It seems to me that most very early civilizations had some form or animal or human sacrifice.?

Question

These groups were widely separated and likely could not have learned it from others. They must have developed it independently. Why would this custom be so widespread?

Answer 1

All early civilizations tell of a great flood too.

They didn't all develop independently, but had to come from one source. DNA suggests that, early civilizations studies suggest that all humans came from a single male and a single female somewhere in the Middle East or Northern Africa.

Answer 2

That type of sacrificing was not as wide spread as you my think. And it was limited to a few very few isolated areas. For most population did depend on numbers in order to survive and to thrive.. But there are books out there that cover those areas where it human sacrifices were most prevalents. And when a group of people travels they do take their beliefs with them.......... And hostile take over over the smaller tribes happen a lot in those times. Also it is not really know if it really started out as a way to get rid of your enemy or as a way to cull the population because of food shortages and then turned into something else all together................... We have no idea how much of history has been lost or destroyed by the winner of local wars. And we do know that the Roman as well as the Catholic Church has destroyed tons of information dealing with entire nations of people.

Answer 3

Gods were believed to watch over the success or failure of crops. Sacrifice - the offering of food to the gods - formed the principal link between mortals and the beings they worshipped. Death was observed and the dead commemorated with meals. Nothing played a more integral role in religious practices and beliefs in the ancient world than the sharing and consumption of foodA shallow dish used in the performance of sacrificial rituals in ancient Greece, Etruria, and Rome, the phiale was intended to hold wine or the blood of a slain victim for pouring on the altar. Blood sacrifices were thought to link the human and divine spheres, and were celebrated on countless occasions. Sacrificial victims were usually domestic animals such as goats, sheep, pig and oxen. Their flesh would be shared and consumed by the worshipers present at the sacrifice.
In the form of a large public altar in miniature (although it is solid stone, it weighs only three pounds), the size of this incense burner indicates usage in a private setting, probably a household shrine. Carvings of a knife, phiale, lituus (ritual stick), and urceus (ritual jug), one on each of the altar's four sides, illustrate the essential equipment for animal sacrifice.
Human ashes were placed inside this Etruscan urn, the front of which depicts a mythical battle between two Greek heros, the sons of Oedipus. On top is a representation of the deceased, who reclines as if he were dining at a table. Reclining banqueters were also painted on the interior of many Etruscan tombs. Food played an important part in ancient funerals, with meals served to feed both the dead and the living left behind.
In the second line from the bottom, this funerary inscription mentions a taberna (food shop) located on the grave plot. Tabernae, which sold cheap foodstuffs and provided a modest income to their proprietors, were more usually part of residential complexes. This tomb plot, functioning as a place to mourn, pray, celebrate and eat, illustrates the integral role of food in both life and death in the ancient world.

Answer 4

learn history
people learn alot from each other.
there are things the jews learned from muslims and muslims from the jews and not only them.

also there is traveling:
the persians are from the same race as the germans and the others in the area - aryans (i think thats the right word) because persian's tribes originaly came from that area but later they traveled to the area now called iran. (i dont know when)

also archeologists found that ancient egyptians could travel to south america through sea (thats probably why they both have pyramids)


and probably the most correct one every human has similiar brain and they all think the same no matter where.




these are facts but i dont know for sure that they are good answers for that questions, although i think they can be true.

Answer 5

Read The Golden Bough by James George Frazer, for more information on this topic than yo could ever possibly need

Answer 6

This is about giving thanks and it got out of hand. It also relate
to the need to gain. The person making the sacrifice expect to
get something in return - good harvest, free from pestilence, rain
or stop rain, etc.. a kind of early positive thinking technique. They never sacrifice themselves, noticed?

Answer 7

This may be just me, but I think that the reason that so many civilizations sacrificed animals is because they found that their gods were like giant uber powerful people and they needed food too. But maybe I'm just crazy