The Moloch statue, with open fire pit, from CABIRIA (1914)
The grand daddy of all sacrificial movie props. None have topped it, not even the excellent one from TRIUMPH OF MACISTE I posted yesterday. Babies, including one girl called Cabiria, are placed in the ceremonial platform which is levered upwards, making the offering of living flesh and blood fall into the fire. This takes place in Carthage. Recently, archeologists have discovered actual evidence of these sacrifices.
Somehow, the silent movie sets always seem more monumental to me, than the ones in later color and talkie movies.
ReplyDeleteCarthaginians definitely did perform child sacrifice. Archaeological evidence exists near Carthage itself and also at Carthaginian sites in Sicily and Sardinia.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a long time since I have seen this great silent epic. Nevertheless, I think the Roman little girl Cabiria gets rescued by the two Romans.
Hope you are having outstanding week-end, too.
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