Palmistry — also called chiromancy — is one of the most widely practised forms of divination across human history. Its origins trace to ancient India, where it appears in Vedic texts, then spread through Persia, Greece, Rome, and medieval Europe.
The palm is divided into mounts (raised areas linked to planets) and lines (the life, heart, head, fate, and sun lines). Readers interpret the depth, length, and intersections of these lines together with hand shape and finger proportions.
The 19th century saw a revival through works such as Cheiro's 'Language of the Hand'. Today palmistry bridges esoteric tradition and psychological character analysis, remaining one of the most accessible oracular arts worldwide.