Pyromancy (from Greek 'pyros', fire, and 'manteia', divination) is the art of divination by means of fire.
History of Pyromancy
Due to the importance of fire in society from the earliest of times, it is quite likely that pyromancy was one of the earlier forms of divination. It is said that in Greek society, virgins at the Temple of Athena in Athens regularly practiced pyromancy. It is also possible that followers of Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire and the forge, practiced pyromancy.
Types of Pyromancy
The most basic form of pyromancy is that in which the diviner observes flames, from a sacrificial fire, a candle, or another source of flame, and interprets the shapes that he or she sees within them. There are several variations on pyromancy, however, some of which are as follows:
- Alomancy, divination by salt, one type of which involves casting salt into a fire
- Botanomancy, divination by burning plants
- Capnomancy, divination by smoke
- Daphnomancy (also, Empyromancy), divination by burning laurel leaves
- Causinomancy, divination by burning (non-specific as to the object burned)
- Sideromancy, divination by burning straw
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