After receiving a few requests for a post on this and a bit of extra time, I decided to finally sit down and have a chat about necromancy.
Since Biblical days, necromancy has been considered one of the most immoral magics that a magician could perform. The conjuration of souls which have passed through death’s gate was and still is considered a foul act. Fiddling with bones and whispering damnable words makes the skin crawl, and as it should. This is playing with death.
The word necromancy refers to the act of divining through the use of the dead. Through the definition itself seems rather ambiguous, the act of necromancy is commonly illustrated through two methods within pop culture and common belief. The first is the actual raising of the body itself to utter secrets. The second is the raising of the soul to relay information. In actuality, the latter is true while the former remains to be a dramatization, though the magicians of some cultures use poison to temporarily paralyze and ‘revive’ people to simulate the creation of a zombie.
The idea of what necromancy was changed over time. The suffix of the word was disregarded. In time, the practice of raising the dead, whether bodily or by spirit, was considered to be necromancy. Soon, the definition expanded further into being any magic that dealt in death and spirits of the dead.
Necromancy has long been known to be quite a ceremonial art. Grimoires accounting for necromantic rituals give lucid instruction on how to follow the procedure for the most successful result, even giving counter incantations and workings for the possible failure or derailment of the working. Swords, knives, staffs, wands, and pointed weapons were used to command the spirits and force their compliance. Names of God, incantations in Hebrew and Latin (sometimes a corruption of both), and angelic invocation were also used for force compliance of a spirit. Circles and measures of protection were used to keep the magician safe in his efforts to raise the dead, especially for when the spirit was particularly malicious or violent.The ceremonies needed to be followed quite closely, lest the spirits be loosened and either attack the practitioner or flee.
However, in places where folk magic flourished, other acts of necromancy became clear. In Northern countries, most acts to become a sorcerer or to gain supernatural power were done in graveyards or churchyards (which would act as a local graveyard for many small towns). In these rituals, the magician would ask the spirits of the dead to lease power or knowledge to them. It might even be suggested that a spirit within that graveyard might act as a future familiar spirit to the magician in question, teaching, serving, and acting as a connector to the Other World.
However, even within the accounts of folk Necromancy, a sense of formality is still stressed. A ‘charmed ring’ as described in a tale called “The Ghost of Stythians” is used by a Cornish white witch to protect her client from the possible attacks of churchyard spirits that she intended to raise. Incantations in foreign tongues are accounted for. So too, powers beyond the magician are invoked to control the spirit and force compliance.
In Germanic cultures, and later in Anglo-Saxon society, raising the dead was a magical act accounted for in both practice and in mythological source. Volvas, sorcerous Norse seeresses, were told to be raised by both gods and man alike to be asked for advice and tellings of the future. Later, in 10th Century Anglo Saxon England, King Edgar enacts a law that commands that people who live upon the land should drive out all known witches, wizards, and morthwyrtha. Morthwyrtha were people who venerated the dead, specifically, their beloved dead or ancestors. Though this practice was thought to be religious in some sense, it still retained necromantic connotations because it involved working with the dead.
Just as witchcraft is, necromancy is a common magical practice found in nearly every culture. However, the method of practice is what makes it unique to each culture. Some traditions account for different methods, while other more rural customs account for others. Of course, the kind of necromancy being talked about makes these methods vary, as well as the kind of connotation it holds culturally.
Ancestral Veneration- Is it necromancy? It depends on who you ask. Some will assert that it clearly fits the word’s meaning and definition, and thus clearly can be classified as a necromantic act. Others are less than convinced by this, arguing that necromancy has connotations that would suggest asserting magical dominance over the spirit in question rather than praying to it or venerating it in any way. What is clear is that it is a magical act that has been accounted for in many old tales and myths, most of which include questioning the spirit of an ancestor for guidance. This would, by definition, classify it as necromantic in some way.
The way that many cultures partake in venerating their beloved dead is quite varied and at the same time, rather similar. Objects of focus are used to symbolize the dead, whether that be a photograph, one of their belongings, a gift from them to the practitioner, or an altar made in their name. They are fed with food, drinks, gifts, incense, etc. Then, they are prayed to by the practitioner. Cultural intricacies will individualize the practice, but those three steps are the most common in any practice that includes ancestral veneration.
