Editor: Chiara Petrolini
Miniature llama figurine, wrought in hammered gold, probably deposited as an offering to the mountain gods, accompanying a human sacrifice (1500-1532)
from: Peru
The British Museum, London
Narasimha Avatar of Vishn (1760)
from: Illustrated folio from a Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of the Lord). Nurpur Fort, Nurpur, Himachal Pradesh, India
Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Museum Associates Purchase, LACMA (M.82.42.8)
Native American priest sacrifices or eviscerates a victim before an idol. (1774)
from: Zárate, Agustin de, Histoire de la découverte et de la conquête du Perou, vol. I, Compagnie des libraires, 1774, p. 64
John Carter Brown Library
Native Americans [?] sacrifice children on an altar. Includes priests with knives who place the infants on a pyre. (1662)
from: Schultze, Gottfried, De nieuwe bereysde wereldt, Iohannes Tongerloo, La Hague, 1662, frontespiece
The John Carter Brown Library
Oliver Cromwell between Two Pillars (above, The Sacrifice of Isaac) (1658)
Royal Collection Trust
Passover seder (1475)
from: Historie von Simon zu Trient [Bayerische StaatsBibliothek, 2 Inc.s.a. 62#Beibd], fol. 6v
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich
Purported Martyrdom of Simon of Trent (1465)
from: Tiberinus, Johannes Matthias, Passio Beati Simonis
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich
Purported Martyrdom of Simone of Trent (1475)
from: Historie von Simon zu Trient [Bayerische StaatsBibliothek, 2 Inc.s.a. 62#Beibd]
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich
Purported Martyrdom of Simone of Trent - Simone as Martyr (1475)
from: Historie von Simon zu Trient [Bayerische StaatsBibliothek, 2 Inc.s.a. 62#Beibd], fol. 4v
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich
Purported Martyrdom of Simone of Trient
Church of St Maria Rotonda. Pian Camuno, Val Camonica
Queen Nzinga sacrifices a man [illustration of Dapper Naukeurige beschrijvinge der Afrikaensche gewesten] (1676)
from: Olfert Dapper, Naukeurige beschrijvinge der Afrikaensche gewesten, Amsterdam, Meurs,1668, p. 238
Rāma sends out his entire army, headed by Lakṣmaṇa and Vibhīṣaṇa, to fight Indrajit at the Nikumbhilā grove, where he is performing more magical sacrifices. Indrajit is sacrificing to the fire again with a black goat, while around him a furious battle is raging between Lakṣmaṇa and his allies and the other demons. Vibhīṣaṇa has advised Rāma to send Lakṣmaṇa to finish off Indrajit at the place where he is performing his magical arts, before he can make himself even more powerful. Inscribed above Indrajit: Iṃdrajit. (ca 1653)
from: Ramayana [ms Add. 15297(1), fol. 115]
British Library, London [from Udaipur]
Religious practices of the native Americans of Peru. Priests sacrifice animals on a bonfire, throw rocks with serpents or snakes and animals painted on them, and eviscerate animals. (1671)
from: Arnoldus Montanus, De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld, Amsterdam, Jacob Meurs, 1671, p. 309
John Carter Brown Library
Ritual killing of a goat and a fox during ceremonies in honor of Vishnu and Shiva (1670)
from: Abraham Rogerius, Le Théâtre de l’idolatrie ou la porte ouverte, Amsterdam, Jean Schipper, 1670, p. 224
Ritualistic hanging from a carriage during the procession, as part of ceremonies in honor of Ganga. Numerous goats were sacrificed during this event (1670)
from: Abraham Rogerius, Le Théâtre de l’idolatrie ou la porte ouverte, Amsterdam, Jean Schipper, 1670, p. 246
Sacrifice of Codrus [1350 - 1400]
from: Speculum humanae salvationis (Bologna) [Arsenal, Ms 593, fol. 18v]
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris
Sacrifice of Isaac (Detail) (12nd Century)
Palatine Chapel, Royal Palace or Palace of the Normans, Palermo (Italy)