Moleosophy or moleomancy is a technique 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 ...

and

fortune telling Fortune telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. Melton, J. Gordon. (2008). ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena''. Visible Ink Press. pp. 115-116. The scope of fortune telling is in principle identical w ...

based upon the observation and interpretation of bodily marks—primarily those of the ''melanocytic nevus'' condition (i.e.

mole Mole (or Molé) may refer to: Animals * Mole (animal) or "true mole", mammals in the family Talpidae, found in Eurasia and North America * Golden moles, southern African mammals in the family Chrysochloridae, similar to but unrelated to Talpida ...

s). Although

by moles, birthmarks and blemishes has been practiced in many societies throughout history, it has never achieved the status of dream divination,

astrology Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of Celestial o ...

, or even

palmistry Palmistry is the Pseudoscience, pseudoscientific practice of fortune-telling through the study of the Hand#Areas, palm. Also known as palm reading, chiromancy, chirology or cheirology, the practice is found all over the world, with numerous cul ...

. As such, it has generally been classed a species of

superstition A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and ...

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

, rather than a pseudo-science.

Classical mole divination

Despite a cultural predeliction for

physiognomy Physiognomy (from the Greek , , meaning "nature", and , meaning "judge" or "interpreter") is the practice of assessing a person's character or personality from their outer appearance—especially the face. The term can also refer to the general ...

, which developed in a considerable literature, mole divination was not a major feature of Greco-Roman culture, and references to the practice are rare. Birthmarks enjoyed a somewhat higher status, and are mentioned.

Seleucus I Nicator Seleucus I Nicator (; ; grc-gre, Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ , ) was a Macedonian Greek general who was an officer and successor ( ''diadochus'') of Alexander the Great. Seleucus was the founder of the eponymous Seleucid Empire. In the po ...

, the first Macedonian king of Syria, was said to have received from Apollo an anchor-shaped birthmark on his thigh, which was also borne by his descendants. A short Greek manual of mole interpretation survives from antiquity, appended to the end of a much longer work on divination by twitches ascribed to the legendary Greek seer

Melampus In Greek mythology, Melampus (; grc, Μελάμπους, ''Melampous'') was a legendary soothsayer and healer, originally of Pylos, who ruled at Argos. He was the introducer of the worship of Dionysus, according to Herodotus, who asserted th ...

. Although the treatise on moles lacks an author, and differs in style from the work on twitches, it is customarily also referred to as by pseudo-Melampus. The text is titled ''Peri Elaion tou Somatos'' "On the Olives of the Body", the term presumably being applied to moles because of their similarity in shape and color. There are indications, however, that the text also covers birthmarks, as "fiery" red "olives" are mentioned. In general, the work relies on fairly straightforward analogical association. A mark on the back of the throat portends beheading. One on the lips portends overeating. A mark on the nose—which the Greeks like many other cultures associated with the privates—portends the recipient will be "insatiate in lovemaking". Some distinctions are made between men and women, left and right. A later Turkish translation of the Ps-Melampus text, ascribed to "Leo the Wise", was translated into French by Jean Nicolaides (, 1889).

External links

*Full text of Ps-Melampus a
Isidore of Sevellie
*French translation of Leo the Sage a
Ancient Library
Divination Physiognomy {{occult-stub