Kafemanteía: Coffee Divination as Women’s Prophetic Art in Ancient and Modern Times

 

Kafemanteía, the art of interpreting patterns in the grounds of Turkish coffee, is a widespread form of contemporary divination linked to much older techniques. In this essay I describe the art and explore some possible reasons why kafemanteía, like ritual dance, tends to be practiced chiefly by women. In Walking the Worlds, issue 7, Summer 2017. Available from www.walkingtheworlds.com