Xeirscopie (from Greek xeir ‘hand’ and skopeo ‘examine’) refers to a system of hand analysis developed in nineteenth-century Germany. The doctrine,
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outlined by Dr. W.-F. Sargenkœnig, claimed to determine personality traits, tendencies, and even fate through the study of hand shapes, lines, and muscle structure. Xeirscopie drew from physiognomy and phrenology, suggesting that character could be read from physical features. While often regarded with skepticism, xeirscopie found a place in the broader history of divinatory and pseudoscientific practices in Europe.
