Before modern fortune-telling methods like Costar and Magic 8 balls, our friends of yesteryear had to get creative with their divination. This exhibit case is designed to highlight references to fortune-telling that can be found within the Special Collections Department.
The universal dream book being a full and clear interpretation of all manner of dreams, alphabetically arranged, and by which the future destiny of any person may be known.
It is unclear when dream interpretation began being used as a method of divination, however some of the earlier documentation shows up in biblical texts. The meaning of a person’s dream can change depending on the individual’s age, gender, and even marital status. A single man dreaming about sporting a full beard is a sign of marriage in his future whereas a young child dreaming of a man with a beard means impending doom. The context of the dream can also alter your future prediction. If one dreams of hunting a fox, false friendships are afoot but if they are hunting a hare, failure is inevitable.
Anonymous. Astrology notebook.
Your future is written in the stars. At least, that is what Babylonian astrologers believed when creating the astrological calendar we know today. The Zodiac calendar has twelve signs, each with a corresponding symbol, planet, and element.
The signs oftentimes have attributes attached to them. While a Leo (born July-Aug) is a fire sign and seen as boisterous, someone who is a Capricorn (born Dec-Jan) is an earth sign and may be seen as studious. A water sign, like a Pisces (Feb-March), may have an easier time meeting new people whereas a Libra (Sept-Oct), an air sign, may be prone to independence. These attributes are used to predict habits, relationships, and even career paths.
Charles W. Roback. The mysteries of astrology, and the wonders of magic : including a history of the rise and progress of astrology, and the various branches of necromancy : together with valuable directions and suggestions relative to the casting of nativities, and predictions…
Chiromancy, or the practice of palm reading, has been used for centuries to map out events in a person’s life from birth till death. In Chiromancy, the palms of our hands are divided into three sections, each with a collection of planets and Zodiac signs ascribed to the sections. Different combinations of palm lines, planets, and Zodiac signs can indicate personality type, skill set, and finances. Lines on the palms can also be indicators of life expectancy and romantic partnership. Today, concepts of Chiromancy such as ‘life lines’ are still referenced frequently in popular culture.
Highland seer. Tea-cup reading: and the art of fortune-telling by tea-leaves.
The use of tea leaves to predict one’s short-term future is assumed to have originated in China. This quick, easy, and ostensibly cheap method of divination spread across borders and became a common practice worldwide. Tea readings use the shapes made by leftover leaves in empty cups to reveal what is to come. Different shapes carry different meanings and the reading’s interpretation can even be changed based on the direction the symbol is facing.
The figure shown here, showcases a mostly positive tea reading: symbols such as a tree, meaning luck, and a house, indicating success. Unfortunately for our recipient of the reading, a pair of pistols are also visible, signifying impending disaster.
The Tarot Pack: its mystery and fascination. Cards II, VI, XVII
Packs of illustrated cards have been used to predict a person’s past, present, and future for centuries. These cards, referred to as Tarot, are read based on the interpretation of the individual symbols and suits they are marked with. Tarot card readings can be traced back to the 15th century and have been used for different entertainment purposes over the years. Each card’s illustration has a meaning. The reader of the cards will shuffle the deck, usually until three or more cards fall out. Although all Tarot decks have the same suits and symbols, the reading is to be interpreted by the one holding the cards.
X, La Roue de Fortune (The Wheel of Fortune)
XVII, L’Etoile (The Star)
VI, L’Amoureux (The Lovers)
X, La Roue de Fortune (The Wheel of Fortune) A soft brown card depicting a fortune telling wheel being spun by fate personified. When the Wheel of Fortune is pulled during your reading, it can be a positive indicator of career success, but a negative indicator of an unintentional descent down the job ladder.
XVII, L’Etoile (The Star) A light blue card depicting a maiden pouring darkness from two pitchers with a star shining behind her. If the Star is pulled during your Tarot reading, it can symbolize hope, or arrogance and ego.
VI, L’Amoureux (The Lovers) An orange card depicting a cherub, a man and a woman in a loving embrace, and a second man looking on from the background. When the Lovers are pulled in a reading, they can be positively interpreted as a symbol of success in romantic pursuits but negatively interpreted as a sign of foolishness.
