Methods of divination

Methods of divination can be found around the world, and many cultures practice the same methods under different names. During the Middle Ages, scholars coined terms for many of these methods—some of which had hitherto been unnamed—in Medieval Latin, very often utilizing the suffix when the art seemed more mystical (ultimately from Ancient Greek , , 'prophecy' or 'the power to prophesy') and the suffix when the art seemed more scientific (ultimately from Greek , , 'to observe'). Names like drimimantia, nigromantia, and horoscopia arose, along with phrenology and physiognomy.

Some forms of divination are much older than the Middle Ages, like haruspication, while others such as coffee-based tasseomancy originated in the 20th and 21st centuries.

The chapter "How Panurge consulteth with Herr Trippa" of Gargantua and Pantagruel, a parody on occult treatises of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, contains a list of over two dozen "mancies", described as "common knowledge".

A

• abacomancy (also amathomancy): by dust (Hebrew , + Greek , )
• acultomancy (also acutomancy): by needles (from acutomancy below, influenced by Latin , , or , )
• acutomancy → see (Latin [], + Greek , )
• adromancy → see (from idromancy below, influenced by alomancy)
• adryomancy→ see (metathesis of hydromancy)
• aeromancy : by atmospheric conditions (Greek , + , )
• agalmatomancy : by statues (Greek [], + , )
• aichmomancy : by sharp objects (Greek , + , )
• ailuromancy/aeluromancy → see
• aiomancy: By artificial intelligence
• alectormancy/alectromancy : by rooster sacrifice (Greek , + , )
• alectryomancy/alectoromancy: by rooster divination → see
• aleuromancy¹ : by flour; see also (Greek , 'meal' + , )
• alomancy/Halomancy (also adromancy): by salt (Greek , + , )
• alphitomancy: by barley (Greek [], + , )
• alveromancy : by sounds
• amathomancy → see by sand (Greek , + , )
• ambulomancy : by walking (Latin , + Greek , )
• amniomancy : by placenta (Greek , 'amnion' + , )
• anemoscopy/anemomancy : by wind (Greek , + , )
• anthomancy : by flowers (Greek , + , )
• anthracomancy : by burning coals (Greek [], + , )
• anthropomancy : by human sacrifice (Greek , + , )
• anthroposcopy : by physical appearance (Greek , + , )
• apantomancy : by chance encounters with animals (Greek , + , )
• arachnomancy : by spiders (Greek , + , )
• archeomancy/archaeomancy : by sacred relics (Greek , + , )
• ariolation : by altars (Latin , , )
• arithmancy: assigning numerical value to a word or phrase
• armomancy : by one's own shoulders (Latin , + Greek , )
• Ã¥rsgÃ¥ng, archaic form of Swedish divination
• aruspicina: study of entrails
• aspidomancy : by sitting in a drawn circle or on a shield (Greek [, + , )
• astragalomancy/astragalamancy → see
• astragyromancy → see (from astragalomancy above, perhaps influenced by Greek , , and therefore vertebra)
• astrapomancy : by lightning (Greek , + , )
• astrology/astromancy/ : by celestial bodies (Greek , + , ). This method was widespread in medieval period, particularly in Mesopotamia.
• augury → see
• auramancy : by auras (Greek , + , )
• auspicy/auspication → see (Latin , + , )
• austromancy → see : by wind (Latin , + Greek , )
• avimancy → see (Latin , + Greek , )
• axiomancy/axinomancy : by axes (Latin , + , )

B

• batraquomancy/batrachomancy : by frogs (Greek , + , )
• belomancy/bolomancy : by arrows (from bolomancy below, influenced by Greek , , or , )
• bibliomancy → see
• biorhythmic divination: by biorhythms
• bletonism/bletonomancy : by water current (named for Monsieur Bleton, a French bletonist)
• bolomancy → see (Greek , + , )
• bone-throwing: the tossing of pieces of bone or wood, practiced by various cultures
• botanomancy : by burning pieces of plants, documented with burning vervain and briar. (Greek , 'flora' + , )
• brizomancy → see (Greek , + , )
• brontomancy/brontoscopy : by thunder (Greek , + , )
• bumpology : by bumps on the skin (English bump + Greek , )

