Page "Human sacrifice" Paragraph 89

Human sacrifice was common in West African states up to and during the 19th century.

The Annual customs of Dahomey was the most notorious example, but sacrifices were carried out all along the West African coast and further inland.

Sacrifices were particularly common after the death of a King or Queen, and there are many recorded cases of hundreds or even thousands of slaves being sacrificed at such events.

Sacrifices were particularly common in Dahomey, in the Benin Empire, in what is now Ghana, and in the small independent states in what is now southern Nigeria.

According to R. J. Rummel, " Just consider the Grand Custom in Dahomey: When a ruler died, hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of prisoners would be slain.

In one of these ceremonies in 1727, as many as 4, 000 were reported killed.

In addition, Dahomey had an Annual Custom during which 500 prisoners were sacrificed.