179:, who are called Santeros and Santeras, respectively. Both men and women who have been initiated into SanterĂa can read cowrie shells. There are a combination of 256 possible odu and a skilled diviner can interpret the meaning of each one, depending on the orientation of the reading. If the reading comes in Ire, the client will experience good fortune, and if it comes in Osogbo, the client faces obstacles that can be overcome with the help of the OrichĂĄs.
997:
220:, the shell has only two stable positions on a flat surface, with the slit side facing either up or down. A few cowrie-shell diviners use the shells in this natural state; then the outcome of the throw, for each piece, is either "open" (slit up) or "closed" (slit down). Some modern day witches also use cowrie shell divination.
202:
193:
106:
The number 16 holds important significance in Yoruba mythology as it was the purported number of original divinities that established life on earth. In merindinlogun divination, the shells are thrown and the number of shells that fall with the opening facing up is associated with a certain odu. This
79:
While there are many variants using from eight to 21 cowrie shells, West
African-derived forms most commonly use 16 cowrie shells on a prepared table or on a mat on the ground, interpreting the patterns that result which are known as Odu. Before casting the shells, the priest/priestess invokes and
162:
Though they share a common root, Caribbean and South
American cowrie shell divination have subsequently developed in independence from West African practice. For example, among Caribbean diviners, the first throw of the shells involves throwing them twice to derive a composite
223:
Most priests, however, use modified shells whose rounded part has been ground away, creating a second, artificial opening. The two stable positions of the shell are still called "open" or "closed" for divination purposes. In most
167:
While there are regional practices in
Yorubaland where this is also the case, it is not as standardized and uniform as it is in Cuba, suggesting a weaker quality control by Cuban IfĂĄ priests.
433:, with the collaboration of A. Julliard, "Le jet de coquillages divinatoire en Islam arabe et en Afrique subsaharienne : premiĂšre contribution Ă une Ă©tude comparative",
375:
353:
1038:
440:
430:
1031:
216:
The cowrie shell, as collected from a beach, has a flattened side with a longitudinal slit, and a smooth, rounded side. Like a
1087:
365:
1062:
1024:
476:
1077:
421:
387:
305:
285:
264:
84:, and puts questions to them. The Orishas answer the questions by influencing the way the shells fall on the table.
1067:
280:. 624 ages. Portuguese translation by Carlos E. M. Moura. Editora da Universidade de SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil, 1999
252:
99:"sixteen cowries", literally "four taken from 20") is a cowrie-shell divination method practiced in the
1072:
469:
1012:
918:
886:
228:
houses, "open" still means that the natural opening is facing up; but some traditions (mainly in
45:
1004:
970:
733:
485:
1082:
8:
1057:
462:
76:
Several forms of cowrie-shell divination are distributed broadly throughout West Africa.
911:
857:
745:
574:
127:
232:) use the opposite convention. The number of "open" shells is used to select an item (
965:
783:
768:
417:
397:
383:
361:
301:
281:
260:
259:
Paul
Hartmann, Paris (1st edition, 1954; 2nd edition, 1995). 400 pages, 160 photos,
229:
739:
564:
446:
331:
The
Diloggun: The Orishas, Sacrifices, Proverbs, and Prohibitions of Cuban Santeria
901:
554:
210:
Cowrie shell modified for divination, showing the natural and contrived openings.
100:
93:
1008:
811:
701:
661:
602:
409:
358:
MĂ©rĂŹndĂnlĂłgĂșn: ĂrĂŹsĂ Divination Using 16 Cowries - Revised and
Extended Edition
1051:
806:
597:
569:
511:
116:
896:
841:
821:
750:
696:
531:
175:
The cowrie-shells, called DiloggĂșn, are used by priests and priestesses of
119:
where it plays an important role in religions like SanterĂa and
Candomblé.
225:
53:
826:
721:
716:
592:
546:
506:
131:
65:
41:
711:
454:
176:
49:
960:
923:
773:
760:
671:
653:
643:
633:
612:
526:
488:
25:
933:
891:
881:
836:
831:
681:
666:
638:
628:
445:
Annali dellâIstituto
UniversitĂ degli Studi di Napoli «LâOrientale» (
414:
Sixteen
Cowries : Yoruba Divination from Africa to the New World
996:
778:
955:
928:
906:
816:
790:
521:
37:
867:
536:
945:
686:
607:
584:
559:
57:
443:, "Divination par lĂącher de coquillages (wadâ) Ă Sanaa, YĂ©men",
201:
950:
873:
727:
691:
516:
342:
236:) which direct the diviner to a fixed list of oracular verses.
192:
144:
81:
33:
29:
862:
706:
61:
940:
217:
123:
154:
148:
107:
system of divination is used when consulting the
Orishas.
