From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
"Necromancy - (from the Greek nekros, "dead", and manteia, "divination")
Necromancy is a special mode of divination (q. v.) by the evocation of the dead. Understood as nigromancy (niger, black), which is the Italian, Spanish and old French form, the term suggests "black" magic or "black" art, in which marvellous results are due to the agency of evil spirits,... The practice of necromancy supposes belief in the survival of the soul after death, the possession of a superior knowledge by the disembodied spirit, and the possibility of communication between the living and the dead."
There was a very famous 19th century necromancer, but we won't mention his name here, because Birdie believes in this stuff! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]
[ June 11, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]
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