What is Tasseomancy?

The diviner will then pick up the cup and 'read' the pattern formed by the dregs, allowing the imagination to play around with the shapes suggested by them.  They might look like a letter, a heart shape, or a ring.  These shapes are then interpreted intuitively or by means of a fairly standard system of symbolism, such as: a snake, which is a bad omen meaning enmity or falsehood, a spade, signifying good fortune through work, or a house, which means change or success.

There are countless meanings to countless symbols which can be 'seen by the diviner' in the tea leaves, a few of which are shown below.  If you wish to learn of more there are numerous sites on the internet listing symbols relating to tasseomancy along with their 'meanings'.

Time frames, i.e. past, present and future, are estimated by the proximity of the leaves to the rim, leaves closest to the rim representing the immediate future.  The handle region represents everything having to do with home life, whereas opposite the handle represents everything to do with work and business.

In the old industrial areas of Britain, the traditional teapot used for tea leaf reading is a plain dark brown pot known as the Brown Betty, a type of teapot, round and with a manganese brown glaze known as Rockingham glaze.  The original teapots came from a red clay that was discovered in the Stoke-on-Trent area of Britain, in 1695.

There are dozens of individual designs of fortune tellers' cups, but the three most common types are zodiac cups, playing card cups, and symbol cups as described below:

The three most common types of fortune tellers' cups
Type	Definition
Zodiac cups	These sets contain zodiacal and planetary symbols.  Typically the interior of the cup contains the planetary symbols, while the saucer has the astrological sign symbols, but there are many variations and exceptions to this common pattern.  The placement of these symbols allows the reader to combine astrology with Tasseomancy.
Playing card cups	These cups carry within their interiors tiny images of a deck of scattered cards, either 52 cards plus a joker, as in a poker deck, or 32 cards, as in a euchre deck.  Some sets also have a few cards imprinted on the saucers, or the saucers may contain brief written card interpretations.  The playing cards permit the reader to creatively relate cartomancy to Tasseomancy.
Symbol cups	These sets are decorated with between a dozen and fifty of the most common visual clues that can be found in tea leaves, often numbered for easy reference and supplied with an explanatory booklet.  The symbols are generally displayed inside the cups, but there are also sets in which they decorate the outside or appear in the cups and on the saucers.

Some Symbols and their Meanings

Bearing in mind that whatever is read in the tea leaves is completely random and open to interpretation by the person reading them, here is a list of some of the more generally accepted interpretations applied to signs that may be 'seen' in the eye of the beholder.  It should be patently obvious that almost any symbol can be found if you look long enough.  This list is by no means exhaustive, and others continue to be updated as new objects appear in our environment, for example, cars and aircraft were certainly not around when the gypsies first applied their trade.

	Acorn	If you have been ill, this tends to signify an improvement in your health with continued good health and getting stronger.
	Aircraft	This usually relates to a failed or unsuccessful project.
	Bat	Indicates fruitless journeys or tasks you are either currently undertaking or are about to in the very near future.
	Boat	You can expect a visit from a friend.
	Car	Some wealth is coming your way, or you can expect a visit from friends.
	Crown	Success and honour will be forthcoming.
	Dagger	You will get some special favours from friends.
	Dove	This is a lucky symbol signifying progressive prosperity and love/affection.
	Elephant	Another lucky sign meaning good health.
	Fish	Good news from abroad is on its way.
	Fox	Treachery by someone you trust as a friend.
	Goat	This is a sign of enemies, and possible misfortune to someone at sea.
	Gun	A sign of discord and slander.
	Harp	Success in love, and a marriage.
	Horseshoe	A journey will bring luck, or it can mean a successful marriage.
	Ivy	Honour and happiness can be expected due to faithful friends.
	Kettle	Death.
	Ladder	Another sign of travel.
	Lion	You will achieve greatness through powerful friends.
	Moon Crescent	Prosperity and good fortune.
	Mountain	One mountain symbolises powerful friends, many mountains mean the opposite - powerful enemies.
	Numbers	Numbers are considered very lucky, signifying long life, good health and a happy marriage.
	Owl	This is supposedly an evil omen, relating to sickness, poverty and disgrace.
	Pear	Indicates great wealth with improved social standing.
	Pig	A mixture of good and bad luck.
	Rabbit	A symbol of a fair amount of success, either in a city or a large town.
	Rat	Treacherous servants/workers, and/or significant losses through enemies.
	Scales	A lawsuit.
	Shark	Beware, there is danger of death.
	Trees	Another lucky sign meaning prosperity and happiness.
	Triangles	Triangles are supposed to always signify good luck and unexpected legacies.
	Umbrella	Annoyance, probably with trouble.
	Unicorn	Symbolises scandal.
	Vulture	Beware of bitter enemies.
	Wheel	You can expect an inheritance soon.
	Windmill	Success in a business venture.
	Yacht	Pleasure and happiness lie ahead.
	Zebra	A sign of travel and adventure in foreign countries.

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