Necromancy is something out of the ordinary for most of the living today.
The art of bringing the dead back to life is often used in fantasy and mystical films.
But the ancient people did not neglect various divination. I will tell you how necromancy came
into being and how it has evolved over time. Watch the video until the end - it will be
interesting) Hi friend. You are on the KirTop channel.
Sumerians First of all, you need to
understand that necromancy is magical rituals to summon ghosts. And if many fortune-telling
was done with an unknown outcome for the conductive, then in the case of summoning ghosts,
the magician acted intentionally and aimed at the result. The first mention of professional
necromancers is mentioned as early as the second millennium BC in Sumero-Akkadian sources. As a
rule, they communicated with ghosts so that they would leave the living alone, and they
themselves would find their resting place. The Sumerians in general were timid guys:
in their religion, ghosts were more likely to be feared, but still their calls were not
uncommon. For example, in the tales of Gilgamesh, the god Nergal brings his friend and companion
Enkidu out of the realm of the dead. And on some clay tablets that have come down to us, there
are even detailed instructions on how to summon a ghost. Some of the documents even contain warnings
about which spirits are best not to invoke. Of course, what's a ritual without ingredients to
summon spirits? For this, the Sumerians used quite classic things: juniper and sulfur smoke, oil,
honey, wine, good beer. But, on top of everything else, there were things that were wild by modern
standards. So, in many rituals, it was necessary to use, for example, the droppings of a wild bull
and bear, crushed partridges, snake, lion and crab fat, and much more. It was also possible to resort
to the possibility of talking with the dead. To do this, it was necessary to smear the eyes
with a special ointment, which included human and dog bones, wolf feces, spoiled fat, black dog pus
and cedar resin. Perhaps, if you rub yourself like that, not only the dead will be seen.
Turkey Do not think that only the Sumerians indulged
in the calls of the dead. So, for example, in the territory of modern Turkey, in the temple
complex of Gobekli Tepe, dated to the tenth century BC, evidence of necromancy was found.
Scientists believe that ancient people practiced air burial here: on one of the columns of the
complex, images of decapitated bodies of people who were carried away by birds were found.
Many remains of skulls were also found here. Among them there are also unusual finds: these
skulls were suspended with the help of special grooves and holes. Researchers think that with the
help of them they predicted the future. And the future also belongs to the realm of necromancy.
Around the same place, archaeologists also found human skulls, which were often specially decorated
with plaster and various objects. It is not yet known exactly what role they played in the life of
the temple, but there is an assumption that these skulls could be original portraits of ancestors.
True, this does not explain the relatively young age of the owners of these skulls,
and even the fact that during the lifetime of the owners these skulls were specially
deformed. Apparently, the emphasis was on the appearance of the owner.
Israel On the territory of modern Israel, in Nahal Hemar,
evidence of necromancy was also found. There, archaeologists unearthed limestone masks, along
with which several skulls modeled in plaster were kept. Judging by the holes in the bones, these
masks were attached to the skulls themselves. Probably, such amulets were made in order to
scare away evil spirits that could dwell in those very skulls. Finds next to the masks show that
if a living person put on these masks, then he could, as it were, reincarnate into the deceased,
that is, become a guide to the world of the dead. In those days, it was believed that the dead
protect the living: they were consulted, and also asked for help in wealth and fertility.
Ancient Egypt
It is no secret that the attitude towards the dead and the afterlife in ancient Egypt
was special. Their mummies and special burial traditions still reach us today.
True, necromancy there was special. In the era of the Old Kingdom, the Egyptians believed that the
power that a person possessed during life would go with him to the kingdom of the dead. Therefore,
on the walls of many tombs of ancient nobles, we can read about who this person was during
his lifetime and what power he possessed. Later, in the era of the Middle Kingdom,
a whole cult of the dead developed: if you presented them with generous gifts,
then it was quite possible to count on their patronage in the world of the living.
