Even in ancient times, special occasions and festivals marked the cycle of the year. Sowing and harvesting had to be precisely timed and carried out collectively. Sacred sites, early calendar systems and astronomical instruments, such as the Nebra Sky Disc, were vital tools for observing the stars and determining the seasons. Celebrations and ritual dances, with prayers for fertile fields, success in the hunt and, not least, the blessing of the gods, are an essential part of the religious imagination in all societies closely connected to nature – usually accompanied by body painting, masks or musical instruments such as clappers, rattles, flutes and drums.