Molybdomancy
{{Short description|Divination technique using molten metal}}
{{use dmy dates |date=April 2021}}
File:Bleigiessen-Ergebnis (cropped).jpg
Molybdomancy (from {{Langx|grc|μόλυβδος|lit=lead|translit=molybdos}}[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dmo%2Flubdos μόλυβδος] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428144020/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dmo%2Flubdos |date=28 April 2021 }},
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus and -mancy) is a technique of divination using molten metal. Typically, molten lead or tin is dropped into water. It can be found as a tradition in various cultures, including Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Turkey.{{Cite web|date=2021-12-26|title=Molybdomancy: A New Year's Eve Tradition|url=https://ulukayin.org/molybdomancy-a-new-years-eve-tradition/|access-date=2021-12-28|website=ULUKAYIN|language=en-US|archive-date=28 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228032643/https://ulukayin.org/molybdomancy-a-new-years-eve-tradition/|url-status=live}} Some versions have been found to have potentially harmful effects on human health.
Method
Lead (or more recently tin) shapes are melted in a ladle over a flame, and the molten liquid is then poured into the water. The resulting shape is either directly interpreted as an omen for the future, or is rotated in a candlelight to create shadows, whose shapes are then interpreted. The shapes are interpreted symbolically, for example a bubbly surface signifying money, a fragile or broken shape misfortune. The shape of the lead before melting can refer to a specific area of one's life. For example, ships for traveling, keys for career advancement, etc.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rakentaja.fi/artikkelit/723/uudenvuoden_taikoja.htm|title=Uudenvuoden taikoja|access-date=3 June 2019|archive-date=4 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104131225/https://www.rakentaja.fi/artikkelit/723/uudenvuoden_taikoja.htm|url-status=live}}
Finland
In Finland, the tradition is to tell the fortunes on New Year's Eve by melting "tin" in a ladle on the stove and throwing it quickly in a bucket of cold water. The practice is known as {{lang|fi|uudenvuodentina}}. Shops sell ladles and small bullions in the shape of a horseshoe for this express purpose. The shapes are often interpreted not only literally, but also symbolically: a bubbly surface refers to money, a fragile or broken shape misfortune. Ships refer to travelling, keys to career advancement, a basket to a good mushroom year, and a horse to a new car.
Originally made from lead and tin, since 2018 the bullion have been mostly made from lead free tin, after Tukes (Safety and chemicals agency) banned the use of lead in "uudenvuodentina".{{Cite web |date=2018-08-30 |title=Lyijyn myynti kuluttajille on laitonta – tarkista myymäsi juotostinat |url=https://tukes.fi/-/lyijyn-myynti-kuluttajille-on-laitonta-tarkista-myymasi-juotostinat |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=Turvallisuus- ja kemikaalivirasto (Tukes) |language=fi-FI |archive-date=3 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103183106/https://tukes.fi/-/lyijyn-myynti-kuluttajille-on-laitonta-tarkista-myymasi-juotostinat |url-status=live }}
The world's largest {{lang|fi|uudenvuodentina}}, {{convert|41|kg}}, was cast by members of the Valko volunteer fire department in Loviisa, Finland, in New Year 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/a/2009123110863277|title=Maailman suurin uudenvuoden tina valettiin Loviisassa|work=iltalehti.fi|accessdate=28 September 2015|archive-date=3 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603161627/https://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/a/2009123110863277|url-status=live}}{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV4fjMVHwt4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/IV4fjMVHwt4 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Valkon VPK valoi maailman suurimman uudenvuoden tinan 41 kg|date=1 January 2010|work=YouTube|accessdate=28 September 2015}}{{cbignore}}
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
File:Bleigießen - Lustige Blätter 01.1900.png
File:Hitler - New Year 1938-1939 - Bleigießen (242-EB-6-04A).jpg tries the {{lang|de|Bleigießen}} at the Berghof on New Year's Eve 1938/1939.]]
{{Lang|de|Bleigießen}} (literally "lead pouring") is a traditional activity held at the New Year to predict the fortune of the coming year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.german-way.com/history-and-culture/holidays-and-celebrations/silvester-new-years-eve-germany/bleigiessen-lead-pouring/|title=Bleigießen – Lead Pouring|website=www.german-way.com|access-date=2019-01-02|archive-date=1 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101222914/https://www.german-way.com/history-and-culture/holidays-and-celebrations/silvester-new-years-eve-germany/bleigiessen-lead-pouring/|url-status=live}} The different resulting shapes are identified based on their resemblance to any of various objects, animals, and structures, each with its own interpretation.{{cite web |title=The German Custom of Bleigiessen |url=https://www.mrshea.com/germusa/customs/bleimean.htm |website=www.mrshea.com |accessdate=12 April 2019 |archive-date=12 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412164929/https://www.mrshea.com/germusa/customs/bleimean.htm |url-status=live }} EU regulations passed in 2018 limit the sale of toxic lead-containing products, including molybdomancy kits. Alternatives involve dripping molten wax or tin rather than lead into water.
