Methods of divination

This article is about the numerous varieties of divination. For divination as a whole, see Divination.
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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 -mantia when the art seemed more mystical (ultimately from Ancient Greek μαντεία, manteía, 'prophecy' or 'the power to prophesy') and the suffix -scopia when the art seemed more scientific (ultimately from Greek σκοπεῖν, skopeîn, 'to observe'). Names like drimimantia, nigromantia, and horoscopia arose, along with other pseudosciences such as phrenology and physiognomy.[1]

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".[2]

A

An arithmancer from Atalanta Fugiens (1618), by Michael Maier

B

C

D

E

  • electromancy: by lightning and electricity (Greek ilektros 'electric' + manteía 'prophecy')
  • eleomancy/elaeomancy: by oil (Greek elaion, olive 'oil' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • emonomancy → see demonomancy[citation needed]
  • empirimancy: by experiment/experience
  • empyromancy /ɛmˈpaɪəroʊmænsi/: by burning (Greek empurios, 'fiery' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • encromancy: by oil ink stains (Greek elaion 'oil ink' + manteía 'prophecy')
  • enochian chess: by playing a four·handed variant of the game
  • enoptromancy /ɛˈnɒptroʊmænsi/ → see scrying (Greek enoptron, 'looking glass' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • enthusiasm: speeches by those supposed to be possessed by a divine spirit[11]
  • entomomancy/entomancy: by insects (Greek entomon, 'insect' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • eromancy /ˈɛroʊmænsi/: by water vessels exposed to air (Greek āēr, 'air' + manteía, 'prophecy') — cf. aeromancy
  • extispicy/extispication /ɛkˈstɪspɪsi/: by the remains of sacrificed animals (Latin exta, 'entrails' + specere, 'to look at')

F

G

H

I

  • I Ching divination: by yarrow stalks or coins
  • ichnomancy /ˈɪknoʊmænsi/: by footprints (Greek ikhnos, 'track' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • ichthyomancy → see theriomancy
  • iconomancy /aɪˈkɒnoʊmænsi/: by icons (Greek eikōn, 'image' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • idolomancy /aɪˈdɒloʊmænsi/: by idols (Greek eidōlon, 'phantom' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • idromancy → see alomancy (Greek idrōs, 'sweat' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • ifá: geomancy patterns generated with palm nuts, opele, cowrie shells, etc. that refer to Ifa divination texts; a collection of Odu Ifa verses
  • iridology: by eye color (Greek īris [īrid-], 'iris' + -logiā, 'study')
  • isopsephy: by numbers and letters (Greek īsos, 'equal' + psephos, 'pebble')

