Axinomancy is one of several obscure methods of divination using an

axe An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has ma ...

hatchet A hatchet (from the Old French , a diminutive form of ''hache'', ' axe' of Germanic origin) is a single-handed striking tool with a sharp blade on one side used to cut and split wood, and a hammerhead on the other side. Hatchets may also be us ...

, or (rarely) a

saw A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood, though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and mov ...

. Most of the methods involve throwing an axe into the ground, or swinging it into a tree, and interpreting the direction of the handle or the quivering of the blade. A form of this is axiomancy; this is when the quivering of the

blade A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Histor ...

of an

that has been thrust into a wooden table is interpreted by the diviner. Another interesting method is heating an axe-head in a fire until it glows, and then interpreting the colors and shapes. A variant, attributed to the ancient Greeks, who held it in good repute, is to balance a spherical piece of

agate Agate () is a common rock formation, consisting of chalcedony and quartz as its primary components, with a wide variety of colors. Agates are primarily formed within volcanic and metamorphic rocks. The ornamental use of agate was common in Anci ...

on the edge of the axe (held sharp edge up). The direction in which the agate rolls can be interpreted as needed. Some sources claim that

Psalm 74 Psalm 74 is the 74th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translation ...

refers to the use of axinomancy to predict the fall of Jerusalem, although in the text the reference to ''upright axes'' is not specifically for divination.

References

{{Divination , Other Divination