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![[Picture: Sacrificial Rites of the Ancient British Druids]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Dobbins-ErrorsChains/pages/202-druids-stonehenge/202-druids-stonehenge-q75-340x500.jpg "[Picture: Sacrificial Rites of the Ancient British Druids]")
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Sacrificial Rites of the Ancient British Druids more
forests, stone circles, druids, religion, people, robes, beards, human sacrifice, death, occult, standing stones, megaliths, nighttime
In a glade in a forest of ancient trees, druids gather within the confines of a sacred stone circle. One bearded man among them holds up a knife with a curved blade. Below him, held down on a cold stone altar, a partly-naked woman screams. She is to be sacrificed to pagan gods.
Well, that’s the scene. There are several things wrong both with the scene as drawn and with the description (which follows). The ancient British druids were Celtic, and were driven out by the Romans, a few hundred years before the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. The description seems to confuse the Anglo-Saxons and the Celts. The drawing of Stonehenge, if that is where it is supposed to be, is implausible: neatly squared-off stones as if new, but some leaning. Stonehenge was already over 2400 years old when the Romans arrived, and maybe 3,000 yeas old when the Anglo-Saxons invaded in 446...
The biggest error is that, as far as is known, the Anglo-SAxons did not practice human sacrifice at all. If they had, the accounts from Christians, who objected to them sacrificing animals, would surely have mentioned it. There is neither literary evidence nor clear archaelogical evidence, although the latter is disputed.
But it’s a cool picture, yes?
SAXON SACRIFICES.
The sacrifices which were presented to the gods in the early ages were very simple, and such as a people in the first stages of civilization would offer—the first fruits of their crops, and the choicest products of the earth. They also sacrificed animals. They offered to Thor, during the feast of Jaul, fat oxen and horses; to Frigga, the largest hog which they could procure; to Odin, horses, dogs and falcons, sometimes cocks, and a fat bull. They even proceeded at times to shed human blood. The victims were usually chosen from captives in time of war, and slaves during peace. After being selected, they were treated with excessive kindness, until the time of their execution, when they were congratulated on their happy destiny in a future life. On great emergencies, however, nobles and kings were immolated on the altars of the gods. On all these occasions the priests took care, in consecrating the victim, to pronounce the return of a fruitful season." The ceremony concluded with feasting, during which they drank immoderately. First, the kings and chief lords drank healths in honor of the gods; afterward, every one drank, making song or prayer to the gods who had been named. After the victim was slain, the body was burnt, or suspended in a sacred grove near the temple; part of the blood was sprinkled upon the people, part upon the sacred grove. With the same they also bedewed the images of the gods, the altars, the benches and walls of the temple, both within and without, thus completing their work. (p. 202)
