Editing Animal sacrifice (section)

==Albanians==
{{further|Albanian paganism}}
Animal sacrifices ([[Albanian language|Albanian]]: {{lang|sq|therim}} "ritual slaughering" and {{lang|sq|fli}} "sacrifice") have been common practices performed by Albanians during their feasts and ritual pilgrimages on mountain tops.{{sfn|Tirta|2004|p=75}}

Animal sacrifices for new buildings is a pagan practice widespread among Albanians.{{sfn|Qafleshi|2011|p=55}}{{sfn|Tirta|2004|pp=260, 340–357}} At the beginning of the construction of the new house, the foundation traditionally starts with prayers, in a 'lucky day', facing the Sun ([[Dielli (Albanian paganism)|Dielli]]), starting after sunrise, during the growing Moon ([[Hëna (Albanian paganism)|Hëna]]), and an animal is slaughered as a sacrifice.{{sfn|Tirta|2004|pp=340–341}} The practice continues with variations depending on the Albanian ethnographic area. For instance in [[Opojë]] the sacrificed animal is placed on the foundation, with its head placed towards the east, where the Sun rises.{{sfn|Qafleshi|2011|p=55}} In [[Brataj]] the blood of the sacrificed animal is poured during the slaughter in the corner that was on the east side, where the Sun rises; in order for the house to stand and for good luck, the owner of the house throws silver or golden coins in the same corner of the house; the lady of the house throws there unwashed wool. These things are to remain buried in the foundation of the house that is being built. The relatives of the house owner throw money on the foundation of the house as well, but that money is taken by the craftsman who builds the house. In [[Dibër Valley|Dibra]] a ram is slaughered at the foundation, and the head of the ram is placed on the foundation.{{sfn|Tirta|2004|pp=340–341}} In the [[Lezha]] highlands a ram or a rooster is slaughered on the foundation and then their heads are buried there; the owners of the house throw coins as well as seeds of different plants on the foundation.{{sfn|Tirta|2004|pp=340–341}}

On the occasion of the beginning of plowghing the wheat field, a chicken is slaughtered on the tail of the plough. The head of the chicken is mixed with the seed and the earth obtained from the first pass of the ploughing. Those animal sacrifices are made for soil fertility and production, prosperity, health of the animals, etc.{{sfn|Qafleshi|2011|p=55}}

According to an old Albanian custom practiced until recently in various villages in [[Tomorr]], [[Mirdita]], and perhaps also in other areas, from the middle of May families with a lot of cattle slaughtered young cattle as sacrifices in order to make the earth fertile, so that the cattle would not be harmed during the summer and would have abundant milk during the harvest time in the mountains. Such a ritual burial ceremony was also found among other Balkan peoples, and it has been interpreted as a trace of the cult of an agricultural deity, for it was a sacrifice that allowed the renewal of the products of the soil, giving force to the vegetation of the fields, trees and vines.{{sfn|Tirta|2004|p=260}}