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

The Fortune Teller, by Enrique Simonet (1899; canvas; Museo de Málaga), depicting a palm reading
  • Pagtatawas by reading melted alum
  • pallomancy: by pendulums (Greek pallein, 'to sway' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • palmistry/palm reading → see somatomancy (Latin palma, 'palm')
  • papyromancy: by folding paper, especially paper money (Greek papūros, 'papyrus paper' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • pedomancy → see somatomancy (from podomancy, influenced by Latin pēs [pēd-], 'foot')
  • pegomancy: by fountains (Greek pēgē, 'spring' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • pessomancy: by pebbles (Greek pessos, 'oval pebble' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • pecthimancy/petchimancy: by brushed cloth (possibly akin to Greek pekein, to card wool, or pēktē, 'netting' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • phallomancy: by swing of the phallus (Greek phallus, 'phallus' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • phobomancy: by feelings of fear (Greek phobos, 'fear' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • photomancy: by fields of light (Greek phōs [phōt-], 'light' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • phrenology (also organoscopy): by the configuration of one's brain (Greek phrēn, 'mind' + -logiā, 'study')
  • phyllomancy: by leaves (Greek phullon, 'leaf' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • sycomancy: by fig leaves (Greek sūkon, 'fig' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • tasseography/tasseomancy (also kypomancy): by tea leaves or coffee grounds (French tasse, 'cup' + Greek -graphiā, 'representation')
  • phyllorhodomancy: by rose petals (Greek phullon, 'leaf' + rhodon, 'rose' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • physiognomy/physiognomancy: by faces (Greek phusis, 'nature' + -gnōmoniā, 'interpretation')
  • phytognomy: by the appearance of plants (Greek phuton, 'plant' + -gnōmoniā, 'interpretation')
  • plastromancy: by cracks formed by heat on a turtle's plastron (English plastron + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • pilimancy: by observing the patterns produced by a collection of human hair
  • plumbomancy: by observing shapes molten lead makes when poured in water (Latin plumbum, 'lead' + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • pneumancy: by blowing (Greek pneuma, 'breath' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • podomancy/pedomancy → see somatomancy
  • poe divination: by throwing stones on the floor, practised at Taoist temples
  • portenta (also ostenta): study of natural phenomena[16]
  • psephomancy: by lots or ballots (Greek psephos, 'pebble' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • pseudomancy: by false means (Greek pseudēs, 'false' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • psychognomy: by phrenological 'notations' (Greek psūkhē, 'soul' + -gnōmoniā, 'observation')
  • psychomancy → see necromancy¹ (Greek psūkhē, 'soul' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • ptarmoscopy/ptarmoscopie: the interpretation of sneezes[17] (from Ancient Greek)
  • pyromancy/pyroscopy: by fire (Greek pūr, 'fire' + manteía, 'prophecy')

Q

R

  • radiesthesia: by rods, pendulums, or other cylindrical tools (Latin radius, 'spoke' + Greek -aisthēsiā, 'sensing')
  • retromancy: by looking over one's shoulder (Latin retrō, 'behind' + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • rhabdomancy/rabdomancy: by rods, sticks, or wands (Greek rhabdos, 'rod' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • rhapsodomancy: by poetry (Greek rhapsōidiā, 'verse' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • roadomancy: by constellations (apparently from Old English rodor, 'firmament' + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • runecasting → see cleromancy