C

• cabala → see
• canomancy or : by dogs (Latin , + Greek , )
• capnomancy : by smoke (Greek , + , )
• libanomancy : by smoke or ash from incense (Greek , 'frankincense' + , )
• carromancy : by melting wax (Greek , + , )
• cartopedy → see (Latin , + [], )
• cartomancy → see
• catoptromancy/captromancy → see
• causimancy/causimomancy : by burning (Greek [], + , )
• cephalomancy → see
• cephaleonomancy/cephalonomancy: by boiling a donkey's head (Greek , [with meaning influenced by Greek , ] + , )
• ceraunoscopy : by thunder and lightning (Greek , + , )
• ceromancy/ceroscopy : by dripping wax in water (Greek , + , )
• chalcomancy: by striking gongs or copper bowls (Greek , + , )
• chaomancy : by aerial visions (Greek , 'primordial space' + , )
• chartomancy : by things on paper (Greek , + , )
• cartomancy : by cards (Latin , + Greek , )
• taromancy/tarotmancy : by tarot (English tarot + Greek , )
• Parrot astrology: by parrots picking cards
• stichomancy : by books or lines (Greek , + , )
• aleuromancy² : by fortune cookies (of the same origin as ¹)
• bibliomancy : by the Bible (Greek , + , )
• stoicheomancy/stoichomancy: by the Iliad and the Odyssey or the Aeneid (Greek , + , ; to the Greeks, Homer's writings were held in similar esteem to the Christian Bible or the Muslim Quran, as were Virgil's writings to the Romans, making them the basic — or elementary — reading material in each culture)
• cheiromancy/chiromancy→ see
• cheirognomy/chirognomy → see
• → see
• choriomancy : by pig bladders (Greek , 'placenta' + mantiea, )
• chresmomancy : by the ravings of lunatics (Greek , , chresm + , )
• chronomancy : by apt occasion (Greek , + , )
• cineromancy/ceneromancy → see (Latin [], + Greek , )
• clamancy (see also Fāl-gÅ«sh): by random shouts and cries heard in crowds, at night, etc. (Latin , + Greek , )
• cledonism/cledonomancy : by chance events or overheard words (Greek , )
• cleidomancy/clidomancy : by keys (Greek [], + , )
• cleromancy : by casting (Greek , 'lot' + , )
• astragalomancy/astragalamancy (also cubomancy): by dice (Greek , 'vertebra' + , )
• domino divination: by dominoes
• favomancy : by beans (Latin , + Greek , )
• Ogham casting: by Ogham letters
• runecasting/runic divination
• cometomancy : by comet tails (Greek , + , )
• colormancy/coloromancy: by colors (English color + Greek , )
• conchomancy : by shells (Greek , 'mussel' + , )
• cosquinomancy/coscinomancy : by hanging sieves (Greek , + , )
• cottabomancy/cottobomancy : by wine in a brass bowl (Greek , 'cottabus' + , )
• craniognomy or → see (Greek , + , )
• the crawling baby: by a baby's crawling
• crithomancy/critomancy : by barley cakes (Greek , + , )
• cromnyomancy/cromniomancy : by onion sprouts (alteration of Greek , + , )
• cryptomancy : by omens (Greek , + , )
• cryomancy : by ice (Greek , + , )
• crystal ball gazing → see
• crystal gazing → see
• crystallomancy → see (Greek , + , )
• cubomancy → see (Greek , + , )
• cyathomancy : by cups (Greek , + , )
• cybermancy : by computer oracles (English ' + Greek , )
• cyclicomancy : by swirling water in a cup (Greek , + , )
• cyclomancy or : by wheels (Greek , + , )

