In a message dated 8/30/2006 2:19:56 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

They are  said to
have been volunteers to act as "guardians of the four  directions"
similar to the archangels in European ceremonial magic. As  these
churches are still in use, there is no archaeological confirmation  of
this practice yet.



A rather grisly practice in the American Northwest involved dropping a  slave 
down a post hole before dropping the post in place.
 
Although clearly unrelated, European ship builders salvaged the best mast  of 
a ship being replaced and reused it in the new ship. To enhance the luck,  
they dropped a silver or gold coin in the hole before the mast.
 
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.