320:. London: Longmans, Green, & Co. (pp. 144-45, 170)
374:
352:
318:
Shells as Evidence of the Migrations of Early Culture
60:, cowrie-shell divination has also been recorded in
396:
1049:
380:Awo: Ifa & the Theology of Orisha Divination
40:of certain religions. Though best-documented in
16:Traditional divination practice using sea shells
408:
298:Jogo de BĂșzios - Um Encontro com o Desconhecido
1032:
470:
135:
1039:
1025:
477:
463:
110:
484:
435:Journal of Oriental and African Studies
300:. Editora Bertrand Brasil, 290 pages.
278:Notas Sobre o Culto aos OrixĂĄs e Voduns
1050:
458:
404:. London: University of London Press.
991:
343:Cynthia Duncan, Ph.D. About Santeria
115:Cowrie-shell divination is found in
24:refers to several distinct forms of
382:. New York: Original Publications.
13:
14:
1099:
87:
71:
995:
200:
191:
182:
336:
323:
310:
290:
270:
246:
170:
1:
451:, 69/1-4 (2009), 37-57, 2012.
437:11(2000-2002), 2003, 133-149.
239:
1088:Afro-American religion stubs
1011:. You can help Knowledge by
416:. Indiana University Press.
32:shells that are part of the
7:
1063:Objects used for divination
402:Dictionary of Modern Yoruba
316:J. Wilfrid Jackson (1917).
10:
1104:
990:
850:
799:
759:
652:
621:
583:
545:
499:
495:
155:
149:
92:áșžáșčÌrĂŹndĂnlĂłgĂșn (from the
1078:Yoruba words and phrases
677:Cowrie-shell divination
111:In the African diaspora
46:Afro-American religions
22:Cowrie-shell divination
1068:Afro-American religion
1005:Afro-American religion
360:. Ile Osomi'na Books.
136:
376:Fatunmbi, Awo FĂĄlĂČkun
354:Fatunmbi, Awo FĂĄlĂČkun
329:Ocha ni'lele (2003).
296:José Beniste (1999),
253:Pierre Fatumbi Verger
68:, and other regions.
1003:This article about
746:Tarot card reading
398:Abraham, Roy Clive
128:Dominican Republic
97:owĂł máșčÌrĂŹndĂnlĂłgĂșn
1020:
1019:
985:
984:
981:
980:
784:Spirit possession
367:978-1-4636-6750-4
38:religious beliefs
1095:
1073:Yoruba mythology
1041:
1034:
1027:
999:
992:
740:Sortes Sanctorum
497:
496:
479:
472:
465:
456:
455:
427:
405:
393:
371:
345:
340:
334:
333:. Destiny Books.
327:
321:
314:
308:
294:
288:
274:
268:
250:
204:
195:
158:
152:
139:
1103:
1102:
1098:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1093:
1092:
1048:
1047:
1046:
1045:
988:
986:
977:
902:Fortune-telling
846:
795:
755:
648:
617:
579:
541:
491:
483:
424:
410:Bascom, William
390:
368:
349:
348:
341:
337:
328:
324:
315:
311:
295:
291:
276:Pierre Verger,
275:
271:
257:Dieux D'Afrique
251:
247:
242:
214:
213:
212:
211:
207:
206:
205:
197:
196:
185:
173:
147:, it is called
134:, it is called
113:
101:Yoruba religion
90:
74:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1101:
1091:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1044:
1043:
1036:
1029:
1021:
1018:
1017:
1000:
983:
982:
979:
978:
976:
975:
974:
973:
968:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
937:
936:
931:
921:
916:
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
884:
879:
878:
877:
870:
865:
854:
852:
848:
847:
845:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
812:Cephalonomancy
809:
803:
801:
797:
796:
794:
793:
788:
787:
786:
781:
771:
765:
763:
757:
756:
754:
753:
748:
743:
736:
731:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
702:Obi divination
699:
694:
689:
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
662:Astragalomancy
658:
656:
650:
649:
647:
646:
641:
636:
631:
625:
623:
619:
618:
616:
615:
610:
605:
603:Crystal gazing
600:
595:
589:
587:
581:
580:
578:
577:
572:
567:
562:
557:
551:
549:
543:
542:
540:
539:
534:
529:
524:
519:
514:
509:
503:
501:
493:
492:
482:
481:
474:
467:
459:
453:
452:
438:
428:
422:
406:
394:
388:
372:
366:
347:
346:
335:
322:
309:
289:
269:
244:
243:
241:
238:
230:Candomblé Ketu
209:
208:
199:
198:
190:
189:
188:
187:
186:
184:
181:
172:
169:
150:jogo de bĂșzios
112:
109:
89:
88:áșžáșčÌrĂŹndĂnlĂłgĂșn
