Dowsing

Dowsing is a traditional practice that claims to locate water, minerals, archaeological sites, or other subsurface phenomena using simple devices such as divining rods or pendulums. Practitioners—often called dowsers or witchers—may claim that the devices respond to unseen energy fields, subsurface signals, or intuitive cues, allowing them to identify target locations without scientific instruments. Dowsing has appeared in various cultures for centuries and remains in use today in some communities and by enthusiasts.

Common methods include two L-shaped rods held loosely in the hands so they cross or diverge in response to a subsurface feature; a Y-shaped forked branch used as a conduit; or a pendulum or weight suspended from a string. Some dowsers walk over an area, noting changes in rod position or pendulum movement, while others work with a map and indicate directions or positions. The procedures and claimed targets vary among practitioners.

History: Dowsing has roots in medieval and early modern Europe and spread in rural areas for locating groundwater, with later use claimed for finding minerals, oil, or buried objects. The term water witching is commonly associated with its groundwater practices, and dowsing has appeared within various folk traditions and commercial contexts.

Scientific evaluation: Dowsing is regarded as a pseudoscience by the scientific community. Controlled tests typically show results no better than chance, and proposed mechanisms (energy fields, mystical signals) lack empirical support. The most robust explanations invoke ideomotor effects and cognitive biases, rather than detection of an actual subsurface signal.

Today, dowsing persists in some regions as a cultural practice and commercial service, though it faces skepticism from scientists and geologists. Its standing varies by locale, with some people continuing to use it for practical or folkloric reasons while others view it as anecdotal.