And in the era of the New Kingdom, the cult of the royal dignitary Imhotep did exist. He acted
as the patron of all scribes and gave answers to questions, appearing to the petitioner in a dream.
Pharaoh Amenhotep the First could also be asked questions. His statue was carried
out to his subjects, and allegedly it acted as an oracle. He left instructions on the afterlife,
advice on managing the country, and even a prediction about the coming uprising to his heir.
But most often, the ancient Egyptians were still interested in ordinary everyday life:
how to get cured, how to solve family problems, more luck and intercession. In addition,
it was believed that "one's own" deceased could help in the fight against another deceased.
True, if suddenly the spirit did not cope well with its duties, angry letters were written to
them and reproached for the fact that he did not fulfill his obligations under a special agreement.
According to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, the dead were in constant contact with the living,
and therefore it was not necessary to call them. It was only necessary to constantly feed them
with gifts and keep their tombs in order. True, later sources, in particular the Leiden Papyrus
(Hellenistic Egypt), describe how to call the spirit with the help of a vessel. It was possible
to drive the spirit there, and he, in turn, would answer the questions of the living. There is also
a parallel with King Solomon, who drove the demons into a copper vessel and subdued them.
Ancient Greece and Rome
In ancient Greece, black rams, sheep, calves and cows were especially revered. They, in particular,
were sacrificed by Odysseus, who wanted to talk with the dead. And, by the way, this fragment of
the Odyssey is considered to be the most ancient. In ancient Greece, in principle, necromancy was
not something that was carried away - it was most developed there. In addition,
the very word "necromancy" is of Greek origin. Contacts with the dead were called nekyomancy,
schiomancy or psychomancy - from the words corpse, shadow and soul. In addition,
in Greece it was easy to communicate with the dead in specially designated places. For this, there
were special temples near the caves, which were considered entrances to the world of the dead.
Often poisonous fumes came from these caves (or sometimes lakes), and birds did not live there.
Necromancy is also reflected in myths. The Corinthian tyrant Periander, for example,
who killed his wife Melissa and then raped her body, summoned her spirit to find out
where she hid the treasure left to her for safekeeping. Very family-like, isn't it?
Melissa, despite her resentment, nevertheless pointed to the place,
but only after generous gifts. Among these very gifts were rich clothes that Melissa was given
with the help of noble ladies: they came to the king’s feast, where they were undressed,
and the clothes themselves were burned. So it goes. It is no secret that literature was very
developed in the ancient state. And often writers liked to use eerie descriptions of rituals to make
their work rich. Such was the image of Erichto that Lucan created. It looked creepy, summoned
the dead, swore at the gods and made wild sounds. In general, the attitude towards this art among
the Greeks varies from author to author. Some people approve of calling, some don't. In the
same Horace, the witches Canidia and Sagan look scary: they are disheveled, not girded, barefoot,
and the lamb is completely torn apart with their bare hands. It is also interesting that in ancient
Greek and Roman culture there were skulls that gave predictions. Even the head of Orpheus,
which was thrown into the sea and then found off the coast of the island of Lesvos,
prophesied from a crevice in the earth. There are other heads that bring predictions:
the head of the victim of the wolves of Publius, the hermaphrodite Polycritus killed by his own
father, and many others. And they didn't need any rituals, they said to themselves. But the heads
could be made on purpose. So, the king of Sparta Cleomenes consulted with the head of his friend.
True, the tsar turned out to be a friend of three: he promised to make this very adviser a co-ruler,
but then he killed him, and kept his head so as not to violate this oath.
The Greeks also actively turned to the dead for help. Many of them asked the deceased about
everyday successes: strength, luck, winning in court, and so on. They even wrote special
letters to the dead on pieces of lead, marble, clay, mica, copper, and much more. Over time,
even specialists appeared who, for a fee, helped to compose these same letters to
the dead. And the list of Greek practices for dealing with the dead is extremely extensive.
