A wicker man was a large wicker statue reportedly used by the ancient Druids (priests of Celtic paganism) for sacrifice by burning it in effigy.

The main evidence for this practice is one sentence in Julius Caesar’s Commentary on the Gallic war, which modern scholarship has linked to an earlier writer, Poseidonius.

Modern archaeological research has not yielded much evidence of human sacrifice among the Celts, and the ancient Greco-Roman sources are now regarded somewhat skeptically, especially considering the likelihood that Greeks and Romans “were eager to transmit any bizarre and negative information” about the Celts at a time when the latter were feared and disdained.

In modern times, the wicker man has been symbolically referenced as a part of some neopagan-themed ceremonies, without the human sacrifice, such as at Burning Man. Effigies of this kind have also been used as elements in performance art, as display features at rock music festivals, and as thematic material in songs (such as the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden’s song, “The Wicker Man”). A wicker man is featured in a pivotal scene of the cult British horror film The Wicker Man.

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Much of a muchness.

Someone empty, a VOID, who has to be filled with other people or animals or whatever and then set on fire.

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STRAW MAN : Perhaps the earliest known use of the phrase was by Martin Luther in his book The Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520), where he is responding to arguments of the Roman Catholic Church and clergy attempting to delegitimize his criticisms, specifically on the correct way to serve the Eucharist. The church claimed Martin Luther is arguing against serving the Eucharist according to one type of serving practice; Martin Luther states he never asserted that in his criticisms towards them and in fact they themselves are making this argument. Their persistence in making this false argument causes him to coin the phrase in this statement: “they assert the very things they assail, or they set up a man of straw whom they may attack.”