Early human history includes archeological evidence that indicates that our species has long been concerned with the circumstances of human existence, of the issue of why there is life and death. Thus, one of the most basic forms of human religious ritual appears to have been people's concern with the death of members of their society and the development of burial practices, perhaps indicating some notion of an afterlife.
Other aspects of religious beliefs and practices common to human beings are the development of rituals that request or seek to insure good health, abundant harvests, and good luck in hunting, warfare, etc. from supernatural spirits.
Religious leaders such as shamans (curers) often mediate between the world of the spirits and humans. By going into trance, it is believed that they are able to communicate with supernatural beings and request that the spirits help the sick regain their health. Frequently religious rituals are events that prompt forms of artistic creation such as music and dance, or are the occasion for the performance of dramas, as well as the preparation of special food or the sacrifice of animals as gifts to supernatural spirits. These gifts are offered to the spirits in exchange for their benevolence and care of the living.
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