Penn symposium on ancient divination

THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA:

CAS Annual Symposium Fall 2016

Divination in the Ancient World

All sessions are in Rainey Auditorium at University of Pennsylvania Museum. Enter via the Kress Entrance.

The belief in divination, the possibility of learning the future and/or thewill of the god(s), is one that is prevalent throughout the world, in both ancient and modern times. In the past, scholars tended to avoid working on divination, which was looked down upon as superstition and not worthy of study. However, over the last few decades more and more scholars have become interested in this topic, realizing that it provided insights into the fears and belief systems of ancient peoples, and that it had real effects on how people acted. This conference brings together leading scholars to present and discuss original scholarship on divination in ancient societies across the world.

The Symposium takes place on 10-12 November. Follow the link for an in-progress program. The topics are wide ranging, but biblical discourse on divination receives attention.