Dowsing for Treasure and Criminals: Extra Uses for Divining Rods

In this episode of Fabulous Folklore, host Icy Sedgwick explores the lesser-known uses of dowsing beyond water detection—specifically for finding treasure and tracking criminals. The episode delves into the rich folklore surrounding treasure dowsing, emphasizing ritualistic practices such as cutting divining rods on St John's Day or Good Friday, using specific woods like willow, hawthorn, and hazel, and performing incantations during the cutting. Legends often center on the need for silence during excavation, with stories warning that breaking silence causes treasure to vanish forever. The episode also examines a compelling 17th-century French case involving Jacques Aymar, a peasant dowser who allegedly used a divining rod to locate murderers and accomplices in a double homicide in Lyon. While skeptics suggest Aymar may have used deduction rather than supernatural means, the story remains a fascinating example of dowsing’s perceived power in criminal investigation. Icy reflects on the lack of verifiable success in treasure dowsing compared to the detailed, albeit unprovable, accounts of criminal tracking, concluding that while dowsing remains a compelling folk tradition, modern forensic methods are more reliable. She also promotes her upcoming book, 'Fate or Fortune: The Art and Folklore of Divination,' and encourages listeners to support the podcast through Patreon, Ko-fi, or word-of-mouth.