29 June 2026
Madness and Culture

The Aztecs believed that, in order to strengthen the sun and ensure good harvests, it was necessary to perform large numbers of human sacrifices. This belief was not unique: the Carthaginians (Phoenicians) also had the Tophet, where, in times of danger, they offered human sacrifices.

Were the Phoenicians and the Aztecs insane? Certainly not, but rather great civilizations.

But if a twenty-first-century Westerner believed that sacrificing a child would bring a good harvest, that person would certainly be considered insane.