# Yes - virgins were sacrified to volcanos. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 24, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829 "2016-08-24T16:56:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829/21 "2016-08-24T18:26:42Z")
There’s a difference between being sacrificed _to_ a volcano, and being sacrificed _into_ a volcano. Sure, people (especially possibly-virgin women and children) were sacrificed _to_ volcanoes. However, the practice of tossing a virgin into the bubbling lava pit of an active volcano is a Hollywood invention. ---
**Author:** ![wristwatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/71e660/32.png) [@wristwatch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wristwatch)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829/22 "2016-08-24T18:37:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That’s nice. Now can you provide any cites that back up the statement of fact you made at the beginning of this thread…something more than “Well, women and children were sacrificed, and there’s a good chance _some_ of them were virgins, right?” You’re clearly debasing my argument by lazily (and quite shittily) rewording my opening statement. As I stated above - you’re right! I cannot find a source were science has done tests on the weathered ancient vaginas of poorly sacrificed remains, nor have I found a source that cites only virgins were targeted. There are other fair implications that factor in, and you’re spitefully ignoring that. What we can prove: Women were the main choice of sacrifice. Tribal/aboriginal cultures tend to place a higher importance on virginity in contrast to more progressive nations, historically speaking. Tribal cultures wished to appease their gods with the most pure forms of sacrifice, which is why children were second after women. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829/23 "2016-08-24T18:43:28Z")
That’s not the only possible reason to pick children. They could be picked because it was easier for society to absorb the loss for instance. In other cultures sacrificing a child would be considered a low value sacrifice. Children were a dime a dozen, whereas sacrificing a trained adult warrior showed real commitment. ---
**Author:** ![wristwatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/71e660/32.png) [@wristwatch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wristwatch)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829/24 "2016-08-24T18:46:55Z")
> [@naita](#): > > That’s not the only possible reason to pick children. They could be picked because it was easier for society to absorb the loss for instance. In other cultures sacrificing a child would be considered a low value sacrifice. Children were a dime a dozen, whereas sacrificing a trained adult warrior showed real commitment. I agree, thats certainly possible. It would make additional sense if they were able to justify it further by acknowledging that child for its purity and innocence - a greater sacrifice to the gods, with less problems on the workload or long-term relations. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829/25 "2016-08-24T19:20:19Z")
> [@wristwatch](#): > > I agree, thats certainly possible. > > It would make additional sense if they were able to justify it further by acknowledging that child for its purity and innocence - a greater sacrifice to the gods, with less problems on the workload or long-term relations. Do you have any evidence that these specific cultures valued purity and innocence other than vague cultural comparisons and circular reasoning? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829/26 "2016-08-24T19:41:57Z")
On a side note, the philosopher Empedocles threw himself into Mount Etna so people would believe his body had vanished and he’d become one of the immortal gods. The volcano however threw back one of his bronze sandals and the deceit was revealed. (Info from Wikipedia). You don’t mess with the volcano god! ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829/27 "2016-08-24T20:37:24Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > On a side note, the philosopher Empedocles threw himself into Mount Etna so people would believe his body had vanished and he’d become one of the immortal gods. The volcano however threw back one of his bronze sandals and the deceit was revealed. (Info from Wikipedia). I feel like bronze sandals are rather uncomfortable for day-to-day wear. And one would definitely want to choose something else on a day when you’re doing a lot of mountain climbing. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829/28 "2016-08-24T20:55:47Z")
I think the OP misread the article. To the question of being tossed into the maw of an active volcano, **The Master** says this is _ **mostly** _ Hollywood BS, say 99.999%. So it’s not exactly 100%. It’s a hedge and a fair one, if just _one_ virgin was tossed into an active volcano in the past 2.5 million years, then the trop would _not_ be 100% Hollywood BS. Unity of probability works like that. The OP then confuses a second question, were any virgins sacrificed _on_ a volcano, but not tossed in. Of course the answer is 100% yes, we have the dead bodies to prove it. Although please continue, I’m completely shocked that **Czarcasm** should be acting so sarcastically … shocked I say … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-virgins-were-sacrified-to-volcanos/763829.md?page=1)