Prognostication in the Medieval World: A Handbook

Description

Two opposing views of the future in the Middle Ages dominate recent historical scholarship. According to one opinion, medieval societies were expecting the near end of the world and therefore had no concept of the future. According to the other opinion, the expectation of the near end created a drive to change the world for the better and thus for innovation. Close inspection of the history of prognostication reveals the continuous attempts and multifold methods to recognize and interpret God’s will, the prodigies of nature, and the patterns of time. That proves, on the one hand, the constant human uncertainty facing the contingencies of the future. On the other hand, it demonstrates the firm believe during the Middle Ages in a future which could be shaped and even manipulated. The handbook provides the first overview of current historical research on medieval prognostication. It considers the entangled influences and transmissions between Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and non-monotheistic societies during the period from a wide range of perspectives. An international team of 63 renowned authors from about a dozen different academic disciplines contributed to this comprehensive overview. Contents In gratiam et in memoriam Volume 1 Introduction Part I: Introductory Surveys Divination in Antiquity Early Medieval Perspectives on Pre-Christian Traditions in the Celtic World Pagan Traditions of Prognostication in the Germanic Languages Prognostication in Pagan Beliefs among Slavs in the Middle Ages Prognostication in the Medieval Western Christian World Prognostication in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Prognostication in Medieval Jewish Culture Medieval Traditions of Prognostication in the Islamic World Prognostication in Early Modern Times – Outlook Part II: Traditions and Practices of Prognostication in the Middle Ages Eschatology and Millenarism Traditions and Expectations in the Medieval Western Christian World Traditions and Expectations in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Jewish Traditions and Expectations in the Medieval World Traditions and Expectations in the Medieval Islamic World Prophecy and Visions Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Western Christian World Jewish Traditions and Practices in the Medieval World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Islamic World Dream Interpretation Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Western Christian World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Jewish Traditions and Practices in the Medieval World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Islamic World Mantic Arts Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Western Christian World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Jewish Traditions and Practices in the Medieval World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Islamic World Astral Sciences Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Western Christian World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Jewish Traditions and Practices in the Medieval World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Islamic World Medical Prognostication Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Western Christian World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Jewish Traditions and Practices in the Medieval World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Islamic World Calendrical Calculations Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Western Christian World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Jewish Traditions and Practices in the Medieval World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Islamic World Weather Forecasting Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Western Christian World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Jewish Traditions and Practices in the Medieval World Traditions and Practices in the Medieval Islamic World Quantifying Risks Traditions and Practices in Medieval Western Christian World Volume 2 Part III: Repertoire of Written Sources and Artefacts Calendars, Astronomical Tables, and Easter Tables in the Eastern Christian World Calendars, Astronomical Tables, and Easter Tables in the Western Christian World Culture of Prognosis in the Medieval Western Christian Tradition of the Mirror-of-Princes Debating Astrology in the Renaissance: Pierre d’Ailly (1351–1420), Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499), Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463–1494) Didactic Poems on Prognostication in the Islamic Middle Ages Divination and Prognostication in the Cairo Genizah Doubts and Criticism on Astrology in Western Traditions from Antique to Early Modern Literature Dream Books and Treatises on Dream Interpretation in the Medieval Western Christian World The End is Near: Medieval Mappae mundi and the Apocalypse Games and Prognostication: The Examples of Libro de los Juegos and De vetula Gematria and Prognostication Geomancy in the Islamic World Geomantic Artefacts in the Medieval Islamic World Hagiography in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Hagiography in the Medieval Western Christian World The Importance of Thunder: Brontologia in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Introductions to Astrology Journeys to the Other World: Medieval Jewish Traditions Journeys to the Other World: Medieval Latin Traditions Karaite Objections to Prognostication Late Medieval German Texts on Superstition Legal Sources in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Lekanomanteia in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Libro de las Suertes: an Example of Inter-Cultural Exchanges in Late-Medieval Iberia Mantic Alphabets in the Medieval Western Christian World Mantic Practices in the Collectio Hispana Mathematical Instruments in Astrology Medical Plates in Astrological Medicine Medieval Latin Liturgical Commentaries Novels and Poems in the Medieval Western Christian World Ornithomancy in Medieval Jewish Literature Papal Prophecies in the Middle Ages Physiognomy among Medieval Jews Physiognomy and Chiromancy: From Prediction and Diagnosis to Healing and Human Correction (Zohar 2, 70a–78a; Tiqqunei Zohar, Tiqqun 70) Prognostics in Medieval Byzantine Fictional Literature Prognostication in Latin Commentaries on the Book of Revelation Prognostication in Latin Historiography (ca. 400–1300 CE) Prognostication in Medieval Jewish Law and Legal Thought Prognostication in Learned Magic of the Medieval Western Christian World Prophecy and Prognostication in Visual Art of the Medieval Western Christian World The Pseudo-Aristotelian Sirr al-asrār/ Secretum secretorum The Shoulder-Bone as a Mantic Object Sortes Three Images of Celestial Phenomena in Sixteenth-Century German Illustrated Broadsheets Tractates on the Division of the Sciences in the Medieval Western Christian World Treatises for Predicting hora mortis in the Medieval Eastern Christian World Zījes Index