D

• dactyliomancy : by finger rings (Greek , + , )
• dactylomancy : by means of finger movements (Greek , + , )
• daphnomancy : by burning laurel wreaths (Greek , + , )
• demonomancy : by demons (Greek , + , )
• dendromancy : by trees, especially oaks, yews, or mistletoe (Greek , + , )
• deuteroscopy : by second glance or double take (Greek , + , )
• dictiomancy : by randomly opening a dictionary (English ' + Greek , )
• divining → see
• djubed→ see
• : by animal horoscope (Japanese , + , )
• domino divination → see
• dowsing (also divining, water witching): by a divining rod (of unknown origin)
• dracomancy : by dragons (Greek , + , )
• dream interpretation
• dream questions: by dreaming
• dririmancy/driromancy : by dripping blood (alteration of drimimancy, influenced by Middle English , ). Compare hemotomancy.
• drimimancy/drymimancy : by bodily fluids (Greek , + , )

E

• electromancy: by lightning and electricity (Greek + )
• eleomancy/elaeomancy: by oil (Greek , olive + , )
• emonomancy → see
• empirimancy: by experiment/experience
• empyromancy : by burning (Greek , + , )
• encromancy: by oil ink stains (Greek + )
• enochian chess: by playing a four·handed variant of the game
• enoptromancy → see (Greek , 'looking glass' + , )
• enthusiasm: speeches by those supposed to be possessed by a divine spirit
• entomomancy/entomancy: by insects (Greek , + , )
• eromancy : by water vessels exposed to air (Greek , + , ) — cf. aeromancy
• extispicy/extispication : by the remains of sacrificed animals (Latin , + , )

F

• favomancy → see
• felidomancy → see (Latin [], + Greek , )
• floriography/floromancy : by flowers' feelings (Latin [flōr-], + Greek , )
• fractomancy : by fractals (English ' + Greek , )
• fructomancy/fructimancy: by fruit (Latin , + Greek , )
• Futomani is the Shinto tradition of divining from the shoulder blade bone of a sacred deer.

G

• galvanoscopy : by galvanism (English ' + Greek , )
• gastromancy¹ → see
• gastromancy² : by guttural sounds (Greek , + , )
• geomancy : by earth (Greek |, + , )
• geloscopy : by laughter (Greek , + , )
• gematria: by the Hebrew alphabet (Greek , + , )
• genethlialogy: by birth dates (Greek , 'birthday' + , )
• grammomancy : by writing individual letters (Greek , + , )
• graphology (also graptomancy): by studying handwriting (Greek , + , )
• graptomancy → see (Greek , + , )
• gyromancy : by dizziness (Greek , + , )

H

• hagiomancy: by saints (Greek , + , )
• halomancy → see
• : by bones or dice
• haruspicy/haruspication → see (Latin , + , )
• hematomancy/haematomancy : by blood (Greek [], + , )
• hepatoscopy/hepatomancy (also haruspicy, haruspication): by liver (Greek [], + , )
• hieromancy/hieroscopy : by studying sacrifices' entrails (Greek , + , )
• hippomancy → see
• horoscopy : aspect of the Stars at nativity (Greek , + , )
• hydatomancy: by rainwater (Greek , + , )
• hydromancy/hydroscopy → see
• hyomancy: by wild hogs (Greek , + , )
• hypnomancy : by sleep (Greek , + , )

I

• I Ching divination: by yarrow stalks or coins
• ichnomancy : by footprints (Greek , + , )
• ichthyomancy → see
• iconomancy : by icons (Greek , + , )
• idolomancy : by idols (Greek , + , )
• idromancy → see (Greek , + , )
• : geomancy patterns generated with palm nuts, opele, cowrie shells, etc. that refer to divination texts; a collection of verses
• iridology: by eye color (Greek [], 'iris' + , )
• isopsephy: by numbers and letters (Greek , + , )

