The Divining Rod

A History of Water Witching

Arthur Jackson Ellis

• Publisher: Barakaldo Books
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9781839743764
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Buddhism

The use of a forked twig, or so-called divining rod, in locating minerals, finding hidden treasure, or detecting criminals is a curious superstition that has been a subject of discussion since the middle of the sixteenth century and still has a strong hold on the popular mind, even in this country, as is shown by the large number of inquiries received each year by the United States Geological Survey as to its efficacy, especially for locating underground water, and the persistent demands that it be made a subject of investigation by the Survey. The bibliography shows that a truly astonishing number of books and pamphlets have been written on the subject. The purpose of the present brief paper is not to add another contribution to this enormous volume of uncanny literature but merely to furnish a reply to the numerous inquiries that are continually being received from all parts of the country. The outline of the history of the subject presented in the following pages will probably enable most honest inquirers to appreciate the practical uselessness of "water witching" and other applications of the divining rod, but those who wish to delve further into the mysteries of the subject are referred to the literature cited in the bibliography, in which they will find reports in painful detail of exhaustive investigations and pseudo investigations of every phase of the subject and every imaginable explanation of the supposed phenomena.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF “WATER WITCHING.”

In compiling this bibliography the author has used the earlier bibliographies of Birot and Roux (Hydroscopie et rabdomancie: Soc. agr., sci. ind. de Lyon Annales, 1912) and Klinckowstroem (Bibliographie der Wünschelrute, Munich, 1911). So far as possible the books cited have been examined at the Library of Congress and the citations verified.

15—.MELANCHTHON, PHILIPPE, Discours sur la sympathie [Discourse on sympathy (=“sympathetic affinity”)].

1532. BERNHARDUS, R. P., Vera atque brevis deecriptio virgulae mercurialis, etc.

[True yet brief description of the wand of Mercury, etc.], Prag.

1556. AGRICOLA, GEORGIUS, De re metallica [On metals], book 12, 1st ed.; another ed., Bâle, 1557. Translated into English by H. C. Hoover and L. H. Hoover, and published for the translators by the Mining Magazine, London, in 1912.

1569. BESSON, JACQUES, L’art et science de trouver les eaux et fontaines cachées sous terre [The art and science of finding water and fountains hidden under ground].

1569. PORTA, JO. BAPTISTA, Magiae naturalis sive de miraculis rerum [Natural magic].

1573-1609. KECKERMANN, Systemata physica [Systematic physics], book 1, ch. 8.

1580. BODIN, J., La démonomanie des sorciers, ou le fléau des démons et des sorciers [The demonomania of sorcerers, or the plague of demons and sorcerers], book 1, ch. 5; 1st ed.

1584. PEUCER, GASPAR, Les devine [The diviners], book 13, ch. 10, pp. 145-146, Anvers.

1588. BELON, PIERRE, Lee observations de plusieurs singularitez et choses memorables [Observations on many singular and remarkable things], book 1, ch. 50, p. 102.

1608. EGLIN, RAPHAËL. See Percis, Heliophilus.

1608. PERCIS, HELIOPHILUS A (Eglin, Raphaël), Disquisitio de Helia artista, in qua de metallorum transformatione, adversus Hagelii et Pererii Jesuitarum opiniones, evidenter et solide dissertur [Treatise on the Helian art, in which the transformation of metals, contrary to the views of Hagelius and Pererius, the Jesuits, is clearly and convincingly discussed], Marpurgi.

1617. LÖHNEYSS, GEORG E., Bericht vom Bergkwerck, wie man dieselben bauen und in guten Wolstandt bringen soll, sampt allen darzu gehörigen Arbeiten, Ordnung, und rechtlichen Process [Report on mines, how they are made and kept in good condition, together with all works, regulations, and laws pertaining thereto]. No place of publication (at the end: Zellerfeldt).

