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From: ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac)
Newsgroups: net.origins,net.religion
Subject: Re: Evolving Religions
Message-ID: <190@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Jun-85 15:40:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.190
Posted: Tue Jun  4 15:40:56 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Jun-85 06:43:57 EDT
References: <236@ihnet.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
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Xref: watmath net.origins:1651 net.religion:7047

[]
> Does anyone have any thoughts on the origin/evolution of religions?
> I would like to hear them.
> 
> Karl Dahlke    ihnp4!ihnet!eklhad

Actually this strikes me as even less relevant to net.origins than the
history of language.  However, I couldn't resist a comment.
Neanderthal remains have been found in which the skeleton has been
prepared for burial by smearing the bones with a red ochre (presumably
the flesh was cremated although other possibilities come to mind).
Various artifacts were arranged around the body.  This argues that
the people who performed the burial had fairly specific ideas about
the afterlife (personal belongings, substitute blood).  Religion
seems to be older than H. Sapiens Sapiens.
-- 

"Don't argue with a fool.      Ethan Vishniac
 Borrow his money."            {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan
                               Department of Astronomy
                               University of Texas