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Capnomancy
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<h2 id="etymology">Etymology</h2> <p>The word <i>capnomancy</i> comes from two Greek words: καπνός (<i>kapnós</i>), meaning <a href="/facts/Smoke/KRJaumoC">smoke</a>, and μαντεία (<i>manteía</i>), meaning <a href="/facts/Divination/b8gLkFfv">divination</a> or to see.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>The first recorded use of capnomancy was in ancient <a href="/facts/Babylonia/J4jjdUua">Babylonia</a>, where the ceremony was performed at religious dates throughout the year, using <a href="/facts/Cedrus/s8PJyEG2">cedar</a> branches or shavings.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> In <a href="/facts/Ancient_Greece/PTVBrWXq">ancient Greece</a>, priests would burn animal sacrifices and then perform capnomancy over the smoke that was produced by the fire.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p><p>The <a href="/facts/Celts/eMCVYAFz">Celts</a> were thought to practice <i>dendromancy</i>, a form of capnomancy, using <a href="/facts/Oak/1NJJzkzB">oak</a> and <a href="/facts/Mistletoe/TEDNExY3">mistletoe</a> branches.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p><p>It was also used by the <a href="/facts/Semang/PDnqtmQC">Semang</a> of <a href="/facts/Malaysia/8zbUMzCP">Malaysia</a>, who would use the ritual to determine whether a camp was safe for the night.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> There is reference made to the practice in both 17th and 19th century religious texts, although these do not describe how the practice was performed.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="modern-usage">Modern usage</h2> <p>Capnomancy has been reportedly used as late as 2003 in <a href="/facts/New_England/ufw2BmSl">New England</a>, where citizens would practice the ritual by using smoke plumes from chimneys.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> Other modern variations of the ritual involve burning cedar sticks, incense, or candles with ribbons tied around them.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> Hands are sometimes used to manipulate the smoke, with practitioners reading the shapes that are then produced.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>J. S. Forsyth (1827). Demonologia: or, Natural knowledge revealed: being an exposé of ancient and modern superstitions, credulity, fanaticism, enthusiasm, & imposture, as connected with the doctrine, caballa, and jargon, of amulets, apparitions, astrology, charms, demonology ... witchcraft, &c. J. Bumpus. pp. 146–. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=MZU3AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA146" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=MZU3AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA146</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Cheung, Theresa (2006). The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World. Harper Element. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-00-721148-7. <a href="978-0-00-721148-7" target="_blank">978-0-00-721148-7</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Gerina Dunwich (1 January 2002). Herbal Magick: A Witch's Guide to Herbal Folklore and Enchantments. Career Press. pp. 50–. ISBN 978-1-56414-575-8. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-1-56414-575-8" target="_blank">978-1-56414-575-8</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Scott Cunningham (1 May 2003). Divination for beginners: reading the past, present & future. Llewellyn Worldwide. pp. 90–. ISBN 978-0-7387-0384-8. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-0-7387-0384-8" target="_blank">978-0-7387-0384-8</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Encyclopędia of Superstitions, Folklore, and the Occult Sciences of the World p. 1659 <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=d29Yo-UIBSwC&dq=Capnomancy&pg=RA1-PA1659" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=d29Yo-UIBSwC&dq=Capnomancy&pg=RA1-PA1659</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Gerina Dunwich (1 January 2002). Herbal Magick: A Witch's Guide to Herbal Folklore and Enchantments. Career Press. pp. 50–. ISBN 978-1-56414-575-8. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-1-56414-575-8" target="_blank">978-1-56414-575-8</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Clifford A. Pickover (1 March 2001). Dreaming the future: the fantastic story of prediction. Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-1-57392-895-3. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-1-57392-895-3" target="_blank">978-1-57392-895-3</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Scott Cunningham (1 May 2003). Divination for beginners: reading the past, present & future. Llewellyn Worldwide. pp. 90–. ISBN 978-0-7387-0384-8. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-0-7387-0384-8" target="_blank">978-0-7387-0384-8</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Raymond Buckland (1 August 2003). The fortune-telling book: the encyclopedia of divination and soothsaying. Visible Ink Press. pp. 85–. ISBN 978-1-57859-147-3. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-1-57859-147-3" target="_blank">978-1-57859-147-3</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Gerina Dunwich (1 January 2002). Herbal Magick: A Witch's Guide to Herbal Folklore and Enchantments. Career Press. pp. 50–. ISBN 978-1-56414-575-8. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-1-56414-575-8" target="_blank">978-1-56414-575-8</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Scott Cunningham (1 May 2003). Divination for beginners: reading the past, present & future. Llewellyn Worldwide. pp. 90–. ISBN 978-0-7387-0384-8. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-0-7387-0384-8" target="_blank">978-0-7387-0384-8</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Raymond Buckland (1 August 2003). The fortune-telling book: the encyclopedia of divination and soothsaying. Visible Ink Press. pp. 85–. ISBN 978-1-57859-147-3. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-1-57859-147-3" target="_blank">978-1-57859-147-3</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Clifford A. Pickover (1 March 2001). Dreaming the future: the fantastic story of prediction. Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-1-57392-895-3. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-1-57392-895-3" target="_blank">978-1-57392-895-3</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Scott Cunningham (1 May 2003). Divination for beginners: reading the past, present & future. Llewellyn Worldwide. pp. 90–. ISBN 978-0-7387-0384-8. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-0-7387-0384-8" target="_blank">978-0-7387-0384-8</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Scott Cunningham (1 May 2003). Divination for beginners: reading the past, present & future. Llewellyn Worldwide. pp. 90–. ISBN 978-0-7387-0384-8. Retrieved 30 June 2011. <a href="978-0-7387-0384-8" target="_blank">978-0-7387-0384-8</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>