Necromancy (Greek νεκρομαντία, nekromantía) is a form of divination in which the practitioner seeks to summon "operative spirits" or "spirits of divination", for multiple reasons, from spiritual protection to wisdom. The word necromancy derives from the Greek νεκρός (nekrós), "dead", and μαντεία (manteía), "divination". Necromancer may refer to: Necromancy, a discipline of black magic intended to raise the dead. ... For other uses, see Divination (disambiguation). ...

However, since the Renaissance, necromancy has come to be associated more broadly with black magic and demon-summoning in general, sometimes losing its earlier, more specialized meaning. By popular etymology, nekromantia became nigromancy "black arts", and Johannes Hartlieb (1456) lists demonology in general under the heading. Eliphas Levi, in his book Dogma et Ritual, states that necromancy is the evoking of aerial bodies (aeromancy). (page 64) For other uses, see Black magic (disambiguation). ... “Fiend” redirects here. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Johannes Hartlieb (born ca. ... Demonology is the systematic study of demons or beliefs about demons. ... Eliphas Lévi Eliphas Lévi, born Alphonse Louis Constant, (February 8, 1810 - May 31, 1875) was a French occult author and magician. ... Aeromancy (from Greek aero, air, and manteia, divination) is divination conducted by interpreting atmospheric conditions. ...

Antiquity

Main article: Magic in the Greco-Roman world

The Witch of Endor is the most famous Biblical necromancer.

Early necromancy is likely related to shamanism, which calls upon spirits such as the ghosts of ancestors. Classical necromancers addressed the dead in "a mixture of high-pitch squeaking and low droning", comparable to the trance-state mutterings of shamans.^[1] // [edit] Magical practices and beliefs [1] In the Greco-Roman world, the public and private rituals associated with religion seem to have been a part of everyday life. ... The Witch of Endor, from Sadducismus Triumphatus by Joseph Glanvill File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Witch of Endor, from Sadducismus Triumphatus by Joseph Glanvill File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Witch of Endor: from the frontispiece to Sadducismus Triumphatus by Joseph Glanvill In the Hebrew Bible, the Witch of Endor of the First book of Samuel, chapter 28:4–25, was a witch, a woman who possesses a talisman, through which she called up the ghost of the recently... This article is about the practice of shamanism; for other uses, see Shaman (disambiguation). ... An altered state of consciousness is any state which is significantly different from a normative waking beta wave state. ...

The historian Strabo refers to necromancy as the principal form of divination amongst the people of Persia (Strabo, xvi. 2, 39, νεκρομαντία), and it is believed to also have been widespread amongst the peoples of Chaldea (particularly amongst the Sabians or star-worshipers), Etruria, and Babylonia. The Babylonian necromancers were called Manzazuu or Sha'etemmu, and the spirits they raised were called Etemmu. The Greek geographer Strabo in a 16th century engraving. ... Persia redirects here. ... For other uses, see Chaldean. ... Not to be confused with Sabaeans, who were ancient people living in what is now Yemen. ... The area covered by the Etruscan civilzation. ... Babylonia was a state in southern Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq, combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ...

Necromancy was widespread in ancient Greece from prehistoric times. In the Odyssey (XI, Nekyia), Odysseus makes a voyage to Hades, the Underworld, and raises the spirits of the dead using spells which he had learnt from Circe (Ruickbie, 2004:24). His intention is to invoke and ask questions of the shade of Tiresias, but he is unable to summon it without the assistance of others. The term ancient Greece refers to the periods of Greek history in Classical Antiquity, lasting ca. ... For other uses, see Odyssey (disambiguation). ... In Ancient Greek Epic Poetry, Nekyia refers to the 11th rhapsody (chapter) of the [Odyssey], which describes the descent of Odysseus to the underworld. ... For other meanings, see Odysseus (disambiguation) Ulysses redirects here. ... Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... Circe, a painting by John William Waterhouse. ... Everes redirects here. ...

