Vedic Sacrifices

[MDSAAA48 at GIASMD01.VSNL.NET.IN]

Taking this thread, would it be appropriate to pose another series of questions?
Why animal sacrifice? What is the economic advantage of using bones in smelting
operations by, say, a blacksmith, goldsmith, coppersmith or metallurgist?
Aren't bones reducing agents to oxidize baser elements to yield pure gold
or silver or other metal which had economic value? 

Regards, Kalyanaraman

>Animal sacrifices are described in great detail in the Vedas and the later
>smr.ti literature. The best reference material for the original sources 
>is to be found in P. V. Kane's five-volume "History of Dharmasastra", which
>should be available in your library. 
>
>S. Vidyasankar
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