Goat Ankle Bones Guide My Life
In 2017, I had the pleasure of visiting Mongolia with my grandmother. The desolation, kind people, and stunning scenery make this my favorite country I’ve ever been to.
It’s also a country I have borrowed a practice from: Shagai divinations.
What’s Shagai?
Shagai are astragalus (ankle) bones— usually of goats or sheep. In Mongolia and Central Asia, these bones are used for games and fortune divinations. I use them for the latter.
When at the world’s largest equestrian statue, one of Chinggis Khaan, I bought a set of four of these bones housed inside of a pouch.
Simply roll the four bones like dice when you want your fortune told. Each one of the four sides of the bone stands for a different animal: sheep, goat, camel, or horse.
Then, use the key to tell your fortune based on the combinations of the animals you got (from the picture below).
