Circumcision in ancient Egypt and Judaism, and the reflection of circumcision in Christianity

The aim of this work is to familiarize the reader more closely with the issue of male circumcision in ancient Egypt and ancient Israel, and subsequently also in Judaism, and to outline how the theme of Jewish circumcision was adapted by Christianity. It describes the custom of male circumcision in ancient Egypt using pictorial and textual evidence, including findings on mummies. It looks for similarities and differences between male circumcision in ancient Egypt and in Judaism, in which it represents one of the most important rituals, and a sign of belonging to God and the nation. Attention is also given to the significant transformation in Christianity to the new initiation ritual of baptism, and opinions damning circumcision. Biblical themes, including the mystery of Jesus' circumcision and Christ's crucifixion, are reflected in European visual art, which is discussed in the final part of the work. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org