divining rods
Forked water seekers
Divining rods are forked sticks or bent wires held by a person who walks over ground, supposedly detecting underground water, minerals, or buried objects by the rod's movements.
The practice, also called dowsing, has no scientific basis but persists in folk tradition: The well-digger used divining rods to choose where to drill.
Performing magical rites
- water witchingFolk method finding groundwater
- dowserOne who locates underground water
- pendulumSuspended swinging weight
- forked stickStick with two prongs
bobbing · dipping · locating · detecting · groundwater · prospecting · sensitivity · grip
Authoritative wisdom source
- occultConcealed from view
- esotericAccessible to few
- arcaneUnderstood by few
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
clairvoyance · intuition · sixth sense · psychic · channeling · spiritualism · paganism · shamanism
Water in underground rock
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- wellDug water source
- springRecoiling metal spiral
- underground streamWater flowing beneath earth's surface
water table · moisture · source · reservoir · oasis · irrigation · borehole · drilling
Exposed as fraudulent
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- placeboInactive therapeutic substitute
- confirmation biasPreferring belief-supporting information
- unprovenNot yet established
folklore · old wives tale · superstition · belief · faith · anecdotal · subjective · unreliable
Inorganic natural solids
- oreMetal-bearing rock
- oilSlippery viscous fluid
- goldElement seventy-nine
- buried treasureValuables interred for safekeeping
lost objects · graves · archaeology · survey · exploration · underground pipes · mapping · field work
Warm brownish-green hue
- willowNarrow-leaved waterside tree
- apple woodTimber from fruit trees
- copper wireMetal strand conducting electricity
- coat hangerShoulder-shaped garment holder
freshly cut · flexible · balanced · lightweight · handmade · traditional · natural · grip
witching
Performing magical rites
- water witchingFolk method finding groundwater
- dowserOne who locates underground water
- pendulumSuspended swinging weight
forked stick · bobbing · dipping · locating · detecting · groundwater · prospecting · sensitivity · grip · response
oracle
Authoritative wisdom source
ritual · clairvoyance · intuition · sixth sense · psychic · channeling · spiritualism · paganism · shamanism · ley lines
groundwater
Water in underground rock
underground stream · water table · moisture · source · reservoir · oasis · irrigation · borehole · drilling · hydrology
debunked
Exposed as fraudulent
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- placeboInactive therapeutic substitute
- confirmation biasPreferring belief-supporting information
unproven · folklore · old wives tale · superstition · belief · faith · anecdotal · subjective · unreliable · scientific method
minerals
Inorganic natural solids
buried treasure · lost objects · graves · archaeology · survey · exploration · underground pipes · mapping · field work · search
hazel
Warm brownish-green hue
- willowNarrow-leaved waterside tree
- apple woodTimber from fruit trees
- copper wireMetal strand conducting electricity
coat hanger · freshly cut · flexible · balanced · lightweight · handmade · traditional · natural · grip · handles
- divinationfortune telling, fortune-telling, fortune teller, tarot, tarot cards
divining rodsscientific instruments
Tools for empirical measurement
laboratory equipment · precision instruments · spectrometers · seismographs · magnetometers
divining rodsseismographs
Earth vibration measuring instruments
sonar · metal detectors · magnetometers · sonar equipment · geological surveys
divining, divine, diviner, divined, divines, divination, divinatory, deification, rods