4 Items Tagged

Human Sacrifice

Even colorful rainbows can carry spooky superstitions.

5 Superstitious Stories for Friday the 13th

Explore these tales of death, sacrifice, and bad omens—if you dare.

Roxanne Hoorn December 13, 2024

Detail of a courtyard in the palace at Ninevah during the Assyrian Empire, illustration by Sir Austen Henry Layard, 1853.

In Mesopotamia, Being 'King for a Day' Could be Deadly

Total solar eclipses were an omen of death for rulers of the Assyrian Empire. The fix? Install a fake king and then kill him.

Rebecca Boyle March 13, 2024

By the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC), both royals and non-royals were buried with dozens of figurines known as shabti, which would serve them in the afterlife.

In Ancient Egypt, Human Sacrifice and Shabti Figures Ensured an Afterlife of Servitude

Clay figurines and murdered retainers provided plenty of company—and a workforce—for the dead.

Nicky Nielsen October 17, 2023

An ancient wall with a path running through it under a metal roof

Shimao Relics

A massive ancient Chinese city with stone walls and evidence of human sacrifices.