Bear worship

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Bear worship (also known as arctolatry) is a form of animal worship and is the religious practice of worshipping bears. Bears are often viewed as ancestors or spiritual messengers by those who practice arctolatry. The practice can involve both the reverence and ritual slaughter of bears. Archaeologists have debated the advent of the ceremonial treatment of bear remains, but some evidence suggests the practice may date back to the Middle Paleolithic in Neanderthal populations. Bear worship is a common practice across many circumpolar northern cultures. The practice is associated with bear remains and can be traced back geographically to North Eurasian populations, including the Ainu, Nivkh, Sámi, Finno-Ugric, and other Siberian peoples.

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