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Art of Divination
A Visual History of Oracles, Prophecy, and the Search for Secret Knowledge
Brief Description
A global history of divination practices and tools, from tea leaves and tarot cards to pyromancy and palmistry Throughout history, humans have aspired to explain the unexplainable, to understand phenomena beyond our control, and to peer into the future. In this captivating book, Owen Davies explores...
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Art of Divination
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Description
A global history of divination practices and tools, from tea leaves and tarot cards to pyromancy and palmistry
Throughout history, humans have aspired to explain the unexplainable, to understand phenomena beyond our control, and to peer into the future. In this captivating book, Owen Davies explores the global history of divination practices that seek to answer questions that range from the philosophical and metaphysical to the romantic and personal. Davies frames divination as a diverse array of activities that overlap with art and science. He emphasizes the artistry and craft of divination practices, which often require tools and manuals; these objects are at the heart of the book, accompanied by an exploration of the techniques of foretelling the future and revealing the unknown.
Organised into six thematic groups—observing the natural world; making patterns; communicating with gods and spirits; signs from the human body and mind; looking to the heavens; and chance and calculation—Art of Divination allows readers to see connections between different ages and places. From the Romans looking to the flight of birds, to Renaissance tarot cards, and to modern-day fortune cookies, Davies reveals the timeless desire to transcend the human condition and the wide and varied practices that people have devised to do so.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780300282511
Publisher: Yale University Press
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 25 August 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: Yale University Press
Illustration: 200 color + b-w illus.
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 191.0mm
Height: 248.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 256
About the Author
Owen Davies is professor in history at the University of Hertfordshire and an expert in the history of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, and popular medicine from the ancient world to the modern era. His many books include Art of the Grimoire: An Illustrated History of Magic Books and Spells.
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