Although some cultures may have considered the knowledge of the dead to be unlimited, to the ancient Greeks and Romans, there is an indication that individual shades knew only certain things. The apparent value of their counsel may have been a result of things they had known in life, or of knowledge they acquired after death: Ovid writes of a marketplace in the underworld, where the dead could exchange news and gossip (Metamorphoses 4.444; Tristia 4.10.87–88).^[1] For other uses, see Ovid (disambiguation) Publius Ovidius Naso (March 20, 43 BC – 17 AD) was a Roman poet known to the English-speaking world as Ovid who wrote on topics of love, abandoned women and mythological transformations. ...

There are also many references to necromancers, called "bone-conjurers", in the Bible. The Book of Deuteronomy (XVIII 9–12) explicitly warns the Israelites against the Canaanite practice of divination from the dead. This warning was not always heeded: King Saul has the Witch of Endor invoke the shade of Samuel using a magical amulet, for example. Later Christian writers rejected the idea that humans could bring back the spirits of the dead, and interpreted such shades as disguised demons, thus conflating necromancy with demon-summoning. This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Deuteronomy (Greek deuteronomium, second, from to deuteronomium touto, this second law, pronounced ) is the fifth book of the Torah of the Hebrew bible and the Old Testament. ... Saul (שאול המלך) (or Shaul) (Hebrew: שָׁאוּל, Standard Tiberian  ; asked for or borrowed) is a figure identified in the Books of Samuel and Quran as having been the first king of the ancient Kingdom of Israel. ... The Witch of Endor: from the frontispiece to Sadducismus Triumphatus by Joseph Glanvill In the Hebrew Bible, the Witch of Endor of the First book of Samuel, chapter 28:4–25, was a witch, a woman who possesses a talisman, through which she called up the ghost of the recently... Samuel or Shmuel (Hebrew: שְׁמוּאֵל, Standard Tiberian ) is an important leader of ancient Israel in the Book(s) of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. ...

Caesarius of Arles (Kors and Peters, 48) entreats his audience to put no stock in any demons, or “Gods” other than the one true Christian God, even if the working of spells appears to provide benefit. He states that demons only act with divine permission, and permitted by God to test Christian people. Caesarius does not condemn man here; he only states that the art of necromancy exists, although it is prohibited by the bible. This article needs cleanup. ...

Necromancy has been done in Greek, Roman, Latin, African, and Egyptian society and through their culture. The cultures of these societies have used necromancy through religion or through other non-religious practices. Throughout antiquity necromancy was performed in elaborate ceremonies, often times brutal. This is why necromancy became viewed as "black magic" through time. Every society has performed necromancy via through religious or other forms of ceremonies.

High Middle Ages

Originally, necromancy was synonymous with divination by means of conjuring spirits. Many medieval writers believed resurrection was impossible without the assistance of the Christian god. They translated the practice of divination as conjuring demons who took the appearance of spirits. The practice became known explicitly as demonic magic and was condemned by the Roman Catholic Church, (Kieckhefer 152). Though the practitioners of necromancy were linked by many common threads, there is no evidence that these necromancers were ever organized as a group.

Medieval necromancy is believed to be a synthesis of astral magic derived from Arabic influences and exorcism derived from Christian and Jewish teachings. Arabic influences are evident in rituals that involve moon phases, sun placement, day and time. Fumigation and the act of burying images are also found in both astral magic and necromancy. Christian and Jewish influences are found in the symbols and conjuration formulas used in summoning rituals. (Kieckhefer 165-166)

