Historic Facts
Around 1848, in the USA, the attention was drawn towards several strange phenomena that consisted in noises, raps and motion of objects, of unknown causes. Those phenomena happened frequently, spontaneously, with a singular intensity and persistence; however, it was also observed that they occurred particularly under the influence of certain persons called mediums, who could somehow provoke them at will, thus allowing the repetition of experiments.
Tables were mostly used for that matter; it is not that they might be more favorable than another object but only because they were mobile, accommodating, and it was easier and natural to have people seating around a table than any other piece of furniture. By this way the rotation of the table was observed, then the motion in all directions, hops, reversions, fluctuations, violent knocks, etc. The phenomena were designated, in principle, with the name turning tables or dancing tables.