Astragaloi were a type of divination tool or game in ancient Greece. The Greeks put value in spiritual messages. They would often watch for bird signs, watch nature, make runes out of pottery, etc. This was a time when Spiritual leaders, psychics and oracles were revered higher than royalty.
Like today, the average person wanted answers to life's basic questions. Questions such as: what is my purpose? What crop should I plant this year? Should I marry that person? Although oracles were sought out for advice, people were encouraged to practice their own divination for answers.
What material was easily accessible for the lower class? Stones and bones. When a sheep was eaten, the knucklebones were converted into dice. These dice could be used as a game for fun. Or they were used as divination dice. These divination dice were called astragaloi, or knucklebones.
It was standard practice to use five dice. Each side of the dice had a different number on it. The dice were rolled and how the numbers landed gave the roller the answer to their question. It is possible to use one dice and roll it five times in a row. This is similar to using a tarot deck. When you pull a tarot card, there is a number/letter on the card that correlates with a message in a book. How the dice are rolled gives you a number that correlates with a message. That message is usually a short statement given from a God or Goddess.
Picture British Museum Inv. 1867,0510.1;