Sideromancy
Derived from the Greek sidēros ('iron') and manteia ('divination'), Sideromancy is a form of Pyromancy which consists of dropping an odd number of dry straws onto a hot iron skillet, and then reading the patterns formed by the straws and their twists, bending, movements and undulations as they burn on the sizzling surface, or the shape of the flame and the smoke resulting from it.
The ancient Romans practiced Sideromancy, and sometimes substituted the traditional straws with crushed beans and peas. Straws could be from a broom, dried yarrow stalks, twigs, etc.
Traditionally, an iron skillet, pan, or anything made of iron presenting a flat surface, was heated in the fire until red-hot. After that an odd number of straws or small pieces of wood are thrown into the pan. The diviner then proceeds interpreting the shapes, bending and movement of the straws. The nature of the smoke and flames are also interpreted.
See Radiesthesia, Sortilege, Divination, Astrology, Acutomancy, Agalmatomancy, Divination, Coscinomancy, Cleidomancy, Augur, Stoichomancy, Dowsing, Tarot, Heptameron, Demonology, Sortilege, Idolomancy, Demonomancy, Tephramancy, Anemoscopy, Eromancy, Austromancy, Chaomancy, Roadomancy, Capnomancy, Pyromancy, Meteormancy, Ceraunoscopy, Zoomancy, Felidomancy, Horoscope, Horary Astrology, Zodiac, Numerology, Bibliomancy, Kabbalism, Alchemy, Mystic Gifts and Charms - New Age Gift Shop & Wicca and Pagan Supplies, The Chakra Store, Love Spells -- Use these powerful love spells to help you find and keep your true love, The Tarot Store, Divination & Scrying Tools and Supplies, Unique Amulets, Talismans, Good Luck Charms, and Love Tokens, Powerful Witch Doctor Spell Kits, Powerful Spells - Cast by Andreika the Witch, Webmasters Make $$$, AzureGreen - Celebrating All Paths to the Divine, ISIS - Tools for Your Soul's Journey, and The Pyramid Collection - Myth, Magick, Fantasy and Romance.
Sources: (1) Spence, Lewis, An Encyclopedia of Occultism, Carol Publishing Group; (2) Dictionary of the Occult, Caxton Publishing; (3) Pickover, Clifford A., Dreaming the Future: The Fantastic Story of Prediction, Prometheus Books; (4) Johnstone, Jane, and Pilkington, Maya (editors), The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Fortune Telling, Sterling Publishers.
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