Near the Silk Road oasis city of Dunhuang, deep in the temple libraries of Magao Caves, the only known book written in the Old Turkic script was found at the bottom of a deposit of religious and secular manuscripts where it had been preserved since the sealing of the caves in the 11th century. The Irk Bitig is a divination book containing 65 irk omens with accompanying poetic interpretations.

Each irk is represented by three groups of circles at the head of each interpretation, the result of three throws of a dice-like wooden rod with one to four circles inscribed on each side. Each interpretation ends with a judgement as to whether the outcome is good, bad, very good, or very bad. Now, my dear sons, know thus: this book of divination is good. Thus, everyone is master of his own fate.