Mediumship- Much controversy is put around the claim that mediumship is necromancy. With the recent increase in popularity with the term, any purported relation to such an act as necromancy is vehemently struck down without consideration. It remains, however, that an act of necromancy is often coupled with some form of mediumship. To be a medium is to mediate between the living and the dead, often through a variety of forms. Classic mediums are possessed and relay information that way. Though, some hear or see the Dead, as with those with the Sight. It is popularly, and very broadly, considered to be the ability to perceive and communicate with spirits of the dead. Because it is so intrinsically tied up with spirits of dead folks and because it’s often used by people to gain information, it fits with the definition of necromancy. However, for it to be necromancy, it requires the dead to be summoned or called in some way. It is this act of magic which is found in most necromantic rites.
Is it fair to call a gifted medium a necromancer? I would think not without context. If they were to use magic to summon the spirits which they mediate for, then I would be more inclined to believe it. The use of magic in the act of divining through the dead seems to be the indicator of whether it is necromancy or not.
Acquisition of Sorcerous Power- As stated before, many rural magical traditions account for magicians acquiring power through the dead in a variety of means. Not only is it thought that the dead would act as helpers to this magicians, but they would be the current through which power would flow to the newly made sorcerer.
Most of the workings accounted for take place on a Thursday, usually between the hours of midnight to two o’clock. Some account for going to a churchyard and taking metal from the church-bell and promising to return it in death. Others account for leaving things behind, like blood or gifts. One of the most popular methods, which is not bound to Northern cultures alone, is that of grave-sleeping. Sleeping upon a grave is thought to connect the living practitioner with the spirits of the dead within that place. Through them, power is allowed to flow to the practitioner, effectively making them a sorcerer.
Bone Work- Less about the spirit which needs to be summoned and much more about the local spirits is bone work. Bone work involves a practice in which one seeks to commune with and, ultimately either help or control, the spirit found inside of the bones which they have found or been given. Though it is popularly believed now that the spirit completely leaves the bones upon death, the folklore of old is not so clean cut on its belief about death. The soul has parts. Some bits stay and some bits go. When a person, dead or not, leaves a bit of their body behind, it carries a part of their spirit. The rest of their spirit may be accessed and leveraged by the smaller part. This is the intrinsic nature of animism, which is ultimately the relationship between the micro and the macro. By working rites and magic over the bone, the magician is able to control the spirit which is already inside the bone, and effectively gaining contact with the rest of the spirit as well.
Beyond this, the belief which is common across many cultures is that the material of bone itself provides connection to the dead. A single human skull may be used as a symbol and a bridge, allowing connection to ancestral spirits and shades. The skull of a fox might act as a go-between, a bridge between the Wild Unknown and the Living Order. It is through working with the bones that the magician is able to work with the spirits, whether native to its remains, or something connected to it in some way, shape, or form.
Spirit-Raising- Without a doubt, this is certainly the most recognizable and identifiable acts of necromantic magic. In this, the magician is looking to bring the spirit of a dead individual to them and, presumably, answer their questions or bidding. Methods of this act vary greatly between traditions of magic and cultures, but the nature of the raising itself may also change the method.
If perhaps the magician wishes to raise the spirit of a dead loved one, or with whom they are connected in some way, they may not approach the raising as any other necromantic act. In this, gentleness and coaxing is used to bring the spirit back to the magician. Incantations, food, and light can be beacons to the named spirit so that it might return successfully.
The magician might also wish to raise the spirit of a man with whom they were not acquainted with in life or with whom we had quarreled with. In this case, a much different tone is undertaken. The spirit might show resistance to the magician and refuse their calls. The spirit might attack the magician for disturbing them. The spirit might attempt to flee. In any case, there is a great chance for issue and flaw. In this case, a much more traditional undertaking is likely to be taken up. Protective measures, likely a circle of some sort, are used to ensure the magician’s safety in this most trying operation. So too are tools or weapons are used for force and compulsion. A blasting rod with forked tongs, a black handled knife, a silver sword, a yew wand, or any number of such tools have been employed in the past for such tasks.
