Ritual human sacrifice promoted and sustained the evolution of stratified societies

Nature Vol/Iss. 532(7598) Nature Publishing Group Published In Pages: 228-231
By Watts, Joseph, Sheehan, Oliver, Atkinson, Quentin D., Bulbulia, Joseph, Gray, Russell D.

Hypothesis

Human sacrifice can co-evolve with social stratification (the probability of change in social stratification and the presence/absence of human sacrifice are interdependent) [First Analysis] (229).

Note

First Analysis: When moderate and high stratification cultures are grouped together.

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Bayes factorSupportedUNKNOWNUNKNOWNUNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Human SacrificeAssociationPrayers And Sacrifices
Social StratificationAssociationCastes, Classes