Ornate circumcision knife with ivory handle

Small, ornate circumcision knife with triangular blade and carved, cylindrical ivory handle, c. 1780

Circumcision – the removal of the foreskin of the penis – is practised across the world often for cultural and religious reasons. In some countries it is also promoted for reasons of hygiene and health. In Britain, circumcision is mainly carried out in connection with religious practices. In the United States it remains the most common surgical operation and well over fifty per cent of the male population are circumcised.