In ancient times, when natural phenomena were worshipped as deities, the gods were both benefactors and, at times, bringers of misfortune to the people with their ferocious power.
At such times, people believed that the gods were displeased with them and made offerings to appease their anger. Sometimes they offered live animals, but at other times, they would offer human beings, in what is known as human sacrifice.
Ancient humans feared water-related disasters in particular, and legends of human sacrifices to sea and river gods exist all over the world.
In Greek mythology, a maiden named Andromeda was sacrificed to appease a monster that ravaged the sea. Also, in the Kojiki (Japan's oldest historical record), Princess Kushinada is almost sacrificed to Yamata-no-Orochi.
Since ancient times, snakes or dragons have been considered water gods, and these anecdotes illustrate human sacrifices to water deities. Remnants of these customs remain today.
"Manju" (Chinese steamed bun) is said to have originated when Zhuge Liang, a renowned character from the "Records of the Three Kingdoms", offered a block of meat in the shape of a human head instead of a real sacrifice to prevent a flood.
It is also believed that the "teru teru bouzu" (Japanese paper doll hung up when raining) originated as a sacrifice to a water god, offered by people suffering from drought to pray for rain.
In the past, people were buried alive as human pillars, as a method of praying for the completion of bridges, embankments, and buildings. Legends of human pillars still exist in many places today.
The song "London Bridge", made famous by Mother Goose, describes the history of the eponymous London Bridge, which always collapsed no matter how many times it was built, but its English lyrics are thought to be a song about the human pillars that were raised during its construction.
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