Molybdomancy
| Gather 'round the campfire for |
| My grandmum used to say.... |
Molybdomancy is the umbrella term for various divination practices involving molten metal (usually tin or lead, because they are common and have a low melting point). The metal is usually poured into water, causing it to solidify in a random shape that is then interpreted. (A similar type of divination is ceromancy, where wax is used instead of metal.) The name itself comes from the Ancient Greek word for "lead", molybdos.
The practice allegedly originated in Ancient Greece and it's still used, or at least known, on the Balkans (usually under some variation of the name "pouring lead"). It has been also adopted as a quaint New Year's folk tradition in Germany (Bleigiessen) and some Scandinavian countries (Norwegian: støyping, "casting"; Finnish: uudenvuoden tina, "New Year's Tin").