When did circumcision start?

Answer 1

It is believed that circumcision dates well back before recorded history. The earliest records that are available about it come from Egyptian history where it seems that their upper classes did this to themselves in order to set themselves apart from the lower classes.

Answer 2

The earliest documentation we have of the practice was the ancient Egyptians. It was done to adults of the ruling class and is thought to be a practice that set them apart from the run of the mill people. F4rom there it spread to the Jews and later on the Muslims. In the USA non religious circumcision was introduced by the British medical fraternity as a way of reducing the inclination for boys to masturbate. In that puritan society masturbation was held responsible for more then a hundred deadly diseases. Since then it became entrenched in US culture with the reasoning changing.

Answer 3

Circumcision was performed in very ancient times among various peoples. The first time it was a direct command of God, however, was when Abraham was 99 years old and God told him to circumcise himself and all the males in his family (Genesis ch.17). Circumcision was to be the indelible sign of God's covenant and has been a continuous tradition and mitzva (command) since then among the Jews; and is a tradition among Muslims too.

The answer above would only apply to the first Jewish circumcision though. Answer:

The fist tangible record record of male genital mutilation (circumcision) that is available exists in art work done by the ancient Egyptians. hey however inflicted this injury on themselves as consenting adults. It is thought that they did this to differentiate the upper class from the rest of the people it is reasonable to assume that the Jews followed suit. I am myself not Jewish and therefor I shall point you towards a site that Contests the authenticity of the torah. and let you settle it for your self Even according to the Jews this blood ritual did not begin until after they left Egypt and as it was an Egyptian cultural practice, it would be unreasonable to assume the Egyptian elite would copy the practice of their under class It would be reasonable to assume that the practice was done a longtime before that time as it is done by several primitive cultures throughout the world. For more information on Jewish circumcision and circumcision in general Go to the related link below, Circumcision: A Source of Jewish Pain Dr Ronald Goldman

130,000 BCE Modern humans: complete with foreskin

10,000 (?) BCE Aboriginal tribes in central and desert regions of Australia introduce circumcision of boys as puberty rite

6000 (?) BCE Circumcision (male and female) practised as puberty rite by tribes in north-eastern African and Arabian peninsula

3100 BCE Egypt invaded from the south, perhaps by African tribes bringing circumcision with them.

2300 BCE Egyptian bas-relief which may show some form of genital mutilation being performed. The relief is eroded and hard to interpret. More commonly seen as modern reconstruction. One interpretation is that it just shows the pubic hair being shaved. Contrary to some reports, no circumcised mummies have been found, but some statues show what may be a superincision (cutting a slit in the upper side of the foreskin, or dorsal slit).

600 BCE First five books of Hebrew Bible (Torah) compiled, including Genesis with its reference to Yaweh's command to Abraham to circumcise himself, his sons and his slaves and servants. Circumcision enforced by priests among Jewish people as sign of the Covenant.

450 BCE Greek historians note prevalence of circumcision and other penile mutilations among the Arabs and other Middle Eastern tribes. Herodotus (485-420 BCE) observes and deplores circumcision among the Colchians, Ethiopians, Phoenicians, Syrians, and Macrones, as well as the Egyptian priestly caste. He criticises the fanatical ritual cleanliness of the Egyptian priests: "They [even] practice circumcision for the sake of cleanliness, considering it better to be clean than handsome" - a perverse sacrifice in Greek eyes. (The context is things Egyptians do that are the reverse of what other, more sensible, people do.) He reports that the salutary influence of Greek culture led the Phoenicians to abandon circumcision. (See Frederick Hodges, "The ideal prepuce", including excellent illustrations from Greek art and sculpture).

170 BCE The Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-165 BCE) consolidates Alexander's empire, and attempts to impose Greek civilization, including a ban on ritual circumcision. Some Jews seek foreskin restoration.

ANNO DOMINI or Christian Era Jesus born and circumcised in accordance with Jewish practice.

43 St Paul convinces a meeting in Jerusalem that circumcision is not required for Christian converts.

45 Philo (c.15 BCE to c.50 CE), a Jewish philosopher in Alexandria, defends circumcision on the ground that it is a valuable curb on sexual indulgence:

"The legislators thought good to dock the organ which ministers to such intercourse, thus making circumcision the symbol of excision of excessive and superfluous pleasure."

132 Roman Emperor Hadrian (98-138 CE) extends a previous ban, by Emperors Domitian (81-96) and Nerva (96-98), on the castration of citizens or slaves throughout the Roman Empire, to include circumcision.

140 Mishnah (commentary on Torah) first written down. Gives details of Periah, or radical circumcision, involving tearing back the foreskin and ripping it from the glans, (not just cutting off the tip, as done previously.) Thought to be instituted then to prevent Jews who did not like being circumcised from stretching the remnants of their foreskin so as to cover up the glans and thus being able to pass as uncircumcised and take part in Greek athletic contests and other Graeco-Roman social life. Emperor Antoninus Pius lifts the legal prohibition on circumcision, but only for Jews, not their slaves, servants or other non-Jews (as prescribed by Genesis and Jewish law).

Answer 4

Circumcision has been practiced for millenia in various cultures since the ancient Egyptians. Among Jews, the origin of circumcision is in the Torah. 3800 years ago, God told Abraham "every male among you shall be circumcised" (Gen. ch.17) as part of the covenant between God and the Jewish people.

Since that time, virtually all Jews have observed the command of circumcision for close to four millennia, even in times of religious persecution under the Greeks, Romans, Spaniards, Soviets and others. Circumcision is the indelible sign of God's covenant with Abraham and is just as important as Yom Kippur in terms of the stringency which the Torah places upon it. And similar to Yom Kippur, it is one of the observances which are common to Orthodox, Conservative and

Reform Jews alike.

See also:

http://judaism.answers.com/jewish-philosophy/jewish-life-cycle-brit-bar-mitzvah-wedding-death-and-mourning

Answer 5

Circumcision likely started as early as 5000 BC and was likely practiced first by the Hebrews or the Egyptians.

Answer 6

The first record of Circumcision comes to us with the ancient Egyptians. where it was done to adults , not infants.

Answer 7

The earliest documentation of circumcision was found in hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt where it is presumed is was done among adult upper class Egyptians.