Cephalomancy
Encyclopedia
Cephalomancy is a form of divination
using a goat
or donkey
's head. Cephalomancy technically means "head divination" and therefore applies to any sort of divination using a skull
or head. it covers two different methods: one was concerned with the shape of the skull, somewhat like extispicy
or phrenology
.
Divination
Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...
using a goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
or donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
's head. Cephalomancy technically means "head divination" and therefore applies to any sort of divination using a skull
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
or head. it covers two different methods: one was concerned with the shape of the skull, somewhat like extispicy
Extispicy
Extispicy is the practice of using anomalies in animal entrails to predict or divine future events. Organs inspected include the liver, intestines, and lungs. The animal used for extispicy must often be ritually pure and slaughtered in a special ceremony.The practice was first common in ancient...
or phrenology
Phrenology
Phrenology is a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules...
.