oleomancy

English

Etymology

From oleo- (“oil”) +‎ -mancy (“divination”).

Noun

oleomancy (uncountable)

1. (historical) The practice of divination by pouring oil into water and observing the resulting patterns.
   • 1960, Yehezkel Kaufmann, translated by Moshe Greenberg, The Religion of Israel: from its Beginning to the Babylonian Exile, Chicago, I.L.: University of Chicago, page 88:

     The ban on necromancy and divination through idols and teraphim is understandable as falling under the prohibition of worshiping the dead and idols. But on what grounds is the distinction made between, say, hepatoscopy, astrology, and oleomancy, which are all banned, and Urim, ephod, and lots, which are permitted, though also involving a technique?

   • 1970, Harry Middleton Hyatt, Hoodoo, Conjuration, Witchcraft, Rootwork, volume 3, Washington, D.C.: American University, page 1968:

     Some of his material makes additions to the hoodoo corpus, especially the title quotation, a divination which may be the only example of oleomancy in HOODOO.

   • 1992, Michael E. Williams, The Storyteller's Companion to the Bible, volume 2 (Exodus–Joshua), Nashville, T.N.: Abingdon Press, →ISBN, page 149:

     Once in camp, Balaam may practice his craft. Mesopotamian baru-prophets read omens, by oleomancy (discerning oil patterns in a cup) or hydromancy (water patterns), by hepatoscopy (liver reading) or necromancy (conjuring up dead spirits).