Throughout history and across the world, humankind has sought clues about the future and attempted to control its fate by appealing to higher spiritual powers. In Africa, the legacy of such efforts is evident in works that display an especially diverse range of artistic expression. This publication presents fifty of the most representative works from twenty-eight African cultures as illustrative of various divination systems. In extensive commentaries, each of these is examined from its distinct cultural perspective, and is considered both for its artistry and as a medium through which divine insights may be revealed. As a series, they provide insight into the commonalities and contrasts among the different divination methods and the cultures in which they developed. They also reveal themselves as some of the most imaginative examples of African art, inspired by the human quest to reach beyond the limitations of ordinary experience. An essay by Professor John Pemberton III, scholar of African religions, explores the world views and divination practices of five distinct regional traditions: the Azande, Luba and Songye, Yaka, Yoruba, and Malagasy. Pemberton demonstrates how these traditions represent some of the most widespread or distinctive forms of divination in African cultures, and identifies how they are points of departure for examining the comparative religious and social structures to which the practices relate. He considers the nature of the concerns and problems that are analyzed through divination, from chronic ailments to marital infidelity, and the specific divination techniques that have been developed to provide people with insight into their current dilemmas and give them direction for future action. -- Metropolitan Museum of Art website.