Bone Casting: An Ancient Art of Divination

Bone casting—also known as Osteomancy, Astragalomancy, Cleromancy, or Curiomancy—is one of humanity’s oldest divination practices, spanning centuries and cultures worldwide. From the Zulu Sangoma of South Africa to the rootworkers of the American Ozarks, from the Babalawos of Nigeria, Cuba, and Latin America to the Inuits carving walrus tusks in Alaska, nearly every culture has a tradition of reading bones or small objects like shells, dice, or trinkets. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks tossed knucklebones and marked sheep vertebrae, while the Chinese during the Shang Dynasty and Celts practiced Pyro-osteomancy, burning bones before interpretation. The Norse carved Ogham staves, and Mongolians read four-sided sheep knucklebones in a practice called Shagai, meaning “Complicated Fortune Telling.” Each tradition varies in method and materials, reflecting its unique cultural lens.

 

Bone Casting for Everyone

You don’t need to follow a specific cultural tradition, study under a conjurer, or connect with ancestors to read bones. Whether you’re drawn to Hoodoo, Voodoo, Ifa, or none of these, bone casting is accessible to all. I approach it as a practical tool for fortune-telling rather than a cultural ritual, focusing on symbols, patterns, and interpretations. It’s versatile, engaging, and, frankly, a lot of fun—not watered-down or fluffy, but a powerful, time-tested method.How Bone Casting WorksBone casting involves tossing a collection of meaningful objects—bones, shells, coins, keys, dice, or trinkets—onto a surface, often called a “map.” Each item carries a specific meaning, which you assign based on personal or traditional associations. For example:

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• A chicken wishbone might symbolize a granted wish.

• A butterfly pin could represent freedom or transformation.

• A safety pin might indicate clinging to security.

• Dice or dominoes carry numerical meanings, adding depth to the reading.

 

The surface, or “map,” varies—ground, animal hides, or custom casting cloths like mine, which feature designated areas for strengths, weaknesses, obstacles, and more. Unlike Tarot, which relies on structured spreads, bone casting is fluid. While some ask a specific question, I find the bones often reveal what you need to know, addressing your deepest concerns without a prompt. You gather your items, toss them onto the map, and interpret their positions, groupings, or orientations. For example:

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• Overlapping items might suggest interconnected issues.

• Diagonal placements could indicate movement or change.

• Grouped objects may highlight a central theme.

 

You can enhance the experience with personal rituals—lighting candles, burning sage, chanting, or creating an ambiance that reflects your beliefs. These elements focus both you and the client on the moment, but they’re optional. I love setting the mood, but I keep it practical, not overly mystical.My ApproachMy bone-casting method draws from diverse traditions, refined through years of practice. It’s effective, versatile, and tailored to each client. On this page, I share my techniques, including:

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• How to start a reading and assign meanings to items.

• Interpreting overlaps, diagonals, or groupings.

• Using dice or curios for numerical insights.

• Identifying timeframes, masked issues, or movement toward/away from you.

• Marking bones or removing items during a reading.

 

For those familiar with Tarot, I also offer an alternative: a draw-and-place method, like a three-card spread for past, present, and future, or other layouts (e.g., yes/no or relationship spreads). This blends bone casting’s flexibility with Tarot’s structure.

 

Ethical Bone Casting

Ethical practice is essential to avoid exploiting others or trivializing sacred traditions. Some bone-casting methods are deeply tied to specific cultural or spiritual traditions and imitating them without context can feel disrespectful. Unless you come from a lineage of bone casters (which is rare), I encourage you to forge your own path. Create a practice that resonates with you, incorporating elements you genuinely value and feel drawn to, ensuring your approach is authentic and meaningful. Also, as readers, we must define our role clearly, avoiding exploitation of vulnerable clients. I don’t use predictions to dazzle or profit from fear, nor do I promise unrealistic outcomes. My goal is to empower clients with insight, not to manipulate or mystify.

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