Many rituals were further used in various practices of necromancy, including modern ones.
Judaism
Surprisingly, the Jews, also used the practice of necromancy. Although in the religion of the Jews
there is an unambiguous ban on necromancy, which was then adopted by Christianity.
But despite this, the same Bible describes the ritual of necromancy - chapter 28 of the First
Book of Kings. There, the sorceress from Endor, at the request of King Saul, who had previously
expelled all the magicians from the country, summons the spirit of the prophet Samuel to ask
him about the impending war. The Spirit, in turn, says that Saul will soon die as a punishment for
not following the will of God, who previously did not give an answer in an acceptable way.
Because of this passage of the Bible, at one time there were fierce disputes among Christians:
why did the prophet appear himself and could it not be a demon, by special permission of
God? Indeed, in the first case, this would mean that the witch can control the prophet of God.
And she, by the way, breaks the law and creates witchcraft. And if it is a demon,
it would confirm the holy texts that in fact all souls belong to God and cannot be summoned.
Christianity The Christian tradition
inherited much from the Jewish one, but thanks to the work of the Church Fathers, it also absorbed
Greco-Roman elements. Here, relations with the dead are built in a special way: on the one hand,
necromancy is directly and unambiguously forbidden by the Bible, on the other hand, some dead
ascetics (saints) are perceived as intercessors, mediators between God and man, able to convey the
petitioner's prayer to God. Relics are kept in churches, according to believers, which
have a special power - holiness. In the lives of some saints, one can find episodes that are very
similar to necromancy. For example, Saint Macarius the Great, with the help of prayer, revives a
corpse in order to establish the innocence of the alleged murderer. The spirit returns to the body,
but answers questions from underground while in its grave. Saint Rufin tells the story of the
hermit Patermuthia, who temporarily revived a dead monk in order to find out whether he was satisfied
with the way his funeral had been prepared. Also, Patermufiy, through a kiss and prayer,
revives a brother in faith, with whom he did not have time to say goodbye. Interestingly,
in this case, the elder offers the deceased a choice - to die again or continue to live.
Rev. Mark the Gravedigger also revives the dead. He received such strength from God,
as he worked hard, preparing places for the burial of monks, as evidenced by his nickname.
It is important to understand that Christians do not identify what is described with necromancy as
part of the forbidden art of magic, but attribute such episodes to miracles - outstanding unusual
events occurring from God. Miracles are opposed to rituals performed out of self-interest,
vanity and, accordingly, going against God. Mention of such necromancy can be seen in
the New Testament. Simon Magus, a contemporary of the apostles,
tries to resurrect the widow's son, who is being carried to the place of burial, but fails,
although he achieves that the deceased begins to move his head. It is emphasized that in this
case the return of the soul to the body is only a deception committed with the help of demons.
The descriptions of contacts with the dead were also influenced by the Christian practice of
indulgences used by the Catholic Church, because thanks to an indulgence, the deceased can be
released from purgatory. This has given rise to a number of stories in which the deceased
attempt to exchange their favors for absolution. Appearing ghosts
asked to make donations to the church and offer prayers for them. Around the 15th century, stories
appear in European folklore in which priests have special knowledge of how to summon the dead.
Middle Ages and Modern Times Despite the large number of references to magical
books in medieval folklore, there are practically no real works devoted to necromancy. Perhaps
this was facilitated by the active struggle of the church against heresies. However, in later
literature there are not only descriptions of the practices of communication with the dead,
but also attempts to classify them, although the authors turn to this topic very reluctantly.