Practitioners were often members of the Christian clergy, though some nonclerical practitioners are recorded. In some instances, mere apprentices or those ordained to lower orders dabbled in the practice. They were connected by a belief in the manipulation of spiritual beings, (esp. demons), and magical practices. These practitioners were almost always literate and well educated. Most possessed basic knowledge of exorcism and had access to texts of astrology and demonology. Clerical training was informal and admission to universities was rare. Most were trained under apprenticeships and were expected to have a basic knowledge of Latin, ritual and doctrine. This education was not always linked to spiritual guidance and seminaries were almost nonexistent. This absence allowed some aspiring clerics to combine Christian rites with occult practices despite its condemnation in Christian doctrine. (Kieckhefer 153-154) Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... The demon Satan In folklore, mythology, and religion, a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as an evil spirit, but is also depicted to be good in some instances. ... Saint Francis exorcised demons in Arezzo, fresco of Giotto Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to adjure, correctly pronounced exercism) is the practice of evicting demons or other evil spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed (taken control of). ... Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). ... Demonology is the systematic study of demons or beliefs about demons. ...

Medieval practitioners believed they could accomplish three things with necromancy: will manipulation, illusions, and knowledge. Will manipulation affects the mind and will of another person, animal, or spirit. Demons are summoned to cause various afflictions on others “to drive them mad, to inflame them to love or hatred, to gain their favor, or to constrain them to do or not do some deed,” (Kieckhefer, 158). Illusions involve reanimation of the dead, food and entertainment, or conjuring a mode of transportation. Knowledge is discovered through demons. Demons provide information on various things including identifying a criminal, finding items, or revealing future events.

The act of performing medieval necromancy usually involved magic circles, conjurations, and sacrifices as shown in the Munich Handbook. Circles were usually traced on the ground, though cloth and parchment were sometimes implemented. Various objects, shapes, symbols, and letters may be drawn or placed within that represent a mixture of Christian and occult ideas. Circles were believed to empower and protect what was contained within, including protecting the necromancer from the conjured demons. Conjuration is the method of communicating with the demons to enter the physical world. It usually employs the power of special words and stances to call out the demons and often incorporated the use of Christian prayers or biblical verses. These conjurations may be repeated in succession or repeated to different directions until the summoning is complete. Sacrifice was the payment for summoning. Though it may involve the flesh of a human being or animal, it could sometimes be as simple as offering a certain object. Instructions for obtaining these items were usually specific. The time, location, and method of gathering items for sacrifice could also play an important role in the ritual. (Kieckhefer, 159-162) This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ...

The rare confessions of those accused of Necromancy suggest that there was a range of spell casting and the related magical experimentation. It is difficult to determine if these details were due to their practices, as opposed to the whims of their interrogators. John of Salisbury is one of the first examples related by Kieckhefer, but as a Parisian ecclesiastical court record of 1323 shows, a “group who were plotting to invoke the demon Berich from inside a circle made from strips of cat skin,” were obviously participating in the church’s definition of “necromancy.” (Kieckhefer, 191) John of Salisbury (c. ... This article should be transwikied to wiktionary Ecclesiastical means pertaining to the Church (especially Christianity) as an organized body of believers and clergy, with a stress on its juridical and institutional structure. ... “Fiend” redirects here. ...

Norse mythology also contains examples of necromancy (Ruickbie, 2004:48), such as the scene in the Völuspá in which Odin summons a seeress from the dead to tell him of the future. In Grógaldr, the first part of Svipdagsmál, the hero Svipdag summons his dead Völva mother, Gróa, to cast spells for him. In Hrólf Kraki's saga, the half-elven princess Skuld was very skilled in witchcraft (seiðr), and this to the point that she was almost invincible in battle. When her warriors fell, she made them rise again to continue fighting. Norse, Viking or Scandinavian mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples, including those who settled on Iceland, where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Völuspá (The Prophecy of the Seeress) is the first poem in the Poetic Edda. ... For other meanings of Odin,Woden or Wotan see Odin (disambiguation), Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... Gróa. ... Svipdagsmál or The Lay of Svipdag is an Old Norse work, a part of the Elder Edda, comprised of two poems, The Spell of Groa and The Lay of Fjolsvith. ... Svipdag is the hero of the two Old Norse poems, Grogaldr and Fjolsvinnsmal, which are contained within the body of one work, Svipdagsmál. ... The völva, vala, wala (Old High German), seiðkona, or wicce was a female shaman in Norse mythology, and among the Germanic tribes. ... Awake Groa Awake Mother Illustration by John Bauer In Norse mythology, Gróa is a witch and practitioner of seiðr, the wife of Aurvandil the Bold. ... Hrólf Kraki (Old Norse), Rolf Kraki or Rolf Krake was a legendary king at Lejre on the isle of Zealand, Denmark, described in several old sagas and other documents such as the Leire chronicle and Gesta Danorum by Saxo Grammaticus. ... In Norse mythology, a half-elf is the offspring of an elf and a human. ... Skuld was a princess who married Heoroweard and encouraged him to kill Hrólf Kraki. ... Seid (Old Norse: seiðr or seidhr; sometimes anglicized as seidhr, seidh, seidr, seithr or seith) was a form of sorcery or witchcraft with aspects of shamanism which was practiced by the pre-Christian Norse. ...

