Produced by Bryan Ness, Stephanie Eason, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) THE SEX WORSHIP AND SYMBOLISM OF PRIMITIVE RACES AN INTERPRETATION BY SANGER BROWN II., M. D. _Assistant Physician, Bloomingdale Hospital_ _With an Introduction by James H. Leuba_ BOSTON: RICHARD G. BADGER TORONTO: THE COPP CLARK CO., LIMITED _Copyright 1916, by Richard G. Badger_ _All rights reserved_ _The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A._ DEDICATED TO MY WIFE HELEN WILLISTON BROWN PREFACE The greater part of the first three chapters of this book appeared in the _Journal of Abnormal Psychology_ in the December-January number of 1915-16 and the February-March number of 1916. This material is reprinted here by the kind permission of the Editor of that Journal. This part of the subject is chiefly historical and the data here given is accessible as indicated by the references throughout the text, although many of these books are difficult to secure or are out of print. For this historical material I am particularly indebted to the writings of Hargrave Jennings, Richard Payne Knight and Doctor Thomas Inman. Most of the reference matter coming under the general heading of Nature Worship was obtained from comparatively recent sources, such as the publications of the Bureau of American Ethnology, of the Smithsonian Institute, and certain publications of the American Museum of Natural History. Frazer's _Golden Bough_ and other writings of J. G. Frazer on Anthropology furnished much valuable information. The writings of special investigators, among others those of Spencer, and A. W. Howitt, on Primitive Australian Tribes, and W. H. R. Rivers on the Todas have been freely drawn upon. A number of other books and references have been made use of, as indicated throughout the text. I have found two books by Miss J. Harrison, _i. e._, _Themis_ and _Ancient Art and Ritual_, of great value in interpreting primitive ceremonies and primitive customs in general. My main object has been to give the life history of a primitive motive in the development of the race, and to emphasize the dynamic significance of this motive. Later other motives may be dealt with in more detail if it is proved that both in normal and abnormal psychology we may best understand the mental development of the individual through our knowledge of the development of the race. I wish to take this opportunity to express my appreciation of the assistance rendered me by my wife. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I Simple Sex Worship 13 II Symbolism 34 III Sun Myths, Mysteries and Decadent Sex Worship 69 IV Interpretations 96