astragalomancy

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀστράγαλος (astrágalos) +‎ -mancy.

Noun

astragalomancy (uncountable)

1. Any form of divination by dice.

   Synonym: dice divination

2. Divination by dice made from huckle-bones. They have four flat sides and two round sides which were marked.
3. Divination by throwing astragaloi (see etymology above) onto the pages of a picture book.

Quotations

• 1640, E. Chilmead, trans., Love Melancholy, translation of original by Jacques Ferrand:

  "kinde of divination by the opening of a booke at all adventures..." He adds, "I shall omit to speak here of astragalomancy, that was done with huckle bones; ceromancy, and all other such like fooleries."

• [1973, Walter B. Gibson, Litzka R. Gibson, The Complete Illustrated Book of Divination and Prophecy, London: Souvenir Press, published 1987, →ISBN, page 312:

  ASTRAGALOMANCY or ASTRAGYROMANCY: Divination with dice, ranging from crude bones with primitive markings to cubes bearing spots, letters, or cabalistic symbols, all interpreted by the bone caster.]

• 1983, Complete Bk Predictions:

  Astragalomancy: Today this is a form of divination using two dice, but originally a pair of astragals (probably the left and right ankle-bones of a sheep) would have been used.

Synonyms

• astragyromancy

Translations

divination by dice made from huckle-bones

• Polish: astragalomancja f

throwing such dice onto a book

simply divination by dice

Further reading

• astragalomancy on Wikipedia.Wikipedia