Jakub Hlaváček:
Hájek’s metoposcopy, its sources, core and reception

Abstract

This study deals with the teachings of signatures in treatise on Metoposcopy written by the 16th century Czech naturalist Tadeáš Hájek z Hájku. The paper considers Hájek’s ideas within the context of his astrological and alchemical interests. Although the theory of signatures did not rank among his main interests, author will try to investigate how much his basic knowledge of medicine-oriented teachings on the signatures is in liaison with the tradition of Paracelsus and his followers and how much is based on the physiognomy handbooks of the time, especially on Guglielmo Grataroli and other authors.

Language: czech

Keywords: Tadeáš Hájek z Hájku; Paracelsus; Gerolamo Cardano; metoposcopy; signatures; physiognomy