Which Civilizations Engage In Rituals Of Sacrifice?

Human sacrifices have been practiced in various cultures from prehistory to the 21st century, often involving slaves or low-status individuals. These sacrifices were sometimes called for in response to events such as breaking the sun’s need for human nourishment. In Mexico, the belief that the sun needed human nourishment was prevalent, while in ancient Korea, human sacrifice was practiced in some kingdoms. The Moche, who flourished in Peru between the first and eighth centuries A.D., frequently practiced human sacrifice, placing victims in tombs and temples.

The prevalence of sacrifice increased with the degree of social stratification, with two-thirds of highly stratified societies practicing it. The role of emotion and aggression in sacrifice is evident in Greek rituals and cultural expressions such as oracles, games, mysteries, dramas, and funerals. Other ancient cultures, such as China, Inca, Maya, Ancient Israel, Aztec civilization, and the Chimu tribe, also engaged in ritual sacrifices.

In some ancient cultures, being sacrificed to a god was a reward and honor, without fearing volunteering or death. The Hawaiians engaged in ritual sacrifice frequently, believing that they appeased the God of the sea. The Inca sacrificed children to the Sun God, Inti, with the help of Hinduism.

Sacrifice was practiced in proto-Hindu culture but has mostly been eliminated since the culture developed into the modern world. Other ancient cultures include the Carthaginians, Etruscans, Chinese, Celts, Hawaiians, Mesopotamians, Aztecs, and Incas.

What is sacrifice in Egyptian culture?

Ancient Egyptian retainer sacrifice was a practice where pharaohs and high court nobility had servants killed after their deaths to serve them in the afterlife. This practice only existed during the First Dynasty, from around 3100 BC to 2900 BC. Egyptians believed in an afterlife, and much of their civilization reflects this. The belief in the ka, or life source, essence, and soul, was central to their beliefs. Egyptians believed that the ka had to have a body to return to, so they mummified their dead.

In case their body did not survive, they commissioned ka statues, which were buried alongside the body and served as a replacement if it decayed beyond recognition. The king’s ka was particularly important in the afterlife, as he held prominent positions in politics and religion. Egyptians saw the afterlife as a continuation of life, with the same activities and social hierarchy. Upper-class Egyptians were concerned about making their life comfortable, and excavated tombs were found to contain food, murals, statues, jewelry, and other items.

What is sacrifice in culture?

The term “sacrifice” is defined as the act of exchanging something of value, such as time or life, for a higher power or greater good. This practice has been documented throughout human history, with evidence of both animal and human sacrifices observed in various ancient cultures.

What cultures practice human sacrifice?

Human sacrifice has been practiced by various ancient civilizations, including the Greeks, Romans, Celts, and Germanic peoples. Ancient Greeks used “pharmakos”, where cripples, criminals, or slaves were thrown off cliffs to ward off disaster. Throughout human and religious history, people have sought to appease their gods or authoritative figures through the ultimate expression of devotion. Cannibalism and headhunting, religious practices, could still exist today in remote areas with little contact with the outside world.

Human sacrifice was linked to fertility rites and successful harvests in Asia Minor and the Tigris-Euphrates Crescent. Evidence of retainer sacrifice in pre-dynastic Egypt suggests the mass killing of servants to serve the king in the afterlife. Evidence for further human sacrifice disappears around 2800 BCE before the transition of Egypt from kingdoms into the dynastic phase.

What religions require sacrifice?

The Hebrew patriarch Abraham serves as a guiding example for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as he offered his son to God as a burnt offering. These traditions interpret this story differently, but all uphold sacrifice as a means of relating to the sacred and an ideal of human conduct. Access to content on Oxford Academic is typically provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. Members of an institution can access content through IP-based access, which is provided across an institutional network and cannot be accessed from outside. Additionally, signing in through the institution allows remote access using Shibboleth/Open Athens technology, allowing a single sign-on between the institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

What are some examples of sacrificial rituals?

Human sacrifice has been a widespread practice in various societies, with various intentions ranging from divine communion to expiation and earth fertility promotion. It was adopted by agricultural peoples, with humans being seen as the most valuable and potent oblation. In Mexico, the Aztec and Nahua calendrical maize rituals resulted in annual sacrifices of up to 20, 000 victims. Bloodless human sacrifices also developed and took various forms, such as immersion, drowning, strangulation, and burial with the king’s retinue.

In many societies, human victims were replaced by animal substitutes or effigies made of dough, wood, or other materials. For example, in India, human sacrifices to Dravidian village goddesses were replaced by animal sacrifices under British rule. In Tibet, under Buddhism, human sacrifice to pre-Buddhist Bon deities was replaced by offering dough images or reduced to pantomime. In some cults, both human and animal oblations could be “ransomed”, replaced by offerings or other inanimate valuables.

