astragalomancy
Sign in to saveright|upright=1.2|thumb|Replica Roman astragali right|upright=.8|thumb|Astragali used for gaming in Mongolia
Article
8 sectionsContents
- In Ancient Greece
- Tibetan Dice Divination
- Early Tibetan Dice Divination
- In Tibetan Buddhism
- On the Silk Road
- In South America
- Notes and references
- External links
right|upright=1.2|thumb|Replica Roman astragali right|upright=.8|thumb|Astragali used for gaming in Mongolia
Astragalomancy, also known as cubomancy or astragyromancy, is a form of divination that uses dice specially marked with letters or numbers. Historically, as with dice games, the "dice" were usually knucklebones or other small bones of quadrupeds. Marked astragali (talus bones) of sheep and goats are commonly found in Mediterranean and Near Eastern archaeological sites, particularly those who served as funerary and religious locations. For example, marked astragali have been found near the altar of Aphrodite Ourania in Athens, Greece, suggesting that astragalomancy was performed near the altar after about 500 BCE.