In the Czech Republic molybdomancy is one of the traditional Christmas traditions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/service/silvester-warum-bleigiessen-ab-2018-verboten-ist-a-1245938.html|title=Alternativen fürs Orakel-Gießen: Das erste bleifreie Silvester|date=2018-12-31|work=Spiegel Online|access-date=2019-01-02|language=de|archive-date=1 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101213046/http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/service/silvester-warum-bleigiessen-ab-2018-verboten-ist-a-1245938.html|url-status=live}}
Turkey
The tradition of molybdomancy is called {{Lang|tr|kurşun dökme}} in Turkish (literally, "lead casting", "lead pouring") which is intended to help with various spiritual problems or predict the future. The rituals vary, but they involve pouring molten lead into water.{{cite book |pages=233 ff |title=Healing Secular Life: Loss and Devotion in Modern Turkey |first=Christopher |last=Dole |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |year=2012 |isbn=978-0812206357}}{{cite web |url=http://ww2.milliyet.com.tr/pembenar/kursun-dokturmenin-inanilmaz-zarari-2246949 |title=Kurşun döktürmenin inanılmaz zararı |work=Milliyet |date=17 May 2016 |access-date=December 21, 2017 |language=tr |archive-date=3 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603161628/http://ww2.milliyet.com.tr/pembenar/kursun-dokturmenin-inanilmaz-zarari-2246949 |url-status=live }} Researchers from Ankara University performed a study of the effects of this tradition on the health of women. They reported risks of antimony poisoning and lead poisoning.
A similar traditional practice is used in Bosnia and Herzegovina.{{cite journal |title=Traditional Medicine in the Pristine Village of Prokoško Lake on Vranica Mountain, Bosnia and Herzegovina |journal=Scientia Pharmaceutica |volume=78 |issue=2 |date=June 30, 2010 |pages=275–290 |doi=10.3797/scipharm.1003-06 |last1=Šarić-Kundalić |first1=Broza |last2=Fritz |first2=E. |last3=Dobeå |first3=C. |last4=Saukel |first4=J. |pmid=21179347 |pmc=3002800 }}
Jewish folk medicine
In Yiddish folk medicine, the segula of {{Transliteration|yi|Bley-gisn}} ({{Langx|yi|בּליי־גיסן}}) involves a medicine-woman reciting a psalm or an incantation, and then throwing molten lead into a vessel full of water. It is used for divination or the removal of the evil eye.{{cite news|first=Naomi|last=Zeveloff|title=How I Rid Myself of the Evil Eye|date=November 4, 2015|newspaper=The Forward|url=https://forward.com/culture/323464/how-i-rid-myself-of-the-evil-eye/|access-date=28 December 2021|archive-date=4 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104131213/https://forward.com/culture/323464/how-i-rid-myself-of-the-evil-eye/|url-status=live}} Traditionally, it was resorted to in cases in which illness of pregnant women or that of children is due to fright, to find out what object was the cause of the alarm; from the resemblance of the form assumed by the metal to a particular animal, a medicine-woman divines that the cause of fright was a cat, a dog, a horse, and so on.{{Jewish Encyclopedia|article=Babski refues|url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2284-babski-refues|first1=Herman|last1=Rosenthal|first2=Alexander Harkavy|last2=Harkavy|volume=2|page=398–399|no-prescript=1}}
See also
- Ceromancy, divination using molten wax rather than metal
- Methods of divination
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{cite book |title=Witchcraft, magic & alchemy |url=https://archive.org/details/witchcraftmagica0000gril |url-access=registration |first=Émile-Jules |last=Grillot de Givry |author-link= Émile-Jules Grillot de Givry|publisher=Courier Dover Publications |year=1931 |isbn=0-486-22493-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/witchcraftmagica0000gril/page/303 303]}}
- {{cite book |title=Handbook to life in the medieval world |first1=Madeleine Pelner |last1=Cosman |first2=Linda Gale |last2=Jones |year=2008 |publisher=Infobase Publishing |isbn=978-0-8160-4887-8 |page=434}}
{{Commons category|Molybdomancy}}
{{Divination}}