Inimohver eesti eelkristlikus usundis

Abstract

Researchers of Estonian prehistoric religion have only briefly concerned the topic of human sacrifice. According to Aliis Moora, mostly the enemy and war prisoners were sacrificed, the main reason indicated in the Livonian Chronicle by Henrici as alleviating crop failure. Archaeological finds confirm human sacrifice only in the case of a couple of graves. In addition to the Henrici Chronicon Livoniae, the middle-age chronicle by Adam of Bremen Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificium is considered. Adam knows of human sacrifice in all countries east of the Baltic Sea while the Livonian Chronicle describes the cruel sacrifice of a preast in chapters I: 10 and XXVI: 7. In times of peace, sacrifice was mainly to benefit crops while in times of war gratitude sacrifices were made after a successful battle. Sacrifying was performed by the heads of family or, in the case of bigger sacrifices, the heads of the parish or county. Human sacrifice was definitely a collective event and an important role was probably played by the wise men who had to read omens to determine who to sacrifice.