Herbert Stanley Redgrove claims that necromancy was one of three chief branches of medieval ceremonial magic, the others being black magic and white magic.^[2] This does not correspond to contemporary classifications, which use nigromancy and black arts synonymously. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... For other uses, see Black magic (disambiguation). ... White Magic is a psych folk/indie folk band consisting of Mira Billotte and Doug Shaw. ...

Late Middle Ages to Renaissance

Further information: Renaissance magic

In the wake of inconsistencies of judgment, necromancers, sorcerers and witches were able to utilize spells with holy names with impunity, as biblical references in such rituals could be construed as prayers as opposed to spells. As a result, the necromancy discussed in the Munich Manual is an evolution of these understandings. It has even been suggested that the authors of the Munich Manual knowingly designed this book to be in discord with understood ecclesiastical law. Magic and occultism in the Late Medieval and Renaissance period (15th and 16th century). ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... In Western culture, canon law is the law of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. ...

It is possible to trace Christian ritual and prayer and its subsequent mutant forms of utility and healing prayer/spells to full-blown necromancy. The main recipe employed throughout the manual in the necromancy sorcery uses the same vocabulary and structure utilizing the same languages, sections, names of power alongside demonic names. The understanding of the names of God from apocryphal texts and the Hebrew torah demand that the author of such rites have at least a casual familiarity of these texts. The structure of the spells themselves also requires that the author have experience with Christian rites that are not pedestrian, again suggesting either the Nobility or Christian scholars as possible suspects. For other uses, see Prayer (disambiguation). ... The demon Satan In folklore, mythology, and religion, a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as an evil spirit, but is also depicted to be good in some instances. ... In Judeo-Christian theologies, apocrypha refers to religious Sacred text that have questionable authenticity or are otherwise disputed. ... Template:Jews and Jewdaism Template:The Holy Book Named TorRah The Torah () is the most valuable Holy Doctrine within Judaism,(and for muslims) revered as the first relenting Word of Ulllah, traditionally thought to have been revealed to Blessed Moosah, An Apostle of Ulllah. ...

As we have suggested that alleged Christians might have been the authors of the sundry necromancy manuals, the question of their inspirations must arise. One of the first clues could be the Gods and demons references in the illusions, conjurations and spells. The Hebrew Tetragrammaton and various Hebrew derivatives are found, as well as Hebrew and Greek liturgical formulas (Kieckhefer, 139). Within the tales related in these manuals, we also find connections with other stories in similar cultural literature (Kieckhefer, 43). The ceremony for conjuring a horse closely relates to the Arabic The Thousand and One Nights, and the French romances. Chaucer’s The Squire's Tale also has marked similarities. This becomes a parallel evolution of spells to foreign Gods or demons that were once acceptable, and framing them into a new Christian context, albeit demonic and forbidden. Most forms of Satanic Necromancy today include prayers to such demons, namely Nebiros,and Eurynomos. It has been suggested that Yahweh be merged into this article or section. ... The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (كتاب ألف ليلة و ليلة in Arabic or هزار و یک شب in Persian), also known as The book of a Thousand Nights and a Night... Chaucer: Illustration from Cassells History of England, circa 1902 Chanticleer the rooster from an outdoor production of Chanticleer and the Fox at Ashby_de_la_Zouch castle Geoffrey Chaucer (ca. ... Canterbury Tales Woodcut 1484 The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century (two of them in prose, the rest in verse). ... Eurynomos is a demon in Greek mythology, sometimes identified with Hades (or Orcus in Roman mythology) and sometimes said to be a servitor of Hecate. ...