1618. LIGNARIDUS, HERMANN, Oblectamenta academica, etc. [Academic amusements], Oppenhemii.

1618. MONTANUS, ELIAS, Bergwercksschatz *** [A treasury of mining lore], Frankfurt on the Main.

1618. ROBERTI, JOH., Goclenius Heautontimorumenos [Goclenius, the self-tormentor], Luxemburg.

1619. GUTMANN, ÄGIDIUS, Offenbarung göttlicher Mayestät, etc. [Revelations of the Divine Majesty, etc.], Daschen.

1619. MAYER, MICHEL, Verum inventum [The truth discovered], ch. 4, Frankfurt.

1626. BASILIUS VALENTINUS [Benedictine monk], Novum testamentum [New testament], French translation, book 2, ch. 22-28.

1630. GALIEN, CLAUDE, La découverte des eaux minérales de Château-Thierry et de leurs propriétés [The discovery of the mineral waters of Château-Thierry and their properties], Paris.

1632. BERTEREAU, MARTINE DE [Baroness Beausoleil], Veritable déclaration faite au Roy et à nos Seigneurs de son conseil des riches et inestimables trésors nouvellement descouverte dans le Royaume de France [True declaration made to the King and to our gentlemen of his Council concerning riches and inestimable treasures newly discovered in the kingdom of France]. No place of publication.

1632. BERTEREAU, MARTINE DE [Baroness Beausoleil], Veritable déclaration de la descouverte des mines et minières de France, par le moyen desquelles sa Majesté et ses subjects se peuvent passer de tous les pays estrangers; ensemble des propriétez d’aucunes sources et eaux minérales descou vertes depuis peu de temps à Château-Thierry. [True declaration of the discovery of mines and minerals of France, by means of which his Majesty and his subjects are able to surpass all foreign countries. Together with the properties of certain springs and mineral waters discovered a short time ago at Château-Thierry]. No place of publication.

1636. CAESIUS, BERNARD, Mineralogia [Mineralogy], book 1, ch. 7, sec. 4.

1636-1651. SCHWENTER, DANIEL, and GEORG PH. HARSDÖRFFER, Deliciae physico-mathematicae *** [Philosophical-mathematical recreations.] Nuremberg, 3 Bd., 6 Teil, 16 Frage.

1638. FLUDD, ROBERT (or FLUCTIBUS, ROBERT DE), Philosophia moysaica [The Mosaic philosophy], sec. 2, book 2, memb. 2, ch. 5, Gouda.

1639. PLATTES, GABRIEL, A discovery of subterraneall treasure, viz, of all manner of mines and minerals, from the gold to the coale; with plain directions and rules for the finding of them in all kingdoms and countries. Also the art of melting, refining, and assaying of them is plainly declared, so that every ordinary man, that is indifferently capacious, may with small charge presently try the value of such oares as shall be found either by rule or by accident, etc., London. Another edition, Philadelphia, 1792.

1640. BERTEREAU, MARTINE DE, La restitution de Pluton. À Mgr. l’éminentissime Cardinal Duc de Richelieu [The restitution of Pluto. To Mgr. the most eminent Cardinal Duc de Richelieu].

1645. KIRCHER, ATHANASIUS, Magnes, sive de arte magnetica [The magnet, or concerning the magnetic art], book 3, part 5, ch. 3, Rome.

1645. MOLINAEUS, PETRUS (Pierre du Moulin), Physicorum seu scientiae naturalis libri novem [Nine books of physics or natural science], 197 pp., Amsterdam. See book 5, ch. 7, pp. 81-82.

1648. ALDROVANDUS, ULYSSES, Musaeum metallicum [Museum of metals], book 1, ch. 1, art. Metallorum inveniendorum ratio, Bonn.

1654. FRANÇOIS, JEAN, La science des eaux, etc. [The science of water, etc.], Rennes and Paris.

1655. EICHHOLTZ, PETER, Geistliches Bergwerck, etc. [Spiritistic mining, etc.], Goslar.

1657-1659. SCHOTT, GASPAR, Magiae universalis naturae et artis, sive recondita naturalium et artificialium rerum scientia [The magic of nature and art, or occult science of natural and artificial things], 4 vols., Herbipoli.

1658. KLEIN, JACOBUS. See Sperling, Johann, et Jacobus Klein.

1658. SPERLING, JOHANN, et JACOBUS KLEIN, An virgula mercurialis agat ex occulta qualitate: disquisitio philosophica [Does the rod of Mercury act from occult power: a philosophical treatise], Wittenberg (about 1658).

