The term Necromancy translates from the Greek words Nekos (Dead) and Manteria (Divination). Therefore Necromancy is the art of divining the dead. However, it was not until the later stages of Italian influences that it changed into “Nigromancia”, which translated to “Black Art”.
In the Ancient civilisation of Greece necromancy originally represented the descent into Hades (Hell) so that people, often seers, could consult with the dead. Necromancy in Ancient Greece was never to raise the dead.
However, this changed in the Middle Ages, when Necromancy was assumed to be sorcery. Due to the belief that Sorcery was the tool of the “devil”, the meaning of necromancy and its uses were thus transformed dramatically.
Since then, Necromancy has been given the description of “summoning the dead”. However, if we look at the art of necromancy throughout history, and the art of Voodoo (which relies on evoking the dead) we see there is a vast difference.
In the sphere of the Modern Age, we can attribute many of the occult beliefs, religions and other uses to a foundation of Necromancy, although, this relies more on the meaning from the Ancient periods rather than that of the medieval periods.
What are the common misconceptions surrounding Necromancy?
One of the major misconceptions about Necromancy is the evoking of “the dead” to carry out one’s deeds. Necromancy has been severly denegrated because of this belief. Real necromancy is not about evoking the dead, it is about communing with them.
Another misconception is that Necromancy is confined to the occult arts, however, once again this is not the case. In any religion, there is death…so there is Necromancy.
Necromancy is NOT dark magick. Throughout history, seers spoke to the dead to understand prophecies, to learn, to be able to guide others. This is what a true Necromancer does. There is no possible way for the dead to rise, once they are dead, the soul (or whatever manifestation one wishes to believe in) leaves the physical shell. It cannot be called back into it, once it has departed.