J

• : Vedic system of astrology

K

• kabbalah/qabalah/cabala: by the Kabbalah (Hebrew , )
• : by bamboo
• : by rice gruel
• kephalonomancy → see
• keraunomancy → see
• knissomancy : by incense (Greek [kniss-], + , )
• kypomancy → see (akin to Greek , + , )

L

• labiomancy : by lips (Latin , + Greek , )
• lampadomancy : by flame (Greek [], + , )
• lecanomancy/lecanoscopy : by a basin of water (Greek , + , )
• letnomancy: by secrets (English let no (man see) + Greek , )
• libanomancy → see and (Greek , 'frankincense' + , )
• literomancy : by a letter in a written language (Latin , + Greek , )
• lithomancy : by gems or stones (Greek , + , )
• logarithmancy : by logarithms (English logarithm + Greek , )
• logomancy : by words (Greek , + , )
• lots: divination through chance, or the drawing or tossing of lots
• lunamancy → see (Latin , + Greek , )
• lychnomancy : by candles (Greek , + , )

M

• macharomancy: by swords or knives (Greek , 'dirk' + , )
• macromancy : by large objects (Greek , + , )
• maculomancy : by spots on the skin (Latin , + , )
• mahjong divination: by Mahjong tiles
• margaritomancy : by bouncing pearls (Greek , + , )
• mathemancy : by mathematics (English ' + Greek , )
• mazomancy : by nursing (Greek , + , )
• meconomancy : by sleeping (Greek , [i.e., an opiate] + , )
• megapolisomancy: by large cities (English megalopolis + Greek , )
• meilomancy: by moles
• metagnomy or : by magic (Greek , + , )
• meteormancy : by meteors (English meteor + Greek , )
• meteoromancy : by thunder and lightning (Greek , + , )
• metoposcopy/metopomancy : by the lines of the forehead (Greek , + , )
• micromancy : by small objects (Greek , + , )
• moleosophy or : by blemishes (English mole + Greek , )
• molybdomancy : by molten metal (Greek , + , )
• moromancy : by foolishness (Greek , + , )
• myomancy → see
• myrmomancy → see

N

• narcomancy : by sleep (Greek , + , )
• natimancy → see (Latin , + Greek , )
• necromancy¹ : by speaking to the dead, by corpses (Greek , + , )
• necyomancy : by summoning damned souls (Greek , 'invocation' + , )
• nephomancy : by clouds (Greek , + , )
• nigromancy : by black magic (Latin , + Greek , )
• nomancy or → see (variant of onomancy, influenced by Latin , )
• notarikon/netrikon: by initials (Latin , in shorthand)
• nggàm → see
• numerology : by numbers (Latin , + Greek , )
• numismatomancy: by coins (Greek [], + , )

O

• oculomancy : by eyes (Latin , + Greek , )
• odontomancy : by teeth (Greek [], + , )
• oenomancy/oinomancy : by wine (Greek , + , )
• ololygmancy : by the howling of dogs (Greek [], + , )
• omoplatoscopy → see (Greek , + , )
• omphalomancy : by navels (Greek , + , )
• oneiromancy/oneiroscopy : by dreams (Greek , + , )
• onimancy → see
• onomancy/onomomancy/nomancy : by letters in a name (Greek , + , )
• onomomancy → see
• onychomancy/onymancy/onimancy : by finger· and toenails (Greek [], + , )
• onymancy → see
• oomancy/ooscopy (also ovomancy): by eggs (Greek , + , )
• ophidiomancy/ophiomancy → see
• ophthalmomancy → see (Greek , + , )
• organoscopy → see (Greek , 'organ' + , )
• orniscopy/ornithomancy → see
• oromancy: by mountains (Greek , + , )
• oryctomancy: by minerals (Greek , + , )
• ossomancy → see (Latin [], + Greek , )
• osteomancy: by bones (Greek , + , )
• Ouija/Ouije: by ouija board (French , + German , )
• ouranomancy → see
• ovomancy → see (Latin , + Greek , )