1661. BEERN, P. C. See Liebentantz, Michael.

1661. BOYLE, ROBERT, Tentamina quaedam physiologica [Some physiologic experiments], London.

1661. LIEBENTANTZ, MICHAEL, et PHIL. CHRISTOPH BEERN, De magia baculorum; diseertatio physico-philologica [The magic of wands, a physical philologie dissertation], Wittenberg.

1662. RATTRAY, SYLVESTER, Theatrum sympatheticum auctum, exhibens varioe authores *** [A large “sympathetic” theater, exhibiting various authors], Nuremberg.

1665-1678. KIRCHER, ATHANASIUS, Mundus subterraneue, in XII libros digestus [The subterranean world, in 12 books], vol. 2, book 10, ch. 7, Amsterdam.

1665-1667. GLANVIL, JOSEPH [Reply to Robert Boyle’s article. See Boyle, Robert, 1661]: Philos. Trans., vol. 2, Nos. 28 and 39, in the Savoy (London).

1666. BUTSCHKY VON RUTINFELD, SAMUEL, Erweiterte und verbässerte Hoch-Deutsche Kanzelley, etc. [Broadened and improved high German preaching (containing mention of the divining rod)], Breslau and Jena.

1667. PRAETORIUS, JOHANN, Gazophylaci Gaudium. Das ist Ein Ausbund von Wündschel-Ruthen oder sehr lustreiche und ergetzliche Historien von wunderseltzamen Erfindungen der Schätze, etc. [The joy of the treasurer—that is, a pattern of divining rod or very pleasurable and entertaining history of most strange discoveries of treasures], Leipsic.

1669. KIRCHMAIER, THEODOR, et J. H. MARTIUS, Diseertatio physica de virgula divinatrice [Philosophic treatise on the divining rod], Wittenberg.

1669. PRAETORIUS, JOHANN, Der Abentheuerliche Glücks-Topf *** [The strange luck pot *** ].

1671. WEBSTER, JOHN, Metallographia: or, an history of metals. Wherein is declared the signs of ores and minerals both before and after digging, the causes and manner of their generations, their kinds, sorts, and differences; with the description of sundry new metals, or semimetals, and many other things pertaining to mineral knowledge, etc., London [pp. 104-110 on the divining rod, which the author condemns].

1671. WILLENIUS, MATTHAEUS, or WILLE, MATTHES, De salis origine *** tractatus philosophicus [On the origin of salt, a philosophic treatise], Jena, 1671; new edition, 1684.

1673. SCHWIMMER, JOHANN M., Tractatus physicus *** [Treatise on philosophy], Jena. 4°. Diss. 8, pp. 129-134.

1674. ANHORN, BARTHOLOM, Magiologia, Basel.

1674. DECHALES, CL.-FR. MILLET, Cursus seu mundus mathematicus [General course in mathematics], 4 vols., Lyons 1674. 2nd ed., Lugduni, 1690. De fontibus et fluviis [Concerning springs and streams], vol. 3, tractatus 17.

1674. LE ROYER, JACQUES, Traité du baston universel [Treatise on the universal rod], Rouen.

1674. SCHAUB, J. D., Dissertatio physica de virgula mercuriali, quam divina aspirante gratia, etc. [Philosophic treatise on the rod of mercury, which divine favor, etc.], Marpurgi Cattorum.

1675. FROMMANN, JOANNES CHRISTIAN, Tractatus de fascinatione novus et singular...

Table of contents

• Title page
• Table of Contents
• ILLUSTRATIONS.
• INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
• FORM OF THE DIVINING ROD.
• ORIGIN OF THE DIVINING ROD.
• SPREAD OF THE DELUSION.
• ORIGIN OF “WATER WITCHING.”
• ECCLESIASTICAL CONTROVERSIES.
• USE OF THE DIVINING ROD IN DETECTING CRIMINALS.
• SCIENTIFIC CONTROVERSIES.
• MECHANICAL WATER FINDERS.
• BIBLIOGRAPHY OF “WATER WITCHING.”
• PUBLICATIONS NOT DATED.