Message no. 1

From:	Sebastian Wiers m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject:	Question of not so great importance
Date:	Sat, 4 Sep 1999 04:29:23 -0700

> > >3. Are there any cultures with legends of "mystic
> > rituals" or the like
> > >that a) involve human sacrifice and b) grant
> > whoever conducts the
> >
> > Many ancient cultures did. Babyloneans, Sumerians, Egyptians,
> Aztecs, Celts, maybe the Romans (BIG maybe), a whole mess more.
> Basically, telling the spirits how big of a badass you are. (Didn't
> always work- I wonder why?)
> > Kevin Dole, aka CyberRaven, aka IronRaven, aka Steel
> > Tengu
>
> This I know. Again, the problem with these is that, as far as I know,
> all the sacrifices were designed for interaction with their "gods".

On the other hand, canabalistic "headhunter" cultures (as may have existed
in Papau/ New Guinie) may have actually believed that they kept the
strenght of vanquished foes by eating thier flesh and keeping shrunken
heads.
I say "as may have existed" and "may have actually belived" because
its
hard to seperate myth from fact here, even when asking the people involved
(who are now mostly dead). First hand acounts indicate that the canabalism
was minimal, mostly by female relatives of honored deceased as part
of ritual burial. Shrunken heads were probably more for status and maybe
to scare away the ghosts of vanquished enemies. After all, these folks
knew what it takes to make a tough warrior, and ritual sacrifice is not
part of it.

Mongoose