Bibliomancy: In contemporary Jewish mysticism, a question about the future is answered by choosing a random passage from the Bible. Ancient means of foretelling the future include scapulamancy: reading an animal scapula and hepatoscopy: liver reading.

Fragmentary objects such as this burned figurine fragment often turn up in rubbish pits as a sacrifice, and in some instances a piece is retained to preserve a memory of the event.

 

The fire pit is for the burning of a sacrificial meal for the Samaritan Passover in northern Israel, where the meal is hastily consumed, but the scent goes to heaven, a common practice in ancient religion. The Samaritans see themselves as carrying on the traditions of the ancient Israelites to which they trace their descent.

Utnapishtim in Epic of Gilgamesh (Mesopotamia) “The raven went, and saw the waters receding… Then I put out to the 4 winds, and I made a sacrifice…the gods smelt the pleasant fragrance”

Genesis 8:20: “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in his heart, I will never again curse the ground because of man...”

Iliad I: 62-67: “Who can tell why Phoibos Apollos is so angry, if for the sake of some vow, some hecatomb he blames us, if given the fragrant smoke of lambs, of he goats, somehow he can be made willing to beat the bane aside from us.”