Allan Shumaker Wrote:
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> What motivation could
> compel such effort for a non food producing
> activity?


I have found all human behaviour boils down to three basic motivators:

1. Fear (as Warwick has pointed out)
2. Reproduction (sex will get many a lazy person off their butts...)
3. Laziness (if we can find an easier way of doing something, we will)

I know that sounds an awful lot like I'm describing Homer Simpson, but I don't think there's a single human endeavor that doesn't fit into those categories, one way or another. Yes... I'm a minimalist...

There's also a human gene that appears to "condemn" us to a predisposition to "believe" things we do not know are true. (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2342421,00.html), and we discussed it here: [www.hallofmaat.com]

If this study is correct, and assuming this is not some "new" gene that didn't exist 10,000 years ago, then we have to take the belief in the supernatural into account. This leaves us with fear and sex as possible motivators. Well, maybe laziness, too... since getting the spirits to send more prey our way is a groovy way of being able to work less.

So, I think what I'm trying to say is that we have no way of even beginning to guess why it would have happened.

Anthony

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him think.