From what I can remember, "tauroscopy" refers to divination by gutting bulls; there were other -oscopies as well, including observing birds.

But what’s the one for spiders?  "arachnoscopy"?

thanks for all the help!!

Was sure I would be able to help with this one, since I’ve accumulated a list of 180-odd words relating to methods of divination - but nothing for spiders, it seems.
the OED turns up nothing useful using wildcard searches for arachn* or *scopy or *mancy, or searching for the words "divination" + "spider(s)" in the word definitions. There’s no entry in Lewis Spence’s huge Encyclopedia of the Occult either. :(

I think you’re entitled to make one up under these desperate circumstances - how about arachnimancy?

Grant

Here‘s a site that reports spider divination among the Mambila people of West Africa. They call it nggàm. And here‘s a site giving arachnomancy as the word you’re after. One more for my list!

Grant

[quote author=granthutchison link=board=etymology;num=1041642365;start=0#1 date=01/04/03 at 13:25:06] . . . I think you’re entitled to make one up under these desperate circumstances - how about arachnimancy?

Grant

I was thinking of suggesting something similar.  I would think that divination by bulls would be tauromancy, not tauroscopy.  The -scopy is from the Greek skopos, watcher according to the online AHD.  The -mancy is from the Greek manteia, divination.

nec·ro·man·cy n.
1.  The practice of supposedly communicating with the spirits of the dead in order to predict the future.

2.  Black magic; sorcery.

3.  Magic qualities.
[Alteration of Middle English nigromancie, from Old French nigremancie, from Medieval Latin nigromantia, alteration (influenced by Latin niger, black), of Late Latin necromantia from Greek nekromanteia : nekros, corpse; see nek-[sup]1[/sup] in Indo-European roots + manteia, divination ; see -mancy.]

necro·mancer n.
necro·mantic adj.

[quote author=Stargzer link=board=etymology;num=1041642365;start=0#3 date=01/04/03 at 13:53:51]The -scopy is from the Greek skopos, watcher according to the online AHD.  The -mancy is from the Greek manteia, divination.

There are a few divinatory -scopies (though I don’t have Rodlox’s tauroscopy on my list).
I’ve got:
anthroposcopy - facial features
ornithoscopy - the flight of birds
ceraunoscopy - thunderstorms
ceroscopy - melted wax dripped into water
gelotoscopy - a person’s way of laughing
hieroscopy - sacrifices or sacred things
hepatoscopy - the livers of sacrificed animals
metoposcopy - the lines on the forehead
omoplatoscopy - the pattern of cracks in a burned shoulder-blade
ooscopy - eggs
podoscopy - the soles of the feet
scatoscopy - faeces
teratoscopy - monsters and prodigies
uroscopy - urine

Many have corresponding -mancies that mean the same thing.

Grant

[quote author=granthutchison link=board=etymology;num=1041642365;start=0#4 date=01/04/03 at 16:15:43]
There are a few divinatory -scopies (though I don’t have Rodlox’s tauroscopy on my list).
I’ve got:
teratoscopy - monsters and prodigies
Grant

thank you!

btw, I looked in for Old English links here at yourdictionary, and here’s what I found at one site:

_extispicy - ( )       Divination using entrails_
     http://www.islandnet.com/~egbird/dict/e.htm

yep, one more for your list.

[quote author=Rodlox link=board=etymology;num=1041642365;start=0#5 date=01/05/03 at 19:01:28]yep, one more for your list.

Thanks - got that one already, though, as well as haruspicy (which means the same thing) and auspicy, another word for divination by observing birds.
There was an old Roman priestly office of auspex, or avispex, charged with watching the movement of birds for omens, ill or otherwise. And we still talk about something happening under the auspices of some person - under their favourable influence.

Grant

[quote author=granthutchison link=board=etymology;num=1041642365;start=0#6 date=01/05/03 at 19:25:10]
Thanks - got that one already, though,
Grant

 If you mean the word, no problem, keep reading.  :)
if you mean the website, you’ll already know these; they’re from the same website, different letter:

enigmatology - ( )
The study and construction of puzzles

enochlophobia - ( )
A fear of crowds
{my question: enochlomancy?}

enoptromancy - ( )
Divination using a mirror

equinophobia - ( )
A fear of horses
{my question: equinomancy?}

extispex - ( )
A person who predicts the future using entrails
extispicy - ( )
Divination using entrails

and how reliable is this divination?  Any divination. entrail or spider doings, or augury?  Just wondering,
J.
auspicy reminds me of something….oh yes,

aus·pice

n. pl. aus·pi·ces
-also auspices Protection or support; patronage.
-A sign indicative of future prospects; an omen: Auspices for the venture seemed favorable.
-Observation of and divination from the actions of birds.