Oracle Bones Divination: The Greek I Ching

by Kostas Dervenis

The first complete guide to this ancient Greek form of divination

• Explains how to cast and interpret this oracle using either coins or traditional animal bones

• Reveals how the use of oracle bones predates the I Ching

• Includes the complete matrix of oracle interpretations reconstructed by the author from stanzas in ancient Greek temples

In ancient Greece methods of foretelling the future were widespread, whether they were official oracles of the gods or simple dice games to divine one’s luck. One of the most popular and accessible ways of determining one’s fate and fortune was through the ritual casting of animal bones, similar to the casting of coins or yarrow stalks with the Chinese I Ching.

Kostas Dervenis explains how to interpret the casting of the oracle bones--either traditional sheep anklebones or coins--to answer your questions on love, health, wealth, and the future. Using the original stanzas discovered in ancient Greek temples in Greece and Turkey, the author reconstructs the complete matrix of interpretation for each possible casting of the bones. He explores how this practice traces back to the Golden Age of the Neolithic period in Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria--predating the I Ching--and how it is still practiced today as the popular folk game of “knucklebones.”

Providing the first complete guide to this ancient practice, Dervenis allows anyone to cast the bones for guidance, inspiration, and insight into their fate.

Genres: Divination

176 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2013

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The historical preamble was useful and linked the score of research I have done in recent years that divides the Mycean Greek world from the classical Greek world of the Hellenistic era.

This tradition, like many arose from the Mycean and was adopted-adapted by the later.

[Nikos · Rating 4 out of 5]

useful, not quite recon but very fun and helpful.