phallos

Phallos is the Greek term (plural phalli or phalloi) for the erect penis. In classical Greek literature the word denotes the male reproductive organ itself, and it was later Latinized in English as phallus. The term is used in art history, archaeology, and anthropology to discuss representations, iconography, and ritual objects rather than everyday anatomy.

In ancient Greece and its cultural sphere, phallic imagery served fertility, protection, and satirical or comic purposes. Phalli appeared as votive offerings and amulets, and as sculptural or painted motifs on domestic and temple contexts. The image was often associated with fertility deities such as Priapus and with agricultural cycles; phallic symbols could be carried in processions or placed at thresholds to ward off harm. The term “phallic” derives from phallos and is used in scholarly discussion of ritual practice as well as in general vocabulary.

Archaeologists document phallic artifacts across the Greco-Roman world, ranging from small amulets to larger ceremonial objects. In modern scholarship, the study of phallos focuses on iconography, ritual function, and cross-cultural parallels in fertility symbolism, rather than solely on anatomical concerns. The word itself is primarily used in academic contexts; in everyday English, the term phallus is more common when referring to the anatomical organ, while phallos appears mainly in historical or anthropological discussions.