Which native cultures participated in ritual sacrifice?

Ceremonial cannibalism has been associated with various indigenous groups in North America, including the Inuit, Cree, Iroquois, Huron, Aztec, Maya, Chibcha, Tupi-Guaraní, and native groups of the Putumayo River in South America. This chapter discusses the similarities between native and European colonial violence, focusing on its ritual forms. While Europeans strongly reproached Amerindian cannibalism and human sacrifice, some of their own behaviors resembled these practices more than they would admit.

Native ritual violence differed significantly between stratified and egalitarian indigenous societies, and Amerindians were affected differently by European conquest and colonial rule depending on their political organization. Native and European violent practices influenced each other to some extent, and while Europeans condemned native ritual violence as barbaric, their dealings with people considered inimical to the secular and godly order were not more humane. The chapter provides some general trends and empirical examples to discuss the diverse range of Amerindian cultures and colonial encounters.

What was the Greek sacrificial ritual?

Ancient Greece’s central ritual involved animal sacrifice, particularly of oxen, goats, and sheep, held within the sanctuary at an altar in front of the temple. Liquid offerings or libations were also common. Religious festivals filled the year, with the four most famous festivals held every four years at Olympia, Delphi, Nemea, and Isthmia. These Panhellenic festivals were attended by people from all over the Greek-speaking world.

Many other festivals were celebrated locally, and in the case of mystery cults, only initiates could participate. The four most famous festivals were held every four years at Olympia, Delphi, Nemea, and Isthmia.

Did Mayans do ritual sacrifice?

Heart extractions and sacrifice were considered a significant religious expression among the ancient Maya. The removal of a still-beating heart, or self-immolation, was considered a great offering and meal for the gods. The process began with blood extraction from the mouth, nose, ears, fingers, or penis using a sharp tool made from animal bone. The victim was then positioned on a stone or wooden altar, and access to the heart was achieved through various procedures and techniques. The preferred method was likely from below the diaphragm, as it allowed for easy access and minimal blockage from bones.

The heart was then exposed to retrieval, either by pulling apart the ribs or cutting the tissue. The actual removal of the heart was achieved by cutting the attaching ligaments with a bifacial tool. The ritual ended with mutilation of the body, usually through dismemberment or burning, and the blood was collected from the victim. The body was then disposed of or reutilized for other purposes.

During the Postclassic period (c. 900–1524), the most common form of human sacrifice was heart extraction, influenced by the Aztecs’ method in the Valley of Mexico. This usually took place in the courtyard of a temple or upon the summit of the pyramid-temple. The sacrifice was stripped and painted blue, representing sacrifice, and worn by attendants representing the four Chaacs of the cardinal directions. An official, known as a nacom, cut into the ribs and pulled out the heart.

What is sacrifice in African tradition?

In their 1979 article, Awolalu and Dopamu posit that sacrifice in A. T. R. serves as a pivotal means of establishing communion between the divine and humanity, thereby fostering a robust connection between the individual and their object of worship.

What was the Egyptian sacrifice ritual?

Ancient Egyptian retainer sacrifice was a practice where pharaohs and high court nobility had servants killed after their deaths to serve them in the afterlife. This practice only existed during the First Dynasty, from around 3100 BC to 2900 BC. Egyptians believed in an afterlife, and much of their civilization reflects this. The belief in the ka, or life source, essence, and soul, was central to their beliefs. Egyptians believed that the ka had to have a body to return to, so they mummified their dead.

In case their body did not survive, they commissioned ka statues, which were buried alongside the body and served as a replacement if it decayed beyond recognition. The king’s ka was particularly important in the afterlife, as he held prominent positions in politics and religion. Egyptians saw the afterlife as a continuation of life, with the same activities and social hierarchy. Upper-class Egyptians were concerned about making their life comfortable, and excavated tombs were found to contain food, murals, statues, jewelry, and other items.

What is sacrifice in Aztec?

Aztec sacrifice was a fundamental aspect of the Aztec religion, involving offering blood gifts to the gods. The Mexica believed that humans had to give back to the gods, who had sacrificed themselves to create the current world cycle. Human sacrifice was essential for maintaining it, as seen in the myth of the Mexica god Huitzilopochtli, who could only move the sun across the sky with human blood. Sacrifice was not only about debt repayment but also about increasing an individual’s social standing and political power. The Aztecs believed that human sacrifice was essential for maintaining the current world.