Ancient and Modern Symbols of Virility

Other than writing and speaking, symbols have long been used for communication. It is thought that the first means of communication was symbolic language. Symbols have a precise way of captivating the viewer in ways that are sometimes stronger than words.

Symbols have, and continue to be used to portray virility. A variety of symbols are used to generate the notion of power, courage, strength, wealth, and masculinity. Cultures around the world have always used powerful symbols to represent virility.

Greek mythology symbols of virility

Greek mythology embedded many symbols of virility that portrayed power. Pictures of the sun were often used in many drawings to portray strength and fertility. The sun is identified as a symbol of life power, as it is the source of light that allows plants to grow and foster.

The bull is also a main symbol used in Greek mythology to represent the greatest power. It relates to ultimate strength and virility, which is most commonly associated with the god Dionysos. Masculine power was communicated through these symbols and gods to widely spread the notion of virility to its people, generation after generation.

Japanese culture of virility

The carp is the main symbol of virility in the Japanese culture that dates back to the 1800s. It is considered the main life source. When a son was born, the Japanese would display a colorful carp outside of their home to ensure good luck and virility. This tradition continues today in the Japanese culture through the designation of a day specifically to celebrate males, named “boy’s day”. The carp continues to represent a strong male, although the culture has evolved into accepting children’s day by also including a day to celebrate girls.

During the time when Zen Buddhism entered Japan, the tiger also became commonly used to represent virility, as it is considered to be a strong and powerful mammal. Another strong virility symbol in this culture is the dragon. The dragon is believed to bring an abundance of power in representing masculinity.

The Japanese symbols of virility are often seen in tattoos. Tattoos became popular in later years as a common means to identify virility. Ultimate strength and power was portrayed through large symbolic tattoos, commonly placed on a man’s back.

Egyptian symbols of virility

Egyptians commonly used the bull to represent virility. In Egyptian mythology, they believed in the god Apis (a bull) that symbolized virility. Many of the Egyptian gods were portrayed with human bodies with animal heads. The animal heads would represent the different powers that the gods held. For example, the god Harsaphes had a head of a ram, which represented powerful fertility. The Egyptians also used drawings of pigs to represent prestigious fertility. The pig represented abundance, which is what is wanted in strong virility.

Modern day symbols of virility

The automobile has been one of the main masculine symbols for centuries. Marketing of cars was geared to males to exemplify virility. Advertisements that once pictured masculine men with powerful cars slowly changed to using women to advertise cars. Automobiles represent masculinity and a sex object of desire for women. Sports cars are highly symbolic of virility, as it represents power, speed, and vibrancy.

Smoking cigarettes was also extensively marketed as a symbol of virility, where strong, rugged, and muscular men pictured smoking cigarettes. This continued for years until the cigarette companies were thought to be creating human dependency on tobacco. Advertisements relating smoking to virility have decreased as it has negative impacts on one’s health.

No matter the symbol, no matter the culture, no matter the century. Virility is power and strength to procreate. Natural and man-made creations that represented any form of virility continue to be used to represent the essence of creation. No matter how much we industrialize, there is no world without procreation. There is no escaping the basis of human nature.