in Armenian miniatures of the medieval period. In one such painting, A.D. 1401, found on the margin of a Bible, an actor in his role to the accompaniment of an orchestra, is represented in the same way. An interesting parallel is the naked figure of St. John on the walls of the cathedral of Akhthamar, built A.D. 915-921; and of Adam in a Bible, in Echmiadzin, illustrated by Markar and Markos. All these sensory representations were possible because it was customary for the gousan to appear in that fashion. [...]"

*source : Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance

**Many thanks to George for the links.