Divination

Manipulation of material objects in the belief that they can foretell the future or explain natural catastrophes. The ancient Romans, for example, used the entrails of dead pigeons to assess whether their armies would be successful in war.

There are many forms of divination. Tribesmen of the Sahara Desert make predictions by drawing lots or throwing objects on the ground to see how they fall; the ancient Chinese heated tortoiseshells and the scapulae of cattle to give them guidance; and in the Western world crystal-gazing, tarot cards, the reading of tea leaves and astrology are all forms of divination.

Divination is probably best explained as a response to the human desire to order and control events in the future in accord with the existing pattern of social relationships.