Carved to resemble an impressively formed human phallus, this mysterious object most likely served ceremonial or ritual purposes. While it is tempting to view such an object through the sensibilities of our own culture, either blushing or condemning such an item, we must recognize that Olmec civilization did not operate under the same set of beliefs about human sexuality as modern Western cultures. All prudeness aside, such an item may potentially have been used for sexual stimulation of a therapeutic-medicinal, or simply erotic, nature. But it is equally likely that it was simply a talisman of fertility as witnessed by so many other cultures around the world. Above all, this outstanding object represents a link to the mysteries of the past. It reminds us that certain vital human feelings have changed little with the passage of time.