I first learned what it was when I was nine and mom got me this big archaeology book, and all throughout the book this archeologist is going off "look at this tower, see how phallic it looks, oh, oh here's a phallus over here, and don't get me started on the Babylonians, talk about dick envy" naturally I went up to mom and asked what a Phallus was "we'll talk about it later" of course being ten, that was unacceptable, and since it was Christmas I went up to Grandma and asked her... After about five minutes of laughing she told it straight, Grandma was good for that.