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. In ancient China, pyromancy was practiced in the Neolithic period and Shāng and Zhōu dynasties in the form of burning or heating oracle bones -- usually the scapulae (shoulder blades) of oxen or turtle shells -- to produce cracks which were then read as portents. Inscriptions on such oracle bones from the late Shāng dynasty are important, as the earliest significant corpus of written Chinese ever found.

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; light, thin smoke that rose straight up was a good omen; otherwise, a bad one.
• Causinomancy, divination by burning (non-specific as to the object burned)
• Daphnomancy (also, Empyromancy), divination by burning laurel leaves
• Osteomancy, divination using bones, one type of which involves heating to produce cracks
• Plastromancy, divination using turtle plastrons; in China, this was done by heating pits carved into them.
• Scapulimancy, divination by scapulae; in Asia and North America, this was done pyromantically.
• Sideromancy, divination by burning straw

Pyromancy in fiction

In fiction, "pyromancy" is often a malapropism for pyrokinesis, which is usually used for combat, not divination. Computer games such as Guild Wars, Heroes of Might and Magic, Titan Quest, and World of Warcraft use pyromancy as a name for fire-related magic.

Rei Hino uses pyromancy as divination in Sailor Moon. Her original name is a pun on that ("hi no rei", written with different kanji = "soul of fire"). She is pyrokinetic as well.

Don Callander's fantasy novel Pyromancer tells the tale of a young wizard-in-training, Douglas Brightglade.

Axel from Kingdom Hearts uses pryokinesis in battle by channeling power through his chakrams.

External links

• Pyromancy