P

• Pagtatawas by reading melted alum
• pallomancy: by pendulums (Greek , + , )
• palmistry/palm reading → see (Latin , )
• papyromancy: by folding paper, especially paper money (Greek , + , )
• pedomancy → see (from podomancy, influenced by Latin [], )
• pegomancy: by fountains (Greek , + , )
• pessomancy: by pebbles (Greek , + , )
• pecthimancy/petchimancy: by brushed cloth (possibly akin to Greek , to card wool, or , + , )
• phallomancy: by swing of the phallus (Greek , + , )
• phobomancy: by feelings of fear (Greek , + , )
• photomancy: by fields of light (Greek [], + , )
• phrenology (also organoscopy): by the configuration of one's brain (Greek , + , )
• phyllomancy: by leaves (Greek , + , )
• sycomancy: by fig leaves (Greek , + , )
• tasseography/tasseomancy (also kypomancy): by tea leaves or coffee grounds (French ', + Greek , )
• phyllorhodomancy: by rose petals (Greek , + , + , )
• physiognomy/physiognomancy: by faces (Greek , + , )
• phytognomy: by the appearance of plants (Greek , + , )
• Planchette
• plastromancy: by cracks formed by heat on a turtle's plastron (English plastron + , )
• pilimancy: by observing the patterns produced by a collection of human hair
• plumbomancy: by observing shapes molten lead makes when poured in water (Latin , + Greek , )
• pneumancy: by blowing (Greek , + , )
• podomancy/pedomancy → see
• poe divination: by throwing stones on the floor, practised at Taoist temples
• (also ): study of natural phenomena
• psephomancy: by lots or ballots (Greek , + , )
• pseudomancy: by false means (Greek , + , )
• psychognomy: by phrenological (Greek , + , )
• psychomancy → see ¹ (Greek , + , )
• ptarmoscopy/ptarmoscopie: the interpretation of sneezes (from Ancient Greek)
• pyromancy/pyroscopy: by fire (Greek , + , )

Q

• → see

R

• radiesthesia: by rods, pendulums, or other cylindrical tools (Latin , 'spoke' + Greek , )
• retromancy: by looking over one's shoulder (Latin , + Greek , )
• rhabdomancy/rabdomancy: by rods, sticks, or wands (Greek , + , )
• rhapsodomancy: by poetry (Greek , + , )
• roadomancy: by constellations (apparently from Old English , 'firmament' + Greek , )
• runecasting → see

