Module 1: Foundations · Lesson 2 of 115 · 3 min
A short history
| Period | Development |
|---|---|
| Ancient India | Samudrika Shastra, the study of the body's marks and features, includes the hand. Hand marks (conch, lotus, fish, wheel) appear in descriptions of great beings in Indian texts |
| Ancient Greece | Greek writers discuss reading the hand; later tradition credits Aristotle with interest in it |
| Middle Ages and Renaissance | Chiromancy develops in Europe and becomes linked with astrology: the mounts are named after planets |
| 19th century | Casimir d'Arpentigny and Adrien Desbarrolles systematise hand shapes and lines in France |
| Late 19th–early 20th century | William John Warner, known as Cheiro, popularises palmistry worldwide; his books remain widely read |
| 20th century | Psychological and medical interest in hands (fingerprints, the single palmar crease) adds new layers |