Methods of 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

Thumb
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 /ɛmˈpaɪərmænsi/: 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 /ɛˈnɒptrmænsi/ → 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 /ˈɛrmænsi/: 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 /ˈɪknmænsi/: by footprints (Greek ikhnos, 'track' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • ichthyomancy → see theriomancy
  • iconomancy /ˈkɒnmænsi/: by icons (Greek eikōn, 'image' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • idolomancy /ˈdɒlmænsi/: 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

Thumb
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 /kˈrɒmænsi/ (also palmistry, palm reading): by palms[18] (Greek kheir, 'hand' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • cheirognomy/chirognomy /kˈrɒ(ɡ)nmi/: 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 /lˈbænmænsi/: 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

  • taromancy → see chartomancy
  • tasseography/tasseomancy → see phyllomancy
  • technomancy: by technology (English techno(logy) + Greek manteía, 'prophecy')
  • temurah: → see kabbalah
  • tephramancy/tephromancy: → see spodomancy (Greek tephrā, 'ash' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • theomancy: foretelling events, prophecy[21] (Greek theos, 'god' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • theriomancy /ˈθɪərimænsi/: (also zoomancy): by animal behavior (Greek thēr, 'wild animal' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    Thumb
    Russian peasant girls using chicken for divination. A 19th·century lubok.
    • ailuromancy/aeluromancy /ˈlʊərmænsi/ (also felidomancy): by cats (Greek ailouros, 'cat' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • alectryomancy/alectoromancy /əˈlɛktərimænsi/: by rooster behavior (Greek alektruōn, 'cockerel' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • augury: by bird formations[22] (Latin augur, 'diviner')
    • hippomancy /ˈhɪpmænsi/: by horse behavior (Greek hippos, 'horse' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • ichthyomancy /ˈɪkθimænsi/: by fish behavior (Greek ikhthūs, 'fish' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • myomancy /ˈmmænsi/: by rodent behavior (Greek mūs, 'mouse' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • myrmomancy /ˈmɜːrmmænsi/: by ant behavior (Greek murmēx, 'ant' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • nggàm: by spider or crab behavior (Mambila nggàm, 'divination')
    • ophidiomancy/ophiomancy: by snake behavior (Greek ophis [ophid-], 'snake' + manteía, 'prophecy')
    • orniscopy/ornithomancy (also auspicy/auspication, avimancy): by bird migration (Greek ornīs [ornīth-], 'bird' + -skopiā, 'observation')
  • thumomancy /ˈθjmmænsi/: by one's own soul, presage[23] (Greek thūmos, 'soul' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • topomancy /ˈtɒpmænsi/: by geography and geological formations (Greek topos, 'place' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • transataumancy: by things accidentally seen or heard
  • trochomancy /ˈtrɒkmænsi/: by wheel ruts (Greek trokhos, 'wheel' + manteía, 'prophecy')
  • turifumy: by shapes in smoke (Latin tūs [tūr-], 'incense' + fūmus, 'vapor')
  • tyromancy/tiromancy /ˈtaɪərmænsi/: by cheese (Greek tūros, 'cheese' + manteía, 'prophecy')

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

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