Bible Encyclopedias
Alphitomancy

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

a kind of divination (q.v.) performed with barley, first among the pagans, and from them introduced among Christians. A person suspected of crime was brought before a priest, who made him swallow a piece of barley-cake; if this was done without difficulty, he was declared to be innocent; otherwise, not. Delrio, Disq. Magic, lib. 4, cap. 11; Landon, Eccl. Dict. s.v.

Bibliography Information
McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Alphitomancy'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​tce/​a/alphitomancy.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.