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The exact origins of astrological geomancy are unknown. It is similar to the casting of lots referred to in the Latin and Greek classics and may have been practiced by ancient desert nomads who made marks in the sand which they then interpreted to answer questions of personal concern. Medieval European writers agreed that it was also acceptable to draw the dots on a piece of parchment or paper. In keeping with the Arabic origin of geomancy, most writers recommend making the dots from right to left, the direction in which Arabic is written.
A system of geomancy linking astrological symbols with figures formed from holes poked in the earth became popular during the Renaissance. It's most famous spokesperson was Henry Cornelius Agrippa, born in 1486, and author of several texts in Latin on occult philosophy. He developed a method of making marks on the earth with a stick, (currently the method is also used by making marks on paper with a pencil or pen) and then interpreting them in combination with a horoscope wheel depicting the twelve astrological houses.Many different systems existed, most of which were intimately related to the sciences of alchemy and especially astrology.
A particular use of Geomancy is now incorporated into a wider system that promote the harmonious relationship between humans and the landscape, especially that which influences building, town planning, and, in particular, the construction and placement of ancient monuments, such as ancient stone circles, pyramids, etc. This meaning arises from a contemporary movement which has seen a revival of earlier occult arts, and a synthesis of these with other New Age concepts. Texts dealing with this subject maintain the notion that the ancients possessed a now-lost knowledge of harmony with the earth.
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