Alphitomancy (from , and ) is a form of
divination
Divination (from Latin ''divinare'', 'to foresee, to foretell, to predict, to prophesy') is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Used in various forms throughout histor ...
involving
barley
Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley pr ...
cakes or loaves of barley bread.
When someone in a group was suspected of a
crime
In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definit ...
, the members of the group would be fed
barley cakes or slices of
barley bread
Barley bread is a type of bread made from barley flour derived from the grain of the barley plant. In the British Isles it is a bread which dates back to the Iron Age. Today, barley flour is commonly blended (in a smaller proportion) with wheat f ...
. Supposedly, the guilty party would get
indigestion
Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia or upset stomach, is a condition of impaired digestion. Symptoms may include upper abdominal fullness, heartburn, nausea, belching, or upper abdominal pain. People may also experience feeling full earlier t ...
, while all others would feel well.
See also
*
Corsned
In Anglo-Saxon law, corsned ( OE ''cor'', "trial, investigation", + ''snǽd'', "bit, piece"; Latin ''panis conjuratus''), also known as the ''accursed'' or ''sacred'' morsel, or the morsel of execration, was a type of trial by ordeal that consiste ...
*
Alphito Alphito ( grc, Ἀλφιτώ) is a supernatural being first recorded in the ''Moralia'' of Plutarch, where "apotropaic nursery tales" about her are told by nursemaids to frighten little children into behaving. Her name is related to ''alphita'', "w ...
*
Crithomancy
Crithomancy (also known as critomancy) is a form of divination by the study of barley cakes in hope of drawing omens from them. The paste of cakes which are offered in sacrifice is closely examined, and the sought-for answers are drawn from the ...
References
Divination
Breads
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