S

  • scapulimancy/scapulomancy (also spatulamancy, omoplatoscopy): by bovine or caprid shoulder blades (Latin scapula, 'shoulder blade' + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • scarpomancy: by old shoes (Italian scarpa, 'shoe' + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • scatomancy: by excrement (Greek skōr [skat-], 'excrement' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • schematomancy → see somatomancy
  • sciomancy¹ (also shadowmancy): by shadows (Greek skiā, 'shadow' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • sciomancy²: by spirits (of the same origin as sciomancy¹)
  • scrying: by gazing (shortened from descrying)
    • crystal gazing: by reflective objects
      • catoptromancy/captromancy (also enoptromancy, djubed[citation needed]): by mirrors (Greek katoptron, 'mirror' + manteía, 'prophecy')
      • gastromancy¹ (also crystallomancy, spheromancy, crystal ball gazing): by crystal ball (Greek gastēr, 'belly' [i.e., round object] + manteía, 'prophecy')
      • hydromancy (also ydromancy): by water (Greek hudōr, 'water' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • selenomancy: by the moon (Greek selēnē, 'moon' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • shadowmancy → see sciomancy¹ (English shadow + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • 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[citation needed]
  • sideromancy: by burning straw with an iron (Greek sidēros, 'iron' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • sikidy: by drawing sixteen lines in sand (perhaps a Malagasy transliteration of English sixteen)
  • skatharomancy: by beetle tracks (Greek skatharōn, 'spot' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • slinneanachd/slinnanacht: by animal shoulder blades (Scottish Gaelic slinnean, 'shoulder blade')
  • solaromancy: by the sun (Latin sōl [sōlār-], 'sun' + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • somatomancy: by the human form (Greek sōma [sōmat-], 'body' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • cephalomancy (also craniognomy): by skulls (Greek kephalē, 'head' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • cheiromancy/chiromancy /kaɪˈrɒmænsi/ (also palmistry, palm reading): by palms[18] (Greek kheir, 'hand' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • cheirognomy/chirognomy /kaɪˈrɒ(ɡ)noʊmi/: by hands (Greek kheir, 'hand' + -gnōmoniā, 'interpretation')
    • podomancy/pedomancy (also cartopedy): by the soles of one's feet (Greek pous [pod-], 'foot' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • schematomancy: by the face (Greek skhēma [skhēmat-], 'figure' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • sortilege: by the casting of lots, or sortes
  • spasmatomancy: by convulsions (alteration of spasmodomancy, from Greek spasmos [spasmōd-], 'spasm' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • spatilomancy: by animal excrement (Greek spatilē, 'excrement' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • spatulamancy → see scapulimancy (from scapulimancy, influenced by Latin spatula, 'splint')
  • spheromancy → see scrying (Greek sphaira, 'sphere' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • sphondulomancy: by spindles (Greek sphondulos, 'spindle' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • splanchnomancy → see anthropomancy (Greek splankhna, 'innards' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • spodomancy: by soot (Greek spodos, 'wood ashes' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • cineromancy/ceneromancy: by the ashes of a specifically sacrificial or ritual fire[19]
    • libanomancy /laɪˈbænoʊmænsi/: by smoke or ash from incense (Greek libanos, 'frankincense' + manteía, 'prophecy')[8][9]
    • tephramancy/tephromancy: by tree bark ashes, by sacrificial or ritual fire ashes, or human sacrificial victim ashes (Greek tephrā, 'ash' + manteía, 'prophecy')[20]
  • stareomancy: by the four elements (Greek stais [stair-], 'dough' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • stercomancy: by seeds in bird excrement (Latin stercus, 'excrement' + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • sternomancy: by ridges on the breastbone (Greek sternon, 'breastbone' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • stichomancy → see chartomancy
  • stigonomancy: by burning writing onto bark (Greek stizein [stigōn-], 'to brand' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • stoicheomancy/stoichomancy → see chartomancy
  • stolisomancy: by fashion (Greek stolis, 'garment' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • styramancy: by observing patterns produced by chewing gum, gum wax, or products produced by the L. styraciflua tree
  • sycomancy → see phyllomancy
  • symbolomancy: by things found on the road (Greek sumbolon, 'sign' + manteía, 'prophecy')

T

U

  • umbilicomancy: by umbilical cords (English umbilic(al cord) + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • umbromancy: by shade (Latin umbra, 'shadow' + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • uranomancy/ouranomancy: by the sky (Greek ouranos, 'firmament' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • uromancy/urimancy: by urine (Greek ouron, 'urine' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • urticariaomancy: by itches (Neo-Latin urticāria, 'hives' + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')

V

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

W

X

  • xenomancy: by strangers (Greek xenos, 'stranger' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • xylomancy: by the shape or texture of wood, or the appearance of burning wood (Greek xulon, 'wood' + manteía, 'prophecy')[24]

