Fertility rites are religious rituals that reenact, either actually or symbolically, sexual acts and/or reproductive processes. As with the sacrifices of humans which many scholars think^{citation needed} that ancient peoples made to ensure good fortune (be that as to harvests or hunting or warfare or other endeavors), fertility rites are a variety of sympathetic magic in which the forces of nature are to be influenced by the example acted out in the ritual.

See also

• Descent to the underworld
• Life-death-rebirth deity
• Obando Fertility Rites

External links

• Columbia Encyclopedia: "Fertility rites"

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