Fascinating. I wish scientists would stop assigning motives to early man which are based on modern behavior.
i.e. ‘animal sacrifice’ rather than ‘meal time’.
Perhaps early man discovered singing and encouraged group chorus.
We should stop projecting our accomplishments on early man and take a childlike logic and practicality to people who lived only 30 years and were likely impatient to create a functioning, comfortable life for themselves and their progeny. They may have experienced ‘wonder’ at the earth and sky, but not a formal ‘religion’ of a creator or astral Gods.
Like the Venus of Willendorf, long labeled an idol – the mother goddess. Everything found had to have a religious connection. Now many think of it as nothing more than ancient porn.
Why not, “but not a formal ‘religion’ of a creator or astral Gods.”, as you say?
This area predates the Romans and the Greeks, so surely there were no ‘Christians’ at the time these folks lived.
This newest found henge has stones aligned, and I am sure that they will be found to be mapped out, astronomically. How did that happen?
In the middle of Christianized Europe, on the banks of the river Danube, there have been found hand carved, hand sized goddess figures. How did that happen?
Reading through the history of mankind, and finding any ‘defined as horrifying’ instances of anything smattering other than ‘Christian’, has always puzzled me. They are our distant ancestors. They were born, lived, and died, as we do today, but with little ‘left to the ages’, unlike us, today. It is a wonder, that in that harsh environment, their homes still stand! It is a wonder how they were constructed. Who were they? What were their ideas on life? On death? What were their tribal mores? Lastly, in close quarters, where was the proverbial ‘village rock’? There might be something we could learn from all of this.
Lastly, as a thought, in an era where everything is going more electronic than we ‘first-generation geeks’ ever thought, always remember, there is no power electric necessary, to pick up a pen, and put thoughts to paper, which will outlast any electrical fizzlement inside any electronic gadget.
600 dead cows suggests some sort of OX ROAST ~ and today we need a special reason for that sort of thing.