All entries
2,161 entries so far, best known first. 3,219 more are on the list to be written. Narrow by region, kind, purpose, practitioner, belief world, occasion or how alive it is.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
PurposeProtectionHealingSeeing and foretellingLuck and prosperityLove and attractionCursing and harmCleansing and purificationSpeaking with spirits and the deadChange and initiationBinding and oathsPower and authorityWonder and entertainment
WhoShamansFolk healersPriests and ritual specialistsWitches, sorcerers and cunning folkDiviners and readersMediums and the possessedCeremonial magicians and alchemistsHouseholds and ordinary peopleStage magiciansScholars and sceptics
BeliefHindu and TantricBuddhistJainMuslim and SufiJewishChristianSikhZoroastrianShinto and TaoistIndigenous and shamanicAfrican and Afro-diasporicPagan and NeopaganEsoteric and occultFolk and village customSecular and stageOther traditions
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 2 moreMichael Scot
A medieval scholar and astrologer who became a legendary magician in folklore.Figure 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 2 moreS茅ance
A gathering to communicate with spirits, ranging from religious services to stage performances.Rite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Healing Living
馃嚜馃嚬 Ethiopia and 5 morePrester John
A legendary Christian king and priest said to rule a lost kingdom in the East.Figure 路 Power and authority 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 5 moreTrick-or-treating
A Halloween custom where costumed visitors ask for treats from homesTradition 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 4 moreMay Day
A European spring festival marking the start of summer with flowers, poles and fire.Tradition 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚫馃嚛 Sudan and 5 moreIncense
Aromatic plant materials burned to release fragrant smoke for ritual, scent, or timekeeping.Substance 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 2 moreDaniel Dunglas Home
A Scottish physical medium known for levitation and spirit communication during the Victorian era.Belief 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Wonder and entertainment Historical
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandIrish folkloreb茅aloideas
The oral traditions, myths and customs of IrelandTradition 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 4 moreR茅veillon
A long Christmas or New Year's Eve dinner held to stay awake until morningTradition 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚜馃嚫 Spain and 5 moreSt John's Eve
A Christian vigil marked by bonfires and plant gathering on the summer solstice eveRite 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 7 moreWalpurgis NightWalpurgisnacht
A spring vigil marking the eve of Saint Walpurga's feast day with bonfires and student festivalsRite 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 5 moreHalloween
A Christian vigil on 31 October for the dead, now marked by costumes and carved vegetablesRite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 1 moreEaster Bunny
A German folkloric hare that judges children and delivers colored eggs for EasterBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚨馃嚤 Poland and 1 moreBishop-fish
A legendary sea creature said to gesture like a cleric before vanishingBeing 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚚馃嚤 Chile and 1 moreGiant
Mythic humanoids of immense size and strength found in global folklore and ancient textsFigure 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 5 moreVanishing hitchhiker
An urban legend where a motorist picks up a passenger who vanishes, often leaving behind proof of their death.Belief 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiHaitian CarnivalKanaval
A major Caribbean festival of music, dance, and satire leading to Mardi Gras in HaitiTradition 路 Wonder and entertainment 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 1 moreGargoylegargouille
A carved stone waterspout shaped like a creature, used on Gothic buildings to shed rainwaterCharm 路 Protection 路 Wonder and entertainment Historical
馃嚡馃嚨 Japan and 5 moreMythic humanoids
Creatures that blend human and animal traits across global folkloreBeing 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚘馃嚬 AustriaHaymon
A legendary giant of Tyrol who founded a monastery and defeated local spiritsFigure 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Incense: nakimusi, CC BY 2.0, source
- Walpurgis Night: Luis Ricardo Falero, Public domain, source
- Halloween: Toby Ord, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Michael Scot: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- S茅ance: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Trick-or-treating: Toyah Anette B, Public domain, source
- Daniel Dunglas Home: Nadar, Public domain, source
- Irish folklore: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Easter Bunny: Dr. Bernd Gross, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bishop-fish: photo by Sean Linehan, NOS, NGS National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin, Public domain, source
- Haitian Carnival: User:Doron, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Gargoyle: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- St John's Eve: Jules Breton, Public domain, source
- Prester John: Diogo Homem, Public domain, source
- Haymon: Hafelekar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- May Day: Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0, source
- Giant: Attributed to Francisco Goya, Public domain, source