As the source material for these manuals is apparently derived from scholarly magical and religious texts from a variety of sources in many languages, it is easy to conclude that the scholars that studied these texts manufactured their own aggregate sourcebook and manual with which to work spells or magic.

In the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, it is stated that: “Da Vinci” redirects here. ...

Of all human opinions that is to be reputed the most foolish which deals with the belief in Necromancy, the sister of Alchemy, which gives birth to simple and natural things. (taken from 12:13)

Modern necromancy

In modern time Necromancy is used as a more general term to describe the Art (or manipulation) of Death, and generally implies a magical connotation.

Within the Rawlinson necromantic manuscript, a fable is presented as a warning to those that would perform necromancy, although the story ends with a note of physical trial, but without mention of the ramifications in the afterlife. Richard Rawlinson (February 3, 1690 - April 6, 1755) was an English clergyman and antiquary. ... For other uses, see Afterlife (disambiguation). ...

The 17th-century Rosicrucian Robert Fludd describes Goetic necromancy as consisting of "diabolical commerce with unclean spirits, in rites of criminal curiosity, in illicit songs and invocations and in the evocation of the souls of the dead". The Temple of the Rose Cross, Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens, 1618. ... Robert Fludd Robert Fludd, also known as Robertus de Fluctibus (1574, Bearsted, Kent – September 8, 1637, London) was a prominent English Paracelsian physicist, astrologer, and mystic. ... Buer, the 10th spirit, who teaches Moral and Natural Philosophy (from the Mathers and Liddell 1995 edition). ...

Modern séances, channeling and Spiritualism verge on necromancy when the invoked spirits are asked to reveal future events. Necromancy may also be dressed up as sciomancy, a branch of theurgic magic. Look up séance in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Channeling can refer to Channeling (physics) Channeling (mediumistic), a term used in reference to the process of receiving messages or inspiration from invisible beings or spirits This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... // By 1853, when the popular song Spirit Rappings was published, Spiritualism was an object of intense curiosity. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Necromancy is extensively practiced in Quimbanda and is sometimes seen in other African traditions such as voodoo and in santeria, though once a person is possessed by a spirit in the yoruba tradition he cannot rise to a higher spiritual position such as that of a babalawo, But this should not be regarded as a modern tradition, in fact it predates most necromantic practices. Quimbanda is an Afro-American traditional religion found in Brazil. ... This article is about the syncretistic New World religions. ... Lukumí or Regla de Ocha, most widely known as Santeria, is a set of related religious systems that fuse Catholic beliefs with traditional Yorùbá beliefs. ... The Yoruba (Yorùbá in Yoruba orthography) are a large ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in West Africa. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Iyanifa. ...

An Encyclopedia of Occultism^[3] states:

The art is of almost universal usage. Considerable difference of opinion exists among modern adepts as to the exact methods to be properly pursued in the necromantic art, and it must be borne in mind the necromancy, which in the Middle Ages was called sorcery, shades into modern spiritualistic practice. There is no doubt, however, that necromancy is the touchstone of occultism, for if, after careful preparation the adept can carry through to a successful issue, the raising of the soul from the other world, he has proved the value of his art. It would be fruitless in this place to enter into a psychological discussion as to whether the feat is possible of accomplishment or not, and we will confine ourselves to the material which has been placed at our disposal by the sages of the past, who have left full details as to how the process should be approached.

