THE BOOK OF THE SCIENCE OF THE SAND: GEOMANCY BETWEEN DIVINATION, PROGNOSTICS AND PSYCHOLOGY IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE

In the context of the cultural renewal that characterised the renaissance of the twelfth century, among the mathematical, astronomical and astrological texts that were being translated from Arabic into Latin, a discipline previously unknown to the West made its entrance into Europe through Spain. This was called in Arabic ‘the science of the sand’, and became known in Latin as geomantia (‘earth divination’). Geomancy quickly became a very popular, as well as controversial, form of prediction in medieval Europe. It claimed to be a branch of astrology, yet some geomantic texts asserted that geomancers drew their knowledge directly from God. This perspective viewed geomancy as a form of divination or prophecy, a divinely inspired knowledge rather than a form of natural prediction. Additionally, geomancy was believed to have the power to explore the depths of the human soul, revealing its innermost thoughts and desires. These facets of geomantic practice, combined with the incorporation of more unconventional elements, led to it being perceived as contentious by intellectual and ecclesiastical elites. In fact, many condemnations in the late medieval and early modern periods categorised geomancy as a form of illicit magic, placing it alongside practices like necromancy and auguries. In my thesis, I contribute to the ongoing effort to illuminate the medieval practice of geomancy by examining its epistemic status and its position at the intersection of divination, prognostics, and psychology. My primary case study is a text titled Liber arenalis scientiae (‘The Book of the Science of the Sand’), a geomantic tract translated from Arabic into Latin in 1135 in Barcelona by the Italian translator Plato of Tivoli. Using this work as the basis for my analysis, I engage with a broader range of medieval geomantic literature as well as philosophical, theological, and literary texts from the same period. This approach helps one understand how geomantic knowledge redefined the correspondence between humans as microcosms and the universe as macrocosm. In a cosmos where causal connections linked the heavens to the terrestrial world, the geomancer served as both a messenger and an exegete of celestial signs. Through their technique, they revealed the inseparable connection between the heavens, the earth, and the human soul. By shedding light on the intricacies of geomancy’s epistemic foundation and its role at the crossroads of divination, prognostication, and psychology, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the cultural and intellectual landscape of the late medieval period, and of the role that Arabic culture played in the development of Western science.