Divination, << `dihv` uh NAY shuhn, >> is the practice of trying to learn about the unknown by magical or supernatural means. A diviner supposedly can learn about the past, present, or future. Some diviners believe they can learn the causes of past events, such as a person’s illness or death. Other diviners, called dowsers, claim they can find the location of underground water. Still others believe they can foretell events, such as when a person will die or whom a person will marry.
There are many kinds of divination. For example, necromancy involves communicating with the spirits of the dead. Astrology is an attempt to predict events by studying the positions of the sun, moon, stars, and planets. Some diviners interpret dreams to foretell events. Palmistry involves the prediction of events by reading the lines and marks of the hand. Some fortunetellers claim to read messages in coffee grounds, tea leaves, dried mud, or crystal balls. Others use tarot cards, a special deck of pictured playing cards, to tell the future. 
Throughout history, people have believed in the powers of divination. In ancient Greece and Rome, prophets known as oracles foretold events by interpreting messages from the deities.
Divination is important among many modern African cultures. For example, the Azande of Sudan consult oracles to learn about the future. The Sisaala people of northern Ghana use cowrie shells for divination and turn to the spirits of their ancestors for guidance through necromancy. Most cultures today have some traditions that involve divination.
