psephomancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by taking pebble from a heaped in a pile:
Psephomancy involves small smooth rounded rocksis which are distinguished by certain characters, and put as lots into a vessel, which, having made certain supplications to the gods to direct them, they drew out and, according to the characters, conjectured what should happen to them.
psychomancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by means of communication with spirits; necromancy:
Psychomancy involves interpreting the soul of a person, his or her values, beliefs, and morals.
Psychomancy entails soul searching or occult communication between souls or spirits.
pyromancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination with fire or flames: A good omen resulted by
pyromancy when the flames were vigorous and quickly consumed the sacrifice and when the smoke was transparent, neither red nor dark in color.
On the other hand, when the fire didn’t crackle, but burnt silently in a pyramidal form, a bad omen was predicted, even when it was difficult to kindle, disturbed by wind or slow to consume the victim.
Mantics also observed flames of torches by throwing powdered pitch into the flames. Another aspect is pyroscopy (based on the burn stains left on a light surface after burning a sheet of paper).
retromancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by things seen over one’s shoulder: Believing in retromancy, Jack said, "Tom, don't look back over your shoulder because a bad omen might be prophesied!"
rhabdomancy, rabdomancy
(s) (noun), rhabdomancies; rabdomancies
1. Divination by means of a rod or wand: Some people believe that with the help of
rhabdomancy underground springs of water can be discovered.
2. Etymology: from Greek
rhabdos, "rod" +
-manteia, "foretell, predict".
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scapulimancy, scapulomancy, spealomancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by observing charred or cracked shoulder blades or markings on the shoulder bone of an animal, especially a sheep: The practice of
scapulimancy; that is, divination through the appearance of the shoulder-blade of an animal, which may or may not have been subjected to scorching, is among the most ancient methods of fortune-telling in Eurasia and among other widespread regions of the world.
Oracle bones were in use in the China of Shang-Yin dynasty and the practice has persisted in Mongolia up to very recently and probably still exists.
Methods of using bones for fortune-telling are recorded from areas as far removed culturally and geographically as early China and Greece.
—"Confronting the Supernatural: Mongolian Traditional Ways and Means";
Collected Papers; Harrassowitz Verlag; Wiesbaden, Germany; 1994; page 113.
scarpomancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
A method of revealing a person's character by studying his or her old shoes: To find out more about an individual's future, some people use the aid of scarpomancy by scrutinizing the quality of the worn part of the soles!
scatomancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by analizing the excrement or feces of an animal: Scatomancy is the act of divining one's future or future events by the examination of feces, either of humans or of animals.
schematomancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by the inspection of a person's form: Schematomancy involves the study of the appearance or shape of an individual so as to determine his or her personal history.
sciomancy
(s) (noun), sciomancies
(pl)
A form of fortune-telling by interpreting shadows: In order to prophesy the future by sciomancy, it would be best to go out in the evening at the time of twilight in order to view the shapes of silhouettes or shadows, maybe even those of ghorts.-
selenomancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
A form of divination regarding the different aspects of the moon: Selenomancy includes a specialized form of fortune-telling that examines the various features, phases, and appearances of the moon.
seyomancy
(s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination with a cup: Susan thought she would use the oldest cup she had in her kitchen to practise seyomancy and discover what her future husband would look like!
Cross references of word families that are related directly, or indirectly, to: "divination, diviner; seer, soothsayer, prophecy, prophesy, prophet":
augur-;
auspic-;
fa-, fate;
Fates in action;
futur-;
omen;
-phemia;
sorc-, sorcery;
vati-.
A cross reference of other word family units that are related directly, or indirectly, to: "chance, luck, fate":
aleato-;
auspic-;
cad-;
fortu-;
serendipity;
sorc;
temer-;
tycho-.
