One of the questions that constantly recycles is when is a death a sacrifice, a murder, a martyrdom, an argument settled, an execution, others.

               Two authors who really pursue this question from different angles are Hyman Maccoby, "The Sacred Executioner" and Miranda Green "Dying for the Gods".

 

               Maccoby ( example on page 100, second paragraph, but runs throughout the book) not only recognizes disagreement, but attempts to point out who disagrees and why.  He definitely takes the approach that most scriptures and other written records of the last few thousand years have been redacted later to speak to the then current readers.  He tries very hard to lead us through the underbrush with the advantages he has as a dedicated scholar so that we can see that there may be material that can be read between the lines.

               Green has the advantage of being "Head of the Research Centre the Study of Culture, Archeology, Religions, and Biogeography at the University of Wales College (Now in 2013 merged with University of South Wales, my note), Newport, where she holds a personal chair in Archeology.  In 2001, when "Dying for the Gods" was published, she had written 12 books, including Exploring the World of the Druids.  (Back Fly Leaf)

               Green makes no bones (there I go again) about how difficult it is to differentiate with ancient remains to determine the nature of an apparent possible sacrifice and opposed to executions, etc.  Her accompanying Illustrations are impressive/informative.

 

               Both authors stress that civilization is a very new phenomena in the millions of years of human life.  Both indicate that Human sacrifices seemed to carry a certain magic quality about them that even animal blood sacrifices do not have, except in the earliest sacrificial days when the animal may more resemble the deity involved.  It was after the Jewish concept of "man made in our own image" gave human sacrifice any special meaning.  Both authors jump into substitute deaths, scape goats...  "Founding sacrifices"...