What methods of divination were used in ancient Egypt?

In ancient Egypt, divination was deeply tied to religion and the belief in communicating with the divine world. Egyptians sought guidance from gods through various forms of symbolic and ritualistic practices. These methods were often practiced by priests or spiritual advisors in temples.

Unlike modern fortune-telling, Egyptian divination involved sacred objects, dreams, astrological alignments, and even interpreting natural phenomena such as animal behavior or river tides.

🔮 Dream Interpretation

One of the most respected methods was dream interpretation. Egyptians believed that gods sent messages through dreams, and specialized dream interpreters helped decode their meaning using dream books.

🪔 Oracle Statues

Statues of gods were sometimes used in rituals. Priests claimed these statues could "answer" questions by movements or through ritual responses during ceremonies.

📜 Astrological Signs

Egyptian priests tracked the stars and planetary movements closely. Astrology was used to determine auspicious dates for everything from battles to agricultural planting and religious festivals.

🐍 Signs from Nature

Omens were interpreted from the behavior of animals, particularly sacred ones like cats, birds, and snakes. The Nile’s flooding patterns were also believed to signal divine messages.