Gaming

Necromancy is often incorporated into video games, such as those taking place in medieval times, and is generally used to refer to the manipulation of dead bodies. Typically, necromancers are physically weak characters who have the ability to summon powerful entities (usually relating to demons or the undead) to defend and fight for them. The demon Satan In folklore, mythology, and religion, a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as an evil spirit, but is also depicted to be good in some instances. ... Undead is a collective name for mythological beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive. ...

References

Literature

• Sabriel Nix, Garth
• Halliday, Greek Divination (1913). Chapter 11 is on Necromancy
• Ogden, Daniel, Greek and Roman Necromancy 2004. ISBN 0-691-11968-6 — Reviewed by Sarah Iles Johnston, Bryn Mawr Classical Review (6/19/2002), with stinging methodological criticism.
• Ruickbie, Leo, Witchcraft Out of the Shadows. Robert Hale, 2004. ISBN 0-7090-7567-7. See ch. 1 in general and p.24 in particular for discussion of necromancy in the encounter between Circe and Odysseus.
• Wendell, Leilah. (1997). Necromany 101.
• Spence, Lewis. (1920). An Encyclopedia of Occultism. Hyde Park, NY : University Books.
• The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flemel (2007) - A character, Dr. John Dee, uses nocromancy.

Medieval Leo Ruickbie is the author of Witchcraft Out of the Shadows[1], a 2004 publication outlining the history of witchcraft from ancient Greece until the modern day. ...

• Kieckhefer, Richard. (1997). Forbidden Rites. Sutton Publishing.
• ____. (1989). Magic in the Middle Ages. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-78576-6
• Kors & Peters (2001). Witchcraft in Europe 400-1700. Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0-8122-1751-9
• Vulliaud, Paul. (1923). La Kabbale Juive : histoire et doctrine, 2 vols. Paris : Émile Nourry, 62 Rue des Écoles.

See also

• Sabriel
• Lirael
• Abhorsen
• List of magical terms and traditions
• Quimbanda
• Eliphas Levi
• Alchemy
• Magic
• Magick
• Parapsychology
• Eusapia Palladino
• John Edward
• Mina Crandon
• Undead
• Battle Realms
• Lego Castle 2007

For the Khazar ruler who converted to Judaism, see Bulan (Khazar). ... This article is about the book. ... Abhorsen is a fantasy novel by Garth Nix, first published in 2003. ... . ... Quimbanda is an Afro-American traditional religion found in Brazil. ... Eliphas Lévi Eliphas Lévi, born Alphonse Louis Constant, (February 8, 1810 - May 31, 1875) was a French occult author and magician. ... For other uses, see Alchemy (disambiguation). ... Not to be confused with Magic (illusion). ... This article refers to the magical system of Aleister Crowley and Thelema. ... Early parapsychological research employed the use of Zener cards in experiments designed to test for possible telepathic communication. ... Eusapia Palladino (1854-1918) was a medium and spiritualist from Naples. ... John Edward McGee, Jr. ... // Mina Margery Crandon (1888-1941) was the wife of a wealthy Boston surgeon and socialite, Dr. Le Roi Goddard Crandon. ... Undead is a collective name for mythological beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive. ... Battle Realms, released by Ubisoft in 2001, is a martial arts themed real-time strategy computer game and is the first game created by relatively new Liquid Entertainment. ...

External links

• Necromancy in works of J.R.R. Tolkien
• Catholic Encyclopedia Necromancy
• : Necromany 101 New Age Necromantic Practices
• Quimbanda Temple in Europe Necromancy Tradition
• Westgate Necromancy
• Lives of the necromancers: or, An account of the most eminent persons in successive ages, who... By William Godwin, 1834
• Kate Clarendon, or, Necromancy in the wilderness: or, Necromancy in the wilderness. A tale of the... By Emerson Bennett, 1848