[History and geography of ritual circumcision]

Ritual circumcisions can be classified into types according to the circumstances in which they are performed. Spiritual circumstances which express a community identity, usually religious and surrounded by a complex significance related to numerous myths, especially biblical and African. Non-religious circumcisions, particularly well illustrated by the USA model, comprise, apart from controversial medical and scientific reasons, a real social dimension and also reflect a desire for community membership. Regardless of the circumstances, surgeons may sometimes be asked to perform circumcision and should be aware of the significance of this procedure.