Ophiolatreia

Ophiolatreia is a work by Edward Sellon. It provides an account of the rituals and mysteries associated with the origin, spread, and development of serpent devotion in different parts of the world.

Edward Sellon (1818–1866) was a writer, translator, and illustrator in the 19th century whose work chiefly engaged with themes of erotica, sexual anthropology, and pagan religion. He is perhaps best known for his involvement in the study of sexuality in antiquity, particularly through his book 'Ophiolatreia: An Account of the Rites and Mysteries connected with the Origin, Rise, and Development of Serpent Worship in Various Parts of the World'. Sellon's interests lay in the exploration of sexual practices in different cultures and the veneration of the phallus, which becomes evident in the title 'Ophiolatreia' itself, with 'ophio' being Greek for 'snake' and 'latreia' implying worship or service. His literary style often combined a scholarly approach with a frank fascination in the erotic aspects of his subjects. A controversial figure, Sellon's works were published at a time when Victorian sensibilities dictated public discourse, leading to his enduring reputation as an eccentric and iconoclast in the field of sexual anthropology. Despite the scarcity of comprehensive biographical studies on Sellon, his contributions to the understanding of sexual rites and pagan worship practices have been noted by historians and scholars of comparative religion and erotica (Muchembled, R., Orgasm and the West: A History of Pleasure from the 16th Century to the Present, Polity, 2005; Moore, R., Restoring the Temple of Vision: Cabalistic Freemasonry and Stuart Culture, Brill, 2002).