The Strange History Of Blood, The Intimate Symbol Of Life And Death

We are used to seeing blood flow freely in films and on television, but the sight of blood is not often seen in everyday life. It's usually an indication that something is wrong. To many people, it symbolizes death, pain or injury. But the use of blood has had a long history in mythologies around the world. It was once considered sacred and ritualistic.

However, we all know that this liquid has so much more than meets the eye. Blood has been used as a symbol for many things throughout history, from religious rituals to literature and art. It has been used for everything from representing fertility to the power of life, and even death. Blood is one powerful symbol. It forms our lives, but its representation can also mean something else entirely.

Blood has become "the intimate means by which we discover the substance of who we are." Whether it was meant for evil or good, blood has always held an importance in many cultures throughout history. For instance, in Ancient Egypt practicing mummification resulted in preserving not just the body but also all of its fluids . This included brain fluid , stomach acid, bile and yes, blood. The Egyptians believed that these fluids were needed to survive after death even though they would no longer be a part of a living being.

Fertility was also associated with blood and the cycle of life and death. Ancient pagans and Greeks believed that menstrual blood was a source of life, and women were thought to be impure during menstruation.

However, some cultures such as the Masai people of East Africa celebrate it as a sign of fertility . For them, it is part of nature's way and suggests that the woman will bear many healthy children.

Blood is also used in religious practices across time; today we still see this practice in Catholicism. Catholics believe that drinking consecrated wine during mass (or communion) actually turns it into the body and blood of Christ through transubstantiation .

This idea can be seen throughout history , too: In ancient Mediterranean cultures, people would share drinks made of blood during sacred ceremonies . The belief was that by consuming the same substance, they would become united with it.

There are also instances of cannibalism , or consuming flesh and blood, to represent power over enemies in some cultures. For instance, the Carib people (now known as the Kalinago) , who lived on Caribbean islands, believed that eating their enemies' bodies gave them their strength .

This has been used many times throughout history; one example is when Vlad III of Wallachia impaled Ottoman troops and roasted them while they were alive to take revenge for 24 years of Ottoman rule . There are also stories of how cannibals would drink their victims' blood after eating flesh.

Blood even ties to literature and art. For instance, the term "blood brothers" typically refers to two men who swear loyalty to each other by exchanging blood.

The word derives from ancient mythologies ; for example, we see this in the Indo-European story of Thor and Hermod , and even in Native American mythology . We also see blood used to represent life and death: In Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Premature Burial," a man is buried alive. When he sees liquid seeping through his coffin, he accepts it as a sign that there might be air somewhere , which gives him hope. Even though it turns out not be blood, it represents his anxiety about death and dying because of how excited he got at the sight of the liquid (he is ultimately saved from being buried alive).

In my opinion, blood has been used in many different ways throughout time. In some cultures, it was a symbol of fertility and eternity . In others, it represented power through taking someone's life. Regardless of its representation, blood is one potent symbol; we see it all over the world and we still use it today. Every religion uses it (in one way or another) and writers like Edgar Allan Poe use it to evoke emotions like anxiety and hope. Blood: It is simple yet complex-and always fascinating.