Palmistry Basics

Hand
Palmistry is often thought of as the art of reading the lines in the hand. The lines tell only one part of the story that is etched into the hands. A skilled Palmist looks at palmar lines and ridges, the shape and length of each finger, the mounts and bumps on the hand as well as skin color, warts, cuts, blisters, scars and the subject's own unique calling card, the fingerprints.

Recognition of the shape of the palm and the correspondences given to the mounds and fingers provides a grounding in the study of the map of the hand. Once this mapping is understood, it becomes much simpler to learn to read the hand by viewing the lines, bumps, wounds and other unique markings as an 'overlay' on top of the map.

Chirognomy
The study of hand shapes, including the size and shapes of the fingers and mounds. This section contains information about the four basic hand shapes. To learn about the map of the hands, visit the Meaning & Myth section.

Chiromancy
The study of the lines in the hands. This word is also often used to describe the entire study of palmistry. This section gives a basic overview of the three major lines found in the hand as well as commonly found vertical lines.

Dermatoglyphics
The study of the skin ridges of the hand. In the section you will find an summary of the four basic types of fingerprints.