Then, of course, comes the next part of the task which is to question the dead. Such tools of complement become of use again. The spirit must be compelled to speak the truth to the necromancer. After they do the magician’s will, they will be given the license to depart. Such an incantation will give the spirit freedom to leave the magician’s bonds, only under the condition that it will not harm anyone or anything on its way back to its place of origin. This is not a banishment and will not force a spirit to leave. Some spirits are intent upon staying, if for no other reason that to try to fight the magician’s will. Under such a circumstance, a banishment and exorcism of the space is required to force the spirit to return from where the magician summoned it.
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With these being some of the most popular forms of necromancy, there are also innumerable other examples of necromantic work. Given that the definition has widened so much into being magic that deals in spirits of the dead, it covers a broad spectrum of magical systems and traditions.
Attending necromancy’s reputation of being one of the darkest arts is a large amount of caution which is issued with workings of that nature. Not all spirits will come forward of their own volition. Often times, classic necromantic workings are designed to force compliance. With that, the spirit might become enraged or wish to exact vengeance. A few things need to be taken into consideration before diving into this.
Protection- When playing with spirits that are possibly malicious or could become violent, protection of some kind is always suggested. Most magicians will lay a circle of some kind to protect themselves from the powers that they seek to command. They will also carry with them talismans and charms which protect them from the touch of the summoned shades, but will not necessarily deter the working itself. Of course, the tools they carry are also a means of protection. Not only do these tools command such powers as those being summoned, but they act as weapons when the spirits attack or break loose of compulsion. Black handled knives, iron blades, water purified with silver and salt, staves and wands made of hazel or yew, etc. all prove effective as weapons against spirits of the dead. A combination of tools, glyphs, charms, and the like is suggested when one seeks to command the dead. However, these protective measures should be just that, protective, but not an interference with the working itself. Injury is best avoided, but when one practices this art, no one leaves untouched.
Tone- Different acts of necromancy call for different approaches. This is a simple thing. However, there are a great many complexities to this. Each act will call for a different method, but above all, it will call for a different tone. In acts looking to summon spirits of dead loved ones, family, friends, or beloved ancestors, the working will look and feel intrinsically different than that of a rite to conjure the spirit of an unfamiliar ghost. Kinder words will be used, gentler motions and actions are taken. Food and offering might be used, and flames and light to be a beacon. This is not something which will pull a spirit from the grave, but invite them to your side.
On the other hand, with much more characteristic examples of necromancy, the magician might also wish to conjure the spirit of a person who they never knew, but wish to obtain something from. In this case, caution is taken, as is a pronounced sense of sangfroid. They might use words that are much more commanding, actions and spells that are much more coercive, and ritual components that are generally more saturnian.
The tone between rituals changes depending upon the goal and the spirit that the magician intends to conjure. It is for the best of all parties involved, including the spirits, that this is the case. Relationships with spirits may be spoiled or built depending upon the actions of the magician. No word or action hence shall go unnoticed.
Knowledge- It should go without saying that no working of necromancy should be approached blindly. The magician requires knowledge to perform the rite to their set goal. What kind of knowledge?
Foremost, knowledge about the working they are about to attempt. Are there quirks or important intricacies about the exact rite they are about to perform? Is there a set order in which ritual actions are performed? Is there a specific kind of circle or rite space-preperation that needs to be followed? These are all very general questions, but in matters of necromancy, they are to be followed quite closely.
Secondly, but certainly not any less important, is knowledge about the spirit which they will attempt to summon. The more you know about the spirit, the better. Descriptions, especially by familial relation, will help in the summoning of the proper spirit. The thing you don’t want to happen is accidentally summon the wrong spirit. Knowledge about the spirit, about their living life, their interests, their loves, their hates, etc. can help in the summoning. Not only will this help build a proper summoning incantation, but it will help you in deciding the spell components used in their calling. What will lure them into your trap? What will wake them up enough from the grave to come to you? Will it be something that they love, crave, or hate? In that respect, knowledge truly is power.
