Forgotten Rituals and Magical Practices in Ancient History

Over the centuries, historic texts have recorded a large number of rituals – magical or religious – some of which have been preserved in modified forms, while others remain only in obscure, old books. Yet others have been almost completely lost in the mists of time.

Rituals were usually designed to bring an individual something he was lacking, or to ease his day-to-day life. Native Americans, for example, are known for their rituals to call for rain, practiced during periods of drought. The Mayas and Aztecs practiced bloody rituals based on human sacrifice in order to appease the gods from the heavens and to gain abundance and prosperity. Voodoo priests carried out death-sending ceremonies under the patronage of Baron Samedi, a Loa (spirit) of Haitian voodoo. Everything related to death belonged to the domain of Baron Samedi who, as the god of death and resurrection, was able to shorten or to immediately end the life of the one upon whom he had been sent.