Agrippa in Occult Philosophy (1531-1533), referring to Greek descriptions, speaks of two
types of necromancy: nekyomancy and skiamancy. The revival of corpses is called nekyomancy,
"which is impossible without blood." Skiamancy is the invocation of souls, which, however,
does not do without a corpse or its parts, "for such things contain spiritual power friendly to
them [spirits]." Both types of necromancy are clearly frowned upon by the author,
but the second seems less repulsive to him. Despite the general disapproval, there are
also descriptions of perfect necromantic rituals. For example, in the English book
Ancient Tombstones (1631) by D. Weaver, it is described how Edward Kelly and Paul Warring,
using magic circles and spells, resurrect a young man who himself was involved in magic
during his lifetime. The spirit returns to the body and rises, assuming an upright position,
very characteristic of the Greek descriptions of the reanimation of corpses,
after which it gives answers to the questions of magicians.
Spiritualism With the report that
the Fox sisters in their home made contact with a ghost through knocking, spiritualism has become
widespread in the United States, and then throughout the world. Quite quickly,
currents arise, the followers of which build their lives in accordance with the recommendations
of the spirits, collect information about the afterlife and spiritual worlds. The question of
with whom communication occurs - with the dead or with harmful spirits is widely discussed.
Spirits are trying to get photographed and explored. The materializations of various items
from the spiritual world become public shows. Table-turning is practiced both in elite salons,
and in merchants and even in village houses. The popularity of spiritualism subsides only
by the 1930s, however, in our time there are circles and societies that actively practice
various types of it. We can observe echoes of the popularity of spiritualistic seances in various
traditional divination, as well as in household and even children's magic: divination in a circle
using a saucer, a ring or needle suspended on a thread, summoning a spirit using a saucer, etc.
Modernity
By the end of the 20th century, necromancy again began to actively appear in the information space.
It is addressed in fiction, music, films, TV shows. Playing on the greatest human fear,
the fear of death, having the image of a forbidden and dangerous art, necromancy at the same time
acquires a certain romantic halo, attracting the attention of people. Ancient practices are
once again becoming in demand among those who are interested in magic, esotericism,
and the occult. On thematic resources on the Internet, methods and recipes are exchanged.
Practitioners of necromancy share stories of successful experiences and discuss the results.
Modern methods are a mixture of a large number of ancient sources and are actively supplemented. In
one ritual, elements of voodoo, the Mexican cult of the Holy Death, Greek, Roman descriptions of
rituals and methods of European magic can merge. Necromancers quite openly offer and advertise
their services. Not a single season of the Battle of the Psychics is complete without
talking to the dead. For a certain amount, you can easily organize a walk through the cemeteries and
conduct practical classes. A fairly interesting modern trend in necromancy is "information
transcommunication", based on the "electronic voice phenomenon", discovered in 1959 by the
Swedish film producer Friedrich Jurgenson while recording birdsong. In Russia, this direction is
actively developed by the Russian Association of Instrumental Transcommunication (RAIT),
established in St. Petersburg in 2003 by Artem Mikheev, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical
Sciences. Representatives of this community do not consider themselves necromancers and insist
that their research is strictly scientific. Using special equipment and technology,
they are trying to scientifically prove the existence of the other world and the possibility
of contact with its inhabitants, including the dead. In addition to audio recordings, the method
of photography of spirits is actively used. For example, according to the “water method”, in order
to see a spirit, it is necessary to fill a vessel with water, preferably with a reflective bottom,
set the water in motion and take several photographs - which refers us to the Greek
medicine mania - divination by a vessel with water. In the future, in these photographs,
images of the “subtle world” and its inhabitants are searched for in random highlights.
Thus, one can see that necromancy has not gone down in history, but continues to exist, develop
and change. Practitioners of contacts with the dead are constantly in search of new technologies
and methods. Like the people of ancient civilizations, our contemporaries are looking
for an answer to the question of what awaits us beyond the inevitable line that everyone will step
over sooner or later. It remains to be hoped that the assumptions of these researchers that life
does not end with death will one day be confirmed. Write in the comments if you believe in necromancy
and the ability to communicate with the spirits of ancestors. If you are not interested,
then just leave your kind comments! Thanks for your views, bye everyone!