|
|
|
|
|
|
|
duct, the king would have a lengthy reign; if it was swollen, he'd gain increased power. Divining by liver inspectionnow there's an interesting specialty to get into! (Just lookand prayfor a sheep with a long, fat liver!) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Markings on the skin also offered important signs. This form of divination was practiced in early times in Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, and western Italy. From there, it traveled to Rome, where it was authorized by the state. The study of skin markings was probably the precursor of palmistry, as well as other newer forms of fortune-telling, such as metoscopy and meliomancy. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just as the kings of ancient Persia read the entrails of animals, the rulers of the more recent Greeks, and then Romans, used their own methods to learn the future of their reigns. And as the formation of city-states grew more sophisticated, so did the rulers' need for a more subjective means of divination. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The terminology used when reading the palm descends from the mythology of the Greek and Latin gods. For example, the mound at the base of your thumb, referred to as Venus, indicates your personal inclinations toward love and physical beauty. For centuries, palmistry was studied among Europe's political and religious elite, and even taught in the universities. (Gives new meaning to the phrase ''palming your notes.") |
|
|
|
|
|
