in occultism, a material object that arrives suddenly and mysteriously through the powers of a medium. Often the arrival of an apport may require its passage through other material objects. Apports usually occur during a séance (q.v.) and may involve living or inanimate objects. The apporting of human beings is sometimes called transportation. Spiritualists explain apport as a process involving dematerialization and subsequent reintegration of the objects. Although numerous instances of apport have been reported, many have been proven to be fraudulent.