Methods of divination

A

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

  B

• batraquomancy/'batrachomancy : by frogs
• belomancy/bolomancy : by arrows
• bibliomancy → see
• biorhythmic divination: by biorhythms
• bletonism/bletonomancy : by water current
• bolomancy → see
• 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.
• brizomancy → see
• brontomancy/brontoscopy : by thunder
• bumpology' : by bumps on the skin

  C

• cabala → see
• canomancy or : by dogs
• capnomancy : by smoke
• * libanomancy : by smoke or ash from incense
• carromancy : by melting wax
• cartopedy → see
• cartomancy → see
• catoptromancy/'captromancy → see
• causimancy/causimomancy : by burning
• cephalomancy → see
• cephaleonomancy/cephalonomancy: by boiling a donkey's head
• ceraunoscopy : by thunder and lightning
• ceromancy/ceroscopy : by dripping wax in water
• chalcomancy: by striking gongs or copper bowls
• chaomancy : by aerial visions
• chartomancy : by things on paper
• * cartomancy : by cards
• ** taromancy/tarotmancy : by tarot
• ** Parrot astrology: by parrots picking cards
• * stichomancy : by books or lines
• ** aleuromancy² : by fortune cookies
• ** bibliomancy : by the Bible
• ** stoicheomancy/stoichomancy: by the Iliad and the Odyssey or the Aeneid
• cheiromancy/chiromancy→ see
• cheirognomy/chirognomy → see
• ' → see
• choriomancy : by pig bladders
• chresmomancy : by the ravings of lunatics
• chronomancy : by apt occasion
• cineromancy/'ceneromancy → see
• clamancy : by random shouts and cries heard in crowds, at night, etc.
• cledonism/cledonomancy : by chance events or overheard words
• cleidomancy/clidomancy : by keys
• cleromancy : by casting
• * astragalomancy/astragalamancy : by dice
• * domino divination: by dominoes
• * favomancy : by beans
• * Ogham casting: by Ogham letters
• * runecasting/runic divination
• cometomancy : by comet tails
• colormancy/coloromancy: by colors
• conchomancy : by shells
• cosquinomancy/coscinomancy : by hanging sieves
• cottabomancy/cottobomancy : by wine in a brass bowl
• craniognomy or → see
• the crawling baby: by a baby's crawling
• crithomancy/critomancy : by barley cakes
• cromnyomancy/cromniomancy : by onion sprouts
• cryptomancy : by omens
• cryomancy : by ice
• crystal ball gazing → see
• crystal gazing → see
• crystallomancy → see
• cubomancy → see
• cyathomancy : by cups
• cybermancy : by computer oracles
• cyclicomancy : by swirling water in a cup
• cyclomancy' or : by wheels

  D

• dactyliomancy : by finger rings
• dactylomancy : by means of finger movements
• daphnomancy : by burning laurel wreaths
• demonomancy : by demons
• dendromancy : by trees, especially oaks, yews, or mistletoe
• deuteroscopy : by second glance or double take
• dianomancy : by delivery, esp. by the randomly-generated words found on Whole Foods grocery bags to identify orders
• dictiomancy : by randomly opening a dictionary
• divining → see
• djubed→ see
• : by animal horoscope
• domino divination → see
• dowsing : by a divining rod
• dracomancy : by dragons
• dream interpretation
• dream questions: by dreaming
• dririmancy/'driromancy : by dripping blood . Compare hemotomancy.
• drimimancy/drymimancy' : by bodily fluids

  E

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

  F

• favomancy → see
• felidomancy → see
• floriography/'floromancy : by flowers' feelings
• fractomancy : by fractals
• fructomancy/fructimancy: by fruit
• Futomani' is the Shinto tradition of divining from the shoulder blade bone of a sacred deer.