Y

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

Z

  • zoomancy → see theriomancy (Greek zōion, 'being' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • zygomancy: by weights (Greek zugon, 'yoke, balance' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • zeteomancy: by seeking out knowledge[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ Anthony Grafton; Glenn W Most; Salvatore Settis (2010). The Classical Tradition. Harvard University Press. p. 277. ISBN 978-0-674-03572-0.
  2. ^ s:The Third Book/Chapter XXV
  3. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes in the Entrails of a sacrificed beast; which was Aruspicina..."
  4. ^ Driediger-Murphy, Lindsay G.; Eidinow, Esther (2019). Ancient Divination and Experience. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-258290-4.
  5. ^ "Definition of BONE-THROWING". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Definition of Bone-Throwing by Oxford Dictionary". Lexico Dictionaries | English. Retrieved 29 November 2020.[dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Botanomancy". The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World. Harper Element. 2006. p. 84.
  8. ^ a b Del Rio, Martín Anton. Investigations Into Magic. P.G. Maxwell-Stuart, trans. Reprint ed. Manchester, U.K.: Manchester University Press, 2000, p. 160 (originally published 1599-1600)
  9. ^ a b Dunwich, Gerina. Candlelight Spells: The Modern Witch's Book of Spellcasting, Feasting, and Healing. Secaucus, N.J.: Citadel Press, 1988, p. 51.
  10. ^ Buckland, Raymond (2003). The Fortune-telling Book: The Encyclopedia of Divination and Soothsaying. Popular Reference. Visible Ink Press. p. 191. ISBN 9780780807204. Retrieved 13 February 2024. When there was a ritual sacrifice of an animal (or of a human), the way in which the blood dripped from the altar was often considered by the priest/soothsayer. Divining in this way was known as dririmancy. This form of divination might also be employed on the battle field. Dririmancy was a form of haemotomancy.
  11. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes in the insignificant Speeches of Madmen, supposed to be possessed with a divine Spirit; which Possession they called Enthusiasm..."
  12. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes in the aspect of the Stars at their Nativity; which was called Horoscopy, and esteemed a part of judiciary Astrology..."
  13. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes, in mere Lottery, as Cross and Pile; counting holes in a sieve; dipping of Verses in Homer, and Virgil; and innumerable other such vain conceipts..."
  14. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes in the Lineaments of the face; which was called Metoposcopy..."
  15. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes in the Prediction of Witches, that pretended conference with the dead; which is called Necromancy, Conjuring, and Witchcraft; and is but juggling and confederate knavery..."
  16. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes in Monsters, or unusual accidents; as Eclipses, Comets, rare Meteors, Earthquakes, Inundations, uncouth Births, and the like, which they called Portenta and Ostenta, because they thought them to portend, or foreshow some great Calamity to come..."
  17. ^ Sciences et Voyages No24 Juin 1937 "Divination, magie et tatouages en Bosnie
  18. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes in...Palmistry in the lines of the hand; in casual words, called Omina..."
  19. ^ Buckland, Raymond. The Fortune-Telling Book: The Encyclopedia of Divination and Soothsaying. Detroit, Mich.: Visible Ink, 2004, p. 102.
  20. ^ Not all sources agree that tephramancy and tephromancy are synonyms. Some sources claim that tephramancy uses only the ash of tree bark, while tephromancy may use the ashes of any sacrifice. See: Buckland, The Fortune-Telling Book: The Encyclopedia of Divination and Soothsaying, 2004, p. 479; Pickover, Dreaming the Future: The Fantastic Story of Prediction, 2001, p. 183; Dunwich, Gerina. Candlelight Spells: The Modern Witch's Book of Spellcasting, Feasting, and Healing, 1988, p. 153. Other sources claim that tephramancy utilizes only the ashes of human sacrificial victims. See: Spence, Lewis. An Encyclopaedia of Occultism. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1920, p. 408; Ellison, Robert Lee. The Solitary Druid: Walking the Path of Wisdom and Spirit. New York: Kensington Publishing Corp., 2005, p. 58; Waite, Arthur Edward. A Manual of Cartomancy and Occult Divination. Reprint ed. Whitefish, Mont.: Kessinger, 1995, p. 236; Robertson, John G. Robertson's Words for a Modern Age: A Cross Reference of Latin and Greek Combining Elements. Eugene, Ore.: Senior Scribe Publications, 1991, p. 193.
  21. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...and these kinds of foretelling events, were accounted Theomancy or Prophecy..."
  22. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes in the Casual flight, or feeding of birds; called Augury..."
  23. ^ Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan (1651). "Lastly, to the Prognostics [who] have added innumerable other superstitious ways of Divination[:]...Sometimes in their own hopes and fears, called Thumomancy, or Presage..."
  24. ^ Pickover, Clifford A. Dreaming the Future: The Fantastic Story of Prediction. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 2001, p. 137.