Drawn by Boudier, from Plandin and Coste.

The sacrificial rites were of long duration, and frequent, and were
rendered very complex by interminable manual acts, ceremonial gestures,
and incantations.

[Illustration: 032b.jpg THE OCCUPATIONS OF ANI IN THE ELYSIAN FIELDS]

In cases where the altar was not devoted to maintaining a perpetual
fire, it was kindled when necessary with small twigs previously barked
and purified, and was subsequently fed with precious woods, preferably
cypress or laurel;* care was taken not to quicken the flame by blowing,
for the human breath would have desecrated the fire by merely passing
over it; death was the punishment for any one who voluntarily committed
such a heinous sacrilege. The recognised offering consisted of flowers,
bread, fruit, and perfumes, but these were often accompanied, as in all
ancient religions, by a bloody sacrifice; the sacrifice of a horse was
considered the most efficacious, but an ox, a cow, a sheep, a camel,
an ass, or a stag was frequently offered: in certain circumstances,
especially when it was desired to conciliate the favour of the god of
the underworld, a human victim, probably as a survival of very ancient
rites was preferred.**

* Pausanias, who witnessed the cult as practised at
Hierocæsarsea, remarked the curious colour of the ashes
heaped upon the altar.

* Most modern writers deny the authenticity of Herodotus'
account, because a sacrifice of this kind is opposed to the