Clearing the Waters: A Monograph on Saint Cyprian Divination from the 17th to the 19th Century — José Leitão

Saint Cyprian divination, Portuguese folk magic, Book of Saint Cyprian

Clearing the Waters: A Monograph on Saint Cyprian Divination from the 17th to the 19th Century by José Leitão is a detailed historical investigation into the mysterious divinatory traditions surrounding Saint Cyprian and the Portuguese Book of Saint Cyprian.

Drawing extensively upon records of the Portuguese Inquisition, Leitão traces four centuries of Iberian urban magic to uncover the origins and development of practices associated with the Cyprianic tradition. The study examines coscinomancy, favomancy and hydromancy before following their development into the card divination systems that became closely associated with the Book of Saint Cyprian.

At the heart of the work is the enigmatic seafaring incantation attributed to Saint Cyprian, describing a supposed seven-year voyage at sea. Leitão investigates why this narrative appears within Cyprianic cartomancy and explores related incantations preserved in other sources of divination and sorcery. Through historical, thematic and methodological analysis, the book places these traditions within their wider Iberian context.

Clearing the Waters is particularly valuable for its extensive documentary material. Detailed appendixes reproduce Inquisitorial evidence examined by the author, with much of the material transcribed and translated into English for the first time. This makes the volume not only a study of Saint Cyprian divination but also a substantial reference work for researchers of Iberian folk magic and historical sorcery.

For collectors and practitioners interested in the Book of Saint Cyprian, Portuguese magic and historical divination, this volume provides an unusual opportunity to explore the traditions behind one of the most enduring magical figures in European occult literature.

Premium Production Details

Author: José Leitão

Publisher: Hadean Press

Binding: Sewn bound hardback

Pages: 142

Published: July 2022

Size: 210mm x 148mm

Hardback ISBN: 978-1-914166-18-1

Covering Material: Wicotex Brillianta Bri4000 Schwarz

Endpapers: Papur Cascada Pac1080 Black Natural

Head & Tail Bands: Black

Cover Finish: Gold foil on spine and front

Front Cover: Debossed and printed image applied to debossed area