S

• scapulimancy/scapulomancy (also spatulamancy, omoplatoscopy): by bovine or caprid shoulder blades (Latin , + Greek , )
• scarpomancy: by old shoes (Italian , + Greek , )
• scatomancy: by excrement (Greek [], + , )
• schematomancy → see
• sciomancy¹ (also shadowmancy): by shadows (Greek , + , )
• sciomancy²: by spirits (of the same origin as sciomancy¹)
• scrying: by gazing (shortened from )
• crystal gazing: by reflective objects
• catoptromancy/captromancy (also enoptromancy, djubed): by mirrors (Greek , + , )
• gastromancy¹ (also crystallomancy, spheromancy, crystal ball gazing): by crystal ball (Greek , [i.e., round object] + , )
• hydromancy (also ydromancy): by water (Greek , + , )
• selenomancy: by the moon (Greek , + , )
• shadowmancy → see ¹ (English shadow + Greek , )
• shufflemancy: by the use of an electronic media player such as an electronic playlist, iPod, or other medium wherein one skips a certain number of songs and the lyrics and/or tune of the song is the answer to the divinatory question
• sideromancy: by burning straw with an iron (Greek , 'iron' + , )
• : by drawing sixteen lines in sand (perhaps a Malagasy transliteration of English sixteen)
• skatharomancy: by beetle tracks (Greek , + , )
• /: by animal shoulder blades (Scottish Gaelic , )
• solaromancy: by the sun (Latin [], + Greek , )
• somatomancy: by the human form (Greek [], + , )
• cephalomancy (also craniognomy): by skulls (Greek , + , )
• cheiromancy/chiromancy (also palmistry, palm reading): by palms (Greek , + , )
• cheirognomy/chirognomy : by hands (Greek , + , )
• podomancy/pedomancy (also cartopedy): by the soles of one's feet (Greek [], + , )
• schematomancy: by the face (Greek [], + , )
• sortilege: by the casting of lots, or sortes
• sortes virgilianae: by Vergil's Aeneid
• spasmatomancy: by convulsions (alteration of spasmodomancy, from Greek [], + , )
• spatilomancy: by animal excrement (Greek , + , )
• spatulamancy → see (from scapulimancy, influenced by Latin , 'splint')
• spheromancy → see (Greek , 'sphere' + , )
• sphondulomancy: by spindles (Greek , + , )
• splanchnomancy → see (Greek , + , )
• spodomancy: by soot (Greek , + , )
• cineromancy/ceneromancy: by the ashes of a specifically sacrificial or ritual fire
• libanomancy : by smoke or ash from incense (Greek , 'frankincense' + , )
• tephramancy/tephromancy: by tree bark ashes, by sacrificial or ritual fire ashes, or human sacrificial victim ashes (Greek , + , )
• stareomancy: by the four elements (Greek [], + , )
• stercomancy: by seeds in bird excrement (Latin , + Greek , )
• sternomancy: by ridges on the breastbone (Greek , + , )
• stichomancy → see
• stigonomancy: by burning writing onto bark (Greek [], + , )
• stoicheomancy/stoichomancy → see
• stolisomancy: by fashion (Greek , + , )
• styramancy: by observing patterns produced by chewing gum, gum wax, or products produced by the L. styraciflua tree
• sycomancy → see
• symbolomancy: by things found on the road (Greek , + , )

T

• taromancy → see
• tasseography/tasseomancy → see
• technomancy: by technology (English ' + Greek , )
• temurah: → see
• tephramancy/tephromancy: → see (Greek , + , )
• theomancy: foretelling events, prophecy (Greek , + , )
• theriomancy : (also zoomancy): by animal behavior (Greek , + , )
• ailuromancy/aeluromancy (also felidomancy): by cats (Greek , + , )
• alectryomancy/alectoromancy : by rooster behavior (Greek , + , )
• augury: by bird formations (Latin , )
• hippomancy : by horse behavior (Greek , + , )
• ichthyomancy : by fish behavior (Greek , + , )
• myomancy : by rodent behavior (Greek , + , )
• myrmomancy : by ant behavior (Greek , + , )
• nggàm: by spider or crab behavior (Mambila , )
• ophidiomancy/ophiomancy: by snake behavior (Greek [], + , )
• orniscopy/ornithomancy (also auspicy/auspication, avimancy): by bird migration (Greek [], + , )
• thumomancy : by one's own soul, presage (Greek , + , )
• topomancy : by geography and geological formations (Greek , + , )
• transataumancy: by things accidentally seen or heard
• trochomancy : by wheel ruts (Greek , + , )
• turifumy: by shapes in smoke (Latin [], + , )
• tyromancy/tiromancy : by cheese (Greek , + , )

U

• umbilicomancy: by umbilical cords (English ' + Greek , )
• umbromancy: by shade (Latin , + Greek , )
• uranomancy/ouranomancy: by the sky (Greek , + , )
• uromancy/urimancy: by urine (Greek , + , )
• urticariaomancy: by itches (Neo-Latin , 'hives' + Greek , )

V

• videomancy: by films (English video + Greek , )

W

• water witching → see
• wishbone → see

X

• xenomancy: by strangers (Greek , + , )
• xylomancy: by the shape or texture of wood, or the appearance of burning wood (Greek , + , )

Y

• ydromancy¹ → see
• ydromancy² → see (from idromancy above, influenced by alomancy)

Z

• zoomancy → see (Greek , + , )
• zygomancy: by weights (Greek , + , )
• zeteomancy: by seeking out knowledge

See also

• Divination
• List of astrological traditions

References