Power- Such a small word with such large consequence. Amusingly enough, this has little to do with the power which the magician carries internally and everything to do with the power they must acquire over individual spirits. Usually, necromantic workings require a representation of the spirit being summoned. These representations, commonly shown as photographs, drawings, possessions, etc. are not only links to the spirit in question, but a means of exercising power over it. Possessions, photographs, drawings, and the like only work as magical links because they carry a piece of that spirit inside of them. It can be used to compel a spirit, though it does not hold absolute power.
This conversation of power also includes non-magical methods of gaining the upper hand. Folk tales of necromancy or spirits often include outsmarting a spirit. The living have their secrets. Many think they can carry them into the grave. Such secrets can be used to gain an upper hand against the spirit. They were once living. Reputation still matters for some.
This topic intrinsically also has to do with the power used by the magician which stems from a much larger source. Much historical necromancy calls upon God, Christ, or the Holy Trine to compel the spirits that they conjure. The direct use of power lent by God unto a magician is an important one, as it not only addresses the source of a magician’s power over something which many think unconquerable, but it also addresses the understanding of a magician that the power they might draw from a larger source would be infallible in the act of something considered as dangerous as necromancy. It is not only the branching out of spirit relationships, but it is also the amassing of power.
This is something found in non-abrahamic examples as well. The calling on deities, demons, or spirits to open doors, control the dead, or give protection during the process is something found in both modern and historical examples. This should give an indication as to the necessity of spirit work before the act of necromancy. Nothing comes from nothing. Power comes from relativity.
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Having talked about those, the details and components of a necromantic working should be expounded upon. Things like location, timing, and ingredients are exponentially important and interestingly unified across cultures.
The question of time and place of necromantic acts is usually answered quite lucidly by most texts. It is agreed upon that the hours between 12:00 AM and 3:00 AM are quite fitting for necromancy. Even modern folklore provides backing for this, as most people believe it to be the ‘witching hours’, or a liminal time period in which supernatural activity is at its highest.
The best location for it is also usually agreed upon. A churchyard or a graveyard are the most common and considered to be some of the most fitting. Not only is this where bodies lay below, but at night, they are secluded and silent. Some also believe necromantic work is best done in the wilderness. Some hold necromancy rites in their consecrated temples or spaces which have been set aside for such an art. Most agree that to perform it in one’s own home is risky at best, especially in one’s own bedroom. Though as previously stated, some have spaces set aside for their arts.
The location and time are not only meant to connect the magician to the dead they wish to summon, but to shroud them. Silence and stillness are best for raising dead, true, but it’s also best for not getting caught.
Most necromantic acts are undertaken by a magician equipped with one or more tools of the art. These classic tools include black handled knives, blades of silver or iron, a yew wand, a hazel blasting rod, a rowan staff, etc. The construction of such tools are detailed in old grimoires and require a lengthy process of consecration. Upon creating such a tool, the magician wields it to defend themselves against spirit and compel the spirits they have summoned. It is best not to practice spirit raising without having such a tool. It not only affords power, but it proves to be a source of protection for the magician.
The ingredients or components commonly used in necromantic arts are intriguing, as there is a contradiction in their nature. A lot of recipes for rites and spells call for the use of Saturnian ingredients, which is to say that they call for things that are death-like in nature. However, in many cultures, rituals of necromancy also call for the use of things that are to be considered ‘lively’ or full of life, like honey, herbs, flowers, blood, and serpents. These components are a representation of the purpose of necromancy, which is a contradiction in itself. To make the dead live is contradicting. It is through the saturnian components that spirits are drawn and compelled, but it is through the lively ones that they are given voice, breath, and life.
To practice necromancy is to contradict both powers of life and death by marrying them, a crime that even Zeus saw as unnatural. Out of all arts, it is one of the darkest and most risky. Practiced with caution and precision, it can be an invaluable tool. Though once started, it isn’t likely to stop. When a magician becomes a necromancer, they open two doors. One is outside and the other is within.
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