Bone divination

Are there any forms of bone reading that originated from Europe. I would like to think Runes but if i recall, those were usually made from chopped tree twigs. Most of the sources on bone casting/reading methods I can find tell that it originated from the many traditions of Africa. Are there any native European methods of bone divination?

I’ve been looking into Geomancy, also. . .

There is something in the Trve Grimoire about bone divination, that a spirit can help you with. You might wanna look there.

I had a friend who did bone divination that had runes carved into them… not sure if it originated in Europe though… she practiced a hoodoo religion and lives in the south, so may have been a pairing of different spiritual/religious systems and origins.

Hoodoo is a mostly African American folk spirituality in the Southern states from when African Slaves dominated the area. You’re right, it’s a mix of cultures. But I was looking for an originally Latin, Iberian, or Celtic way of casting similar to that of runes. I am not really a Runes person. . .

I tend to get wrapped up in heritage. I usually end up not wanting to use African, Middle Eastern, or Asian systems simply because it’s not my lineage, especially more “inside” initiatory traditions like Haitian Vodoun, Santeria, or Sangoma. I’d rather work with my own ancestry.

Though Geomancy has its roots in the Middle East, it was used in Europe most prominently in the high Medieval and early Renaissance ages. That’s why I was looking into it.

Right… but hers incorporated the use of runes which is Norse, like I said it was more of a pairing of systems.

I just found searching around on amazon.com

Oracle Bones Divination: The Greek I Ching

Never read it and it has no reviews. But it’s there.

[quote=“Globalitz, post:6, topic:7010”]I just found searching around on amazon.com

Oracle Bones Divination: The Greek I Ching

Never read it and it has no reviews. But it’s there.[/quote]

I just read the trial excerpts and the book looks really useful, thanks! I didn’t know it was also practiced in Rome, though not much of a surprise because of their similarities.

#EDIT: Turns out, Astraglomancy itself was an evolved form of its earlier method called cleromancy (casting of “lots” aka “sortes” in Latin–small marked wooden “tablets”). This method of casting originally saw prominent use in Egypt but found its way cross the Mediterranean into Rome by trade routes, then quickly East into Greece, who both used it as oracle system.

Thanks, man! :wink:

I completely understand your not wanting to get involved in systems you are not culturally prepared for… however my example, was to somewhat illustrate how you could make something your own… albeit in a clouded way.

If you want to incorporate bone readings into “your” system, then take what you can from others and make it yours…

You do not need to be hoodooo, voodoo, make it youdo… sorry shameless David Bowie plug right there haha

Seriously though… many ancient cultures meshed and incorporated different systems together… finding the true source of any such a thing would mean you would have to trace it back in history before any other came in contact with that source and so called cross contaminated it… goodluck with that

Even if it claims to be authentic… it will always be sketchy.

[quote=“Luna, post:8, topic:7010”]I completely understand your not wanting to get involved in systems you are not culturally prepared for… however my example, was to somewhat illustrate how you could make something your own… albeit in a clouded way.

If you want to incorporate bone readings into “your” system, then take what you can from others and make it yours…

You do not need to be hoodooo, voodoo, make it youdo… sorry shameless David Bowie plug right there haha

Seriously though… many ancient cultures meshed and incorporated different systems together… finding the true source of any such a thing would mean you would have to trace it back in history before any other came in contact with that source and so called cross contaminated it… goodluck with that

Even if it claims to be authentic… it will always be sketchy.[/quote]

I understood from your reply that she was mixing systems. But I was just saying that’s not really something I like to do. Only thing is, bone divination in particular can be found all over the ancient world spanning over prerecorded history. So I guess it really just depends on tradition alone.

It indeed does…