hieromancy

Etymology

From hiero- + -mancy.

Why this word is great

HIEROMANCY — [Noun] Divination by interpreting sacred objects, especially those used in sacrificial offerings. From the Greek hiero- ("sacred") and -mancy ("divination"). Unlike "aruspicy" (which narrows its gaze to the entrails of beasts) or "hydromancy" (which scries meaning in the shifting surface of water), hieromancy seeks the divine in the residue of ritual—the charred bones of an offering, the pattern of spilled wine on an altar cloth, or the way sacred dice settle in the dust after being cast. It is the art of reading holiness in the aftermath of devotion, a reminder that the sacred speaks most clearly in what we surrender.

noun

Divination by interpreting sacred objects, often used in sacrificial offerings. Similar to aruspicy.“HIEROMANCY: Divination through various forms of sacrifice, or preparation for such, especially when performed by adepts in accordance with accepted rituals.”