Western Geomancy

Geomancy is a mantic art accomplished by constructing a geomantic symbol while focusing on a question or problem. Once the symbol is constructed its meaning is interpreted and used to form a forecast or prediction regarding the question. Geomancy is similar to the art of sortilege in many ways. Like Sortileges, geomancy is based on the interpretation of symbols selected through chance. And throughout history the devices used for the art of sortilege have been used in geomancy. The distinction between the two lies not in the device used by the art but rather how the symbols are interpreted. In a sortilege tokens are cast or draw and the meaning of the selected tokens are interpreted directly. In geomancy the meaning of the initial casting is not significant. These castings are simply used to construct the geomantic symbol. It is this geomantic symbol that is interpreted for meaning.

The form presented here is generally referred to as Western Geomancy to distinguish it from a similar mantic arts of Chinese origin (I Ching and Tai Hsuan Ching ). Classically it was simply referred to as Geomancy, from Greek, which roughly translates to ‘earth divination’ (‘or divination through the earth’). This is one of the oldest mantic arts and practiced throughout the Mediterranean and Asia Minor in ancient times. It was passed on to the Romans by the Greeks. From the Romans it was spread through Europe, and practiced well into the later middle ages. The name of the glyphs found here are the Latin names that where generally used in the Roman Empire and throughout Europe. Other civilizations had differing names, and even differing interpretations for these sixteen symbols.

Many methods have been used in the construction of the geomantic symbol. Some suggest drawing lots or pebbles; others marking a piece of paper or the ground (with stick) still others use dice or cards. Traditionally western geomancy was accomplished by tapping the ground with a stick to create dots in the ground. Generally the casting can be achieved by any method that produced four random numbers. The numeric ranges of the numbers are not important as long as the method is random. After the four numbers have been “cast” the geomantic symbol can be constructed. Each number corresponds to a row of the geomantic symbol; starting with the first number representing the top row. If the number is odd the row has one dot; if it is even the row has two dots.

Geomancy Applet

Interpretations

	Name	Meaning
	Via	Travel
	Caput Draconis	Beginnings
	Puella	Purity
	Fortuna Major	Internal Aid
	Puer	Generosity
	Aquisitio	Fortunes Beginning
	Carcer	Restraints
	Tristitia	Suffering
	Cauda Draconis	Endings
	Conjunctio	Meetings, Conjunctions
	Amissio	Fortunes Ending
	Albus	White
	Fortuna Minor	External Aid
	Rubeus	Red, Danger
	Laetitia	Joy, Happiness
	Populus	Fellowship

See Also: I Ching, Astrological Geomancy, Geomatic Symbol Icons (zip file)