Ceraunomancy
Alternatively known as Astrapomancy.
Derived from the Greek astrape ('lightning flash') and manteia ('divination'), it is the art and practice of divining the past, the present and the future by the examination and interpretation of lightning.
The ancient Roman Augurs were practitioners of this method of divination, as well as the Babylonians, Etruscans, Egyptians, Greeks, and Celts.
A bilingual inscription in Etruscan and Latin from Pesaro commemorates a man named Cafates (Cafatius) who was an acomplished Netsvis (a Haruspex, interpreter of livers), a skilled Trutnvt (an interpreter of portents) and an amazing Frontac or Fulgurator, an interpreter of lightning.
According to the Roman author Seneca, the interpretation of lightning included observation of its type, intensity, color, sound, and effect. The ancients believed that lightning was produced by collisions between clouds, undoubtedly provoked by the gods in order to send mortals a sign.
Seneca also said that divination by lightning depended on correctly dividing the heavens into sections. The Eastern part of the heavens was the pars familiaris — the part belonging to one's own people — and the Western part was the pars hostilis — the part belonging to the enemy. Accordingly, bolts from the East were considered favorable omens, bolts from the West were considered to be inauspicious; bolts from the North were the most ominous of all, Northeastern bolts considered lucky and bolts from the Northwest indicating that extremely bad news would soon be arriving. Diviners were supposed to stand outside facing south, and then interpret the lightning signs and omens.
According to most occult traditions, Ceraunomancy is a form of Ceraunoscopy.
See Brontoscopy, Diviner, Divination, Astrology, Acutomancy, Agalmatomancy, Divination, Dowsing, Coscinomancy, Tarot, Cleidomancy, Augur, Stoichomancy, Heptameron, Demonology, Sortilege, Idolomancy, Demonomancy, Tephramancy, Anemoscopy, Eromancy, Austromancy, Chaomancy, Roadomancy, Capnomancy, Pyromancy, Meteormancy, Ceraunoscopy, Zoomancy, Casting Black Magic Spells, Commanding Spirits, The Tarot Store, The Chakra Store, Divination & Scrying Tools and Supplies, and The Pyramid Collection.
Sources: (1) Walker, Charles, The Encyclopedia of the Occult, Random House Value; (2) Spence, Lewis, An Encyclopedia of Occultism, Carol Publishing Group; (3) Dictionary of the Occult, Caxton Publishing; (4) Dunwich, Gerina, A Wiccan's Guide to Prophecy and Divination, Carol Publishing Group.
| | |
.
.
.
.
.
.
