About the archive
How Tasseography.org is researched and maintained
Tasseography.org is an independent editorial reference for people comparing shapes found in coffee grounds and tea leaves. This page explains what the archive can support, where its material comes from, and where interpretation remains uncertain.
Editorial policy reviewed .
Purpose
A reference library, not a prediction service
The archive helps readers identify possible shapes, compare similar symbols, and understand commonly published interpretations. Tasseography is a traditional interpretive practice; its meanings are not scientifically verified predictions and should not replace medical, legal, financial, or other professional advice.
Sources and labels
Coffee and tea material are handled differently
Coffee entries use a compiled traditional glossary. When an individual historical citation has not yet been attached, the page says so plainly instead of implying that a specific source exists.
Tea entries retain meanings and source labels from public-domain tea-reading books. Individual pages name the historical source material used for that entry so readers can distinguish sourced notes from the site's editorial guidance.
Visual references
Images are examples, not documentary evidence
Visual references are created to show how an uneven residue shape might be recognized. They are labelled as illustrative and are not photographs of a documented reading. A real cup is ambiguous and may show only part of a shape, at another angle, with unrelated marks around it.
Corrections
The archive is revised when better evidence appears
Spelling corrections, clearer source notes, regional interpretations, and better visual examples are reviewed before publication. Published URLs are preserved where practical so citations and bookmarks continue to work after an editorial correction.
To suggest a correction, email org@tasseography.org and include the page URL plus the source or change you recommend.
Continue exploring
Start with the method, then compare symbols.
Reading the cup as a whole is more useful than matching one isolated mark to a fixed definition.