86:
73:
72:In West Africa
70:
44:as well as in
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1100:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1055:
1053:
1042:
1037:
1035:
1030:
1028:
1023:
1022:
1016:
1014:
1010:
1006:
1001:
998:
994:
993:
989:
972:
969:
967:
964:
963:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
935:
932:
930:
927:
926:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
914:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
876:
875:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
860:
859:
856:
855:
853:
849:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
807:Anthropomancy
805:
804:
802:
798:
792:
789:
785:
782:
780:
777:
776:
775:
772:
770:
767:
766:
764:
762:
758:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
741:
737:
735:
732:
730:
729:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
659:
657:
655:
651:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
626:
624:
620:
614:
611:
609:
606:
604:
601:
599:
598:Catoptromancy
596:
594:
591:
590:
588:
586:
582:
576:
573:
571:
570:Rhapsodomancy
568:
566:
563:
561:
558:
556:
553:
552:
550:
548:
544:
538:
535:
533:
530:
528:
525:
523:
520:
518:
515:
513:
512:Alectryomancy
510:
508:
505:
504:
502:
498:
494:
490:
487:
480:
475:
473:
468:
466:
461:
460:
457:
450:
448:
442:
439:
436:
432:
429:
425:
423:0-253-20847-5
419:
415:
411:
407:
403:
399:
395:
391:
389:0-942272-24-2
385:
381:
377:
373:
369:
363:
359:
355:
351:
350:
344:
339:
332:
326:
319:
313:
307:
306:85-286-0774-7
303:
299:
293:
287:
286:85-314-0475-4
283:
279:
273:
266:
265:2-909571-13-0
262:
258:
254:
249:
245:
237:
235:
231:
227:
221:
219:
203:
194:
180:
178:
168:
166:
160:
157:
156:merindinlogun
151:
146:
141:
138:
133:
129:
125:
120:
118:
117:Latin America
108:
104:
102:
98:
95:
85:
83:
77:
69:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
23:
19:
1013:expanding it
1002:
987:
919:Mesopotamian
912:
897:Cledonomancy
872:
842:Scapulimancy
822:Omphalomancy
751:Tasseography
738:
726:
697:Molybdomancy
676:
532:Ornithomancy
444:
441:Anne Regourd
434:
431:Anne Regourd
413:
401:
379:
357:
338:
330:
325:
317:
312:
297:
292:
277:
272:
256:
248:
233:
222:
215:
183:In Candomblé
174:
164:
161:
142:
121:
114:
105:
96:
91:
80:salutes the
78:
75:
21:
20:
18:
827:Oracle bone
800:Somatomancy
769:Gastromancy
722:Runic magic
717:Rhabdomancy
593:Aspidomancy
547:Bibliomancy
507:Ailuromancy
500:Theriomancy
171:In SanterĂa
132:Puerto Rico
66:East Africa
42:West Africa
1058:Divination
1052:Categories
961:Revelation
924:Numerology
887:Apparition
774:Mediumship
761:Necromancy
672:Cartomancy
654:Cleromancy
644:Hydromancy
634:Capnomancy
613:Oculomancy
527:Myrmomancy
489:divination
486:Methods of
240:References
48:, such as
26:divination
934:Isopsephy
892:Astrology
882:Apophenia
837:Podomancy
832:Palmistry
682:Favomancy
667:Belomancy
639:Aeromancy
629:Pyromancy
622:Elemental
226:Candomblé
54:Candomblé
1083:SanterĂa
956:Prophecy
929:Gematria
907:Geomancy
817:Haruspex
791:Taghairm
712:Opon IfĂĄ
522:Myomancy
412:(1993).
400:(1958).
378:(1992).
356:(2011).
255:(1954):
177:SanterĂa
50:SanterĂa
966:Ecstasy
946:Onmyodo
913:I Ching
858:African
687:Kumalak
608:Dowsing
585:Scrying
560:Falnama
137:dilogun
82:Orishas
58:Umbanda
34:rituals
971:Vision
951:Oracle
874:Sikidy
779:SĂ©ance
734:Sortes
728:Sikidy
692:Mengdu
575:Virgil
517:Augury
420:
386:
364:
304:
284:
263:
145:Brazil
130:, and
94:Yoruba
56:, and
30:cowrie
28:using
1007:is a
868:NggĂ m
851:Other
707:Opele
565:Homer
555:Bible
537:NggĂ m
62:India
1009:stub
941:Omen
447:AION
418:ISBN
384:ISBN
362:ISBN
302:ISBN
282:ISBN
261:ISBN
218:coin
165:Odu.
124:Cuba
36:and
863:IfĂĄ
234:odĂș
153:or
143:In
122:In
1054::
159:.
140:.
126:,
103:.
64:,
52:,
1040:e
1033:t
1026:v
1015:.
478:e
471:t
464:v
449:)
426:.
392:.
370:.
267:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
