Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

bird divination

bird_divination

A motif of the Prophecy and Systematic Divination family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

2 occurrences

2 traditions

germanic (1) · greek (1)


germanic

  • Teutonic Mythology, Volume 4 MAGIC. / SUPERSTITION. 1633 / CHAPTER XXXV. / SUPERSTITION.; lines 17562-17614 confidence: high

    The passage lists terms for omen and augury, including “divinatio per aves,” and states: “Children esp. are used in divination and casting lots.”

    The passage explicitly names divination through birds.

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greek

  • Modern Greek Folklore and Ancient Greek Religion: A Study in Survivals M.D.VI. / CHAPTER III. / THE COMMUNION OF GODS AND MEN. / FOOTNOTES:; lines 15290-15500 confidence: medium

    The identification of birds named by peasants is uncertain; koukouvagia is onomatopoeic and generally reserved for the brown owl.

    Oionoscopy is named alongside omoplatoscopy in a cited title, and the passage contains multiple notes on birds as omens or symbolic agents.

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