astragyromancy

English

Etymology

Possibly a joining of astragalomancy and gyromancy (spinning of the dice).

Noun

astragyromancy (uncountable)

  1. Divination by dice.
    • 1970, Richard Cavendish, Man, Myth & Magic: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural:
      Known as astragalomancy or astragyromancy, this method is supposed, righdy or wrongly, to make clear to man the designs of providence, the will of the gods, the decrees of fate.
    • 1973, Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. & Prophecy:
      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.
    • 1992, Max Maven, Max Maven's book of fortunetelling, page 45:
      This is an extremely simple form of sortilege related to astragalomancy or astragyromancy (from the Greek astragalos, meaning "vertebra, knucklebone"), which began about 5,000 years ago.

Synonyms

Further reading
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