Acultomancy

Acultomancy is a purported divination technique involving the use of needles or pins. The practice typically involves thrusting needles into a surface, such as a book, or observing the patterns formed by dropped needles, in order to answer questions or predict the future. The specific interpretations of the patterns and needle orientations vary widely depending on the practitioner and the tradition being followed.

The etymology of "acultomancy" derives from the Latin "aculto," likely a misinterpretation or conflation of "acus" (needle) and a connection to "occult," combined with the suffix "-mancy," indicating divination. It should be noted that the term "acultomancy" is relatively uncommon and may be considered a neologism within the broader context of divination techniques. Reliable historical documentation or academic study of the practice is scarce. As such, much of what is known about acultomancy is derived from anecdotal accounts and practitioner-specific methodologies. The effectiveness of acultomancy, like other forms of divination, is not scientifically validated and remains a matter of personal belief.

While related to stichomancy (divination by randomly selecting passages from books) and belomancy (divination using arrows or darts), acultomancy distinguishes itself by its specific focus on the use of needles.