From the editor : Although many might dismiss ritual sacrifice as cruel, Brenda Lewis--a seasoned journalist and historian who is a specialist on the Aztecs--reveals it as a highly complex activity, one deeply entrenched even in the rituals of contemporary Christianity, and alive and well in the recent rise of neopaganism in the West. In fact, Lewis goes so far as to frame sacrifice as "the final step in the intellectual separation of humans from animals"--a claim that may give some readers pause...

Peppered with vivid photographs and a full-color insert of images, from altars to funeral pyres, Lewis shows readers why, for many civilizations both ancient and recent, even the most extreme blood sacrifices were deemed essential not only to general survival but for preventing such atrocities as the end of the world. Her study canvases civilizations on six continents and assesses questions like why those chosen for human sacrifice embraced their fate so willingly.

Pages: 182, Illustrated
Special Interest: Worldwide Contemporary & Historical Ritual Sacrifice, Occult, Secret Orders & Societies, Forbidden Books, Magick, Ritual, Sorcery.