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Astrology in ancient Mesopotamia
Sumerians living in Ancient Mesopotamia around 4000BC believed that the stars and planets could reveal the thinking of the gods. So they founded astrology, the art of foretelling the future by examining the movement of the stars and planets.
Priests built ziggurats, pyramid-like temples that doubled as platforms for stargazing, and noted planet movements, eclipses, and comets. This data was then used to predict the future - ranging from storm warnings to whether it was a good time to go to war.
When the Babylonians took over the region 2,000 years later, they took the science a step further by setting up a zodiac system that divided the sky into separate zones. This made observing, tracking and recording the positions of the stars and planets more efficient.
Sacred chickens in ancient Rome
Roman generals looking for an auspicious omen before going into battle would ask their sacred chickens for a sign. The caretaker would open the cage and throw down their favourite food.
If the birds rushed out in a tight bunch and settled down to eat greedily while making cackling noises, the omen was considered good. If they refused to come out of the cage, or beat their wings, or refused to eat, the venture would be delayed to a luckier time.
As ancient Romans were a wily bunch, there's little doubt that some generals ensured good results by starving the sacred chickens the day before omen-taking.
Palmistry in ancient India
The art of seeing a person's future by analysing the lines and construction of the palm of the hand began in India about 4,500 years ago.
While there are lots of different systems for reading palms, many chiromancers start by looking at three major lines:
- the life line, the big line that runs from above the thumb to the base of the palm, which predicts major life events;
- the heart line, which runs horizontally across the top of the palm and gives information on the health of the heart and future romance;
- and the head line, which runs just underneath the heart line tells the reader just how the subject thinks.
After this, readers focus on smaller lines like the fate line and the passion line, to 'tune' the reading.
Dream interpretation in the US
The idea that dreams are sent by the gods to warn us of the future was an accepted truth in many ancient cultures. The theory is now enjoying a revival, thanks to the rise of the New Age movement.
According to modern dream interpreters, our dreams are a mix of messages. Some of our dreams rise from our own subconscious, our hidden inner selves that worry about all the little things that happen during the day.
But other parts of dreams are signals from other worlds, supernatural planes inhabited by spirit guides that can tell the future.
While most people treat oneiromancy, divination by analysing dreams, as a parlour trick, a number of popular how-to books can be found in bookshops.
Tarot cards from France
Tarot card readers answer questions about the future by reading a spread of cards, each of which has a particular association.
A typical tarot deck has 78 cards. Of these, 22 are Major Arcana representing various influences such as the Devil, the Pope, the Fool and the Lovers. The remaining 56 Minor Arcana are divided into 14 cards of four suits: wands are associated with career matters, cups with love, swords with conflict and coins with money.
While the exact origin of tarot cards is obscure, the first texts mentioning their use in various games were written in 14th-century Italy and France. Their use for fortune-telling was popularised by French occultists working in the late 18th and early 19th century.
I Ching in China
The I Ching, meaning Classic of Changes, is thought to be between 3,000 and 4,000 years old. The text discusses the nature of the universe, suggesting our world is a single system consisting of two great opposite forces called the Yin and the Yang. It thus states that the changes that take place in our lives are the result of natural laws.
The book offers guidance to readers via 64 diagrams, each of which has a special significance.
Diviners who want to understand the present and predict the future toss yarrow sticks or coins in the air to determine which diagram to consult. While these systems can be complicated, anyone can use the book today with the help of one of the many computer programs that zoom in on the appropriate counsel in a split second.
Curious to learn more about fortune-telling? Check out these websites:
Ancient Astrology and Divination
Covers Babylonian, Greek, Egyptian and Roman fortune-telling
Eclectic Energies I Ching
Automated I Ching programme
Sceptics Dictionary
skepdic.com/divinati.html
Throws cold water on various types of divination
Test your fortune-telling vocab
Can you guess the answers to the following descriptions? If you need a hint, check the text. Answers on page 7
Foretelling the future by studying the movement of stars and planets
An ancient Mesopotamian temple tower
A system that divides the sky into separate zones
Favourable, lucky
Portent or sign of some future occurrence
Destiny, something that is bound to happen
Someone who reads palms
Paranormal; a word from the Latin meaning exceeding nature
Supernatural creature who supports your personal growth
A set of 78 cards used to predict the future
Someone who practises secret or magic arts
A fortune teller
Answers:
Astrology
Ziggurat
Zodiac
Auspicious
Omen
Fate
Chiromancer
Supernatural
Spirit guide
Tarot
Occultist
Diviner