Animal sacrifice
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A sheep is led to the altar, 6th century BC Corinthian fresco. |
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The remains of an animal surrounded by stone, found in New Mexico, possibly representing modern animal sacrifice |
Animal sacrifice is the
ritual killing of an
animal as part of a
religion. It is practised by many religions as a means of appeasing a god or gods or changing the course of nature. Animal sacrifice has turned up in almost all cultures, from the
Hebrews to the
Greeks and
Romans and from the
Aztecs to the
Yoruba.
Walter Burkert in
Homo necans argues that animal sacrifices reenact
paleolithic hunting rituals, and that they are fundamentally identical in motivation to
human sacrifices.
However, the practise was a taboo among the
Ancient Egyptians, and they tended to look down on cultures that practised this custom. Animal sacrifice is still practised today by the followers of
Santería and other "lineages of Orisa", as a means of curing the sick and giving thanks to the
Orisa (
Gods). However in Santeria, such animal offerings constitute an extremely small portion of what are termed "ebos" – ritual activities that include offerings, prayer and deeds. Some villages in Greece also sacrifice animals to Orthodox saints in a practise known as kourbània. The practise, while publicly condemned, is often tolerated for the benefits it provides to the church and the sense of community it engenders.
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Human sacrifice*
Ashvamedha*
Blót*
Scapegoat*
Holocaust (sacrifice)*
Hecatomb*
Bull (mythology)
