alphitomancy
English
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀλφῐτόμαντις (alphitómantis, “diviner who used barley meal”), from ἄλφῐτον (álphiton, “barley meal”) and μαντεία (manteía, “prophecy”).
Noun
alphitomancy (uncountable)
- An Ancient Greek method of divination using barley meal, used for instance to reveal guilty parties; it entailed feeding a person or group barley meal, and judging those who felt no effects to be innocent, while judging those who felt indigestion to be guilty.
- 1931, Lock translating de Givry Picture Museum of Sorcery:
- Aleuromancy and alphitomancy were almost analogous processes; cakes were made of wheat or barley flour which could not be swallowed by anyone guilty of a given misdeed.
- 1931, Lock translating de Givry Picture Museum of Sorcery:
Translations
Translations
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