The fact that sacrifice was a fundamental element of Germanic religion can be seen in the fact that it occurs in all sorts of sources, both ancient and medieval, in place names, material relics, and in Germanic pagan mythological texts, where even the gods sacrificed. Sacrifice sent objects via destruction or physical placement to places where the living no longer have access to them; most frequently this included burning them or throwing them into lakes. An important element of these rituals was the sacrificial festival, which included copious eating and drinking. Large public offerings took place in centralized locations, and in many places throughout what was once ancient Germania, the remains of such sites have been found.