LV426
10-26-2003, 01:41 PM
"Ornithomancy is divination by the appearance, number, movement, and cry of birds. The Greeks favored eagles, crows, and vultures for observation, while the Celts preferred crows, eagles, and wrens. Italian diviners sometimes charged minimal fees to querents to have parakeets choose among slips of paper with fortunes written on them. The Hittite version of ornithomancy was the forerunner to Roman Auspicium. In 1330 B.C., over twenty-seven species of birds and their movements in various environments were cataloged for interpretation. A specialist called a Bird Watcher was entrusted with observing the birds, often taking up to three days to note the movements and associated omens. Roman augurs not only adapted this earlier system, but went on to design a ritual around bird-watching. The augur would sit on a hill in a special robe and circumscribe an area of the sky with his littus, or divining staff, which was supposed to have no knots or bends in it to distort revelations. he would then watch this region of the sky for birds to determine a yes-or-no answer. Generally, the appearance of one or two birds was a good sign, while more than that was negative. Alternatively, an odd number of birds signified a 'no,' and an even number meant 'yes'" (Telesco, 65-66).
Besides tracing the history of ornithomancy among the pagan Germans, Tibetans (for whom bird divination was known as Bya-rog-kyi-skad-brtag-pa, and which relied on the crow),and Aztecs, who used the method to pick the location for Mexico City, the handbooks on divination list the birds and meanings most commonly used in such systems ( "If you hear a crow cawing on your righthand side, be very cautious in all you do that day").
A long held almost universal belief regarding the direction of the flight of a flock of birds indicates that you should take particular heed if you about to set out on a journey. If the birds are flying to the right then all will be well, to the left and you should change your plans. The mysterious sights and sounds of birds have long captured the observer's imagination. Here is just one such example;
Scottish Gaelic Traditional Verse
'I heard the cuckoo with no food in my stomach,
I heard the stock-dove on top of the tree,
I heard the sweet singer in the copse beyond,
And I heard the screech of the owl in the night.
I saw the wheatear on the dyke of holes,
I saw the snipe while sitting bent,
And I foresaw the year would not go well with me.'
'Valentine's Day', 14 February, (See Mystical WWW Folk Calendar) is associated with birds and all those in love, being named after the patron saint of lovers. St. Valentine was a young priest who defied the edict that prohibited young men from marrying as he believed that marriage had a poor effect on men changing them into poor soldiers. In America and England (UK) it is said that a young girl is able to tell what sort of man she will marry by the first bird she sees on this day. If a young girl sees a hen and a cockerel together at the same time on this day, it indicates that she will marry the next year. The following mystical birds are traditionally identified with St. Valentine's Day
Blackbird Clergyman or priest
Sailor, nautical Robin Redbreast
Goldfinch (any yellow bird) A rich man
Sparrow Farmer, agricultural
Bluebird A happy man
Crossbill An argumentative man
Dove A good man
Woodpecker No husband
Besides tracing the history of ornithomancy among the pagan Germans, Tibetans (for whom bird divination was known as Bya-rog-kyi-skad-brtag-pa, and which relied on the crow),and Aztecs, who used the method to pick the location for Mexico City, the handbooks on divination list the birds and meanings most commonly used in such systems ( "If you hear a crow cawing on your righthand side, be very cautious in all you do that day").
A long held almost universal belief regarding the direction of the flight of a flock of birds indicates that you should take particular heed if you about to set out on a journey. If the birds are flying to the right then all will be well, to the left and you should change your plans. The mysterious sights and sounds of birds have long captured the observer's imagination. Here is just one such example;
Scottish Gaelic Traditional Verse
'I heard the cuckoo with no food in my stomach,
I heard the stock-dove on top of the tree,
I heard the sweet singer in the copse beyond,
And I heard the screech of the owl in the night.
I saw the wheatear on the dyke of holes,
I saw the snipe while sitting bent,
And I foresaw the year would not go well with me.'
'Valentine's Day', 14 February, (See Mystical WWW Folk Calendar) is associated with birds and all those in love, being named after the patron saint of lovers. St. Valentine was a young priest who defied the edict that prohibited young men from marrying as he believed that marriage had a poor effect on men changing them into poor soldiers. In America and England (UK) it is said that a young girl is able to tell what sort of man she will marry by the first bird she sees on this day. If a young girl sees a hen and a cockerel together at the same time on this day, it indicates that she will marry the next year. The following mystical birds are traditionally identified with St. Valentine's Day
Blackbird Clergyman or priest
Sailor, nautical Robin Redbreast
Goldfinch (any yellow bird) A rich man
Sparrow Farmer, agricultural
Bluebird A happy man
Crossbill An argumentative man
Dove A good man
Woodpecker No husband