Divination (fortune telling) An undue opinion of our own importance in the scale of creation is at the bottom of our unwarrantable notions in this respect. --Charles Mackay
Divination is the attempt to foretell the future or discover occult knowledge by interpreting omens or by using paranormal or supernatural powers. The list of items that have been used in divination is extraordinary. Below are listed just a few. Many end in 'mancy', from the ancient Greek manteia (divination), or 'scopy', from the Greek skopein (to look into, to behold).
aeluromancy (dropping wheatcakes in water and interpreting the result)
aeromancy or acromancy (divination by examining what the air does to certain things)
alectoromancy or alectryomancy (divination by a cock: grains of wheat are placed on letters and the cock "spells" the message by selecting grains)
alphitomancy (dropping barleycakes in water and interpreting the result)
anthropomancy (divination by interpreting the organs of newly sacrificed humans)
arithmancy (divination by numbers)
astragalomancy or astragyromancy (using knucklebones marked with letters of the alphabet)
cleidomancy (divination by interpreting the movements of a key suspended by a thread from the nail of the third finger on a young virgin's hand while one of the Psalms was recited)
coscinomancy (divination by a balanced sieve)
cromniomancy (divination by onions)
crystallomancy (by crystals)
dactylomancy (divination by means of rings put on the fingernails or the number of whorls and loops on the fingers)
daphnomancy (divination using the laurel branch: how did it crackle when burned?)
gyromancy (divination by walking around a circle of letters until dizzy and one falls down on the letters or in the direction to take)
haruspicy (inspecting the entrails of slaughtered animals)
hepatoscopy or hepatomancy (divination by examining the liver of sacrificed animals)
hydromancy (divination by examining what certain things do in water or when taken out of water, such as coffee grounds or tea leaves); hydatoscopy (if rainwater is used); pegomancy (if spring-water is used)
kapnomancy (by smoke)
katoptromancy (by looking0glasses)
kephalonomancy (burning carbon on the head of an ass while reciting the names of suspected criminals; if you're guilty, a crackling sound will be heard when your name is spoken)
koskinomancy (by sieves)
krithomancy (by corn or grain)
lampadomancy (interpreting the movements of the flame of a lamp)
libanomancy or knissomancy (interpreting the smoke of incense)
lithomancy (divination using precious stones)
lecanomancy (dropping precious stones into water and listening for whistles)
logarithmancy
macharomancy (by knives and swords)
margaritomancy (divination by the pearl: if it jumps in the pot when a person is named, then he is the thief!)
rhabdomancy (using the divining rod or magic wand)
rhapsodmancy (divination by a line in a sacred book that strikes the eye when the book is opened after the diviner prays, meditates or invokes the help of spirits)
rumpology (divination by the lines on the buttocks)