  G

• galvanoscopy : by galvanism
• gastromancy¹ → see
• gastromancy² : by guttural sounds
• geomancy : by earth
• geloscopy : by laughter
• gematria: by the Hebrew alphabet
• genethlialogy: by birth dates
• grammomancy : by writing individual letters
• graphology : by studying handwriting
• graptomancy → see
• gyromancy : by dizziness

  H

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

  I

• I Ching divination: by yarrow stalks or coins
• ichnomancy : by footprints
• ichthyomancy → see
• iconomancy : by icons
• idolomancy : by idols
• idromancy → see
• 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
• isopsephy: by numbers and letters

  J

• : Vedic system of astrology

  K

• kabbalah/'qabalah/cabala: by the Kabbalah
• ': by bamboo
• ': by rice gruel
• kephalonomancy → see
• keraunomancy → see
• knissomancy : by incense
• kypomancy' → see

  L

• labiomancy : by lips
• lampadomancy : by flame
• lecanomancy/'lecanoscopy : by a basin of water
• letnomancy: by secrets
• libanomancy → see and
• literomancy : by a letter in a written language
• lithomancy : by gems or stones
• logarithmancy : by logarithms
• logomancy : by words
• lots: divination through chance, or the drawing or tossing of lots
• lunamancy → see
• lychnomancy' : by candles

  M

• macharomancy: by swords or knives
• macromancy : by large objects
• maculomancy : by spots on the skin
• mahjong divination: by Mahjong tiles
• margaritomancy : by bouncing pearls
• mathemancy : by mathematics
• mazomancy : by nursing
• meconomancy : by sleeping
• megapolisomancy: by large cities
• meilomancy: by moles
• metagnomy or : by magic
• meteormancy : by meteors
• meteoromancy : by thunder and lightning
• metoposcopy/'metopomancy : by the lines of the forehead
• micromancy : by small objects
• moleosophy or : by blemishes
• molybdomancy : by molten metal
• moromancy : by foolishness
• myomancy → see
• myrmomancy' → see

  N

• narcomancy : by sleep
• natimancy → see
• necromancy¹ : by speaking to the dead, by corpses
• necyomancy : by summoning damned souls
• nephomancy : by clouds
• nigromancy : by black magic
• nomancy or → see
• notarikon/'netrikon: by initials
• nggàm → see
• numerology : by numbers
• numismatomancy': by coins

  O

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

  P

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

  Q

• → see

  R

• radiesthesia: by rods, pendulums, or other cylindrical tools
• retromancy: by looking over one's shoulder
• rhabdomancy/'rabdomancy: by rods, sticks, or wands
• rhapsodomancy: by poetry
• roadomancy: by constellations
• runecasting' → see

  S

• scapulimancy/'scapulomancy : by bovine or caprid shoulder blades
• scarpomancy: by old shoes
• scatomancy: by excrement
• schematomancy → see
• sciomancy¹ : by shadows
• sciomancy²: by spirits
• scrying: by gazing
• * crystal gazing: by reflective objects
• ** catoptromancy/captromancy : by mirrors
• ** gastromancy¹ : by crystal ball
• ** hydromancy : by water
• selenomancy: by the moon
• shadowmancy → see ¹
• 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
• ': by drawing sixteen lines in sand
• skatharomancy: by beetle tracks
• slinneanachd/'slinnanacht: by animal shoulder blades
• solaromancy: by the sun
• somatomancy: by the human form
• * cephalomancy : by skulls
• * cheiromancy/chiromancy : by palms
• * cheirognomy/chirognomy : by hands
• * podomancy/pedomancy : by the soles of one's feet
• * schematomancy: by the face
• sortilege: by the casting of lots, or sortes
• * sortes virgilianae: by Vergil's Aeneid
• spasmatomancy: by convulsions
• spatilomancy: by animal excrement
• spatulamancy → see
• spheromancy → see
• sphondulomancy: by spindles
• splanchnomancy → see
• spodomancy: by soot
• * cineromancy/ceneromancy: by the ashes of a specifically sacrificial or ritual fire
• * libanomancy : by smoke or ash from incense
• * tephramancy/tephromancy: by tree bark ashes, by sacrificial or ritual fire ashes, or human sacrificial victim ashes
• stareomancy: by the four elements
• stercomancy: by seeds in bird excrement
• sternomancy: by ridges on the breastbone
• stichomancy → see
• stigonomancy: by burning writing onto bark
• stoicheomancy/stoichomancy → see
• stolisomancy: by fashion
• 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

  T

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

  U

• umbilicomancy: by umbilical cords
• umbromancy: by shade
• uranomancy/'ouranomancy: by the sky
• uromancy/urimancy: by urine
• urticariaomancy': by itches

  V

• videomancy: by films

  W

• water witching → see
• wishbone → see

  X

• xenomancy: by strangers
• xylomancy: by the shape or texture of wood, or the appearance of burning wood

  Y

• ydromancy¹ → see
• ydromancy² → see

  Z

• zoomancy → see
• zygomancy: by weights
• zeteomancy: by seeking out knowledge