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
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceHoly GrailSaint Graal
A cup or stone from Arthurian tales that grants healing and eternal lifeFigure 路 Healing 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
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
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelWitch of Endor讗值芝砖侄讈转 讘址旨纸注植诇址转志讗止謻讜讘 讘职旨注值芝讬谉 讚止旨纸讜专
A biblical spirit-diviner summoned by King Saul to consult the prophet Samuel.Figure 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 1 moreFaust
A German legend of a scholar who trades his soul for knowledge and pleasureFigure 路 Power and authority 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
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
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 5 moreFairy
A European spirit with magical powers and human form found in folklore and artBeing 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
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
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandDevil Whale
A giant sea creature mistaken for an island that drags sailors to the deepBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚲馃嚜 Yemen and 2 moreQueen of Sheba诪址诇职讻址旨转 砖职讈讘指讗 (Hebrew), 賲賱賰丞 爻亘兀 (Arabic), 釆曖實釄メ壈 釄翅墸 (Ge式ez)
A legendary queen from ancient Arabia or Ethiopia who visited King Solomon.Figure Legendary
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 moreBalak讘指旨诇指拽
A biblical king who sought a sorcerer's curse against the IsraelitesFigure 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
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
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
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 4 moreRobert the Devil
A medieval legend of a knight born to Satan who seeks redemptionFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Change and initiation Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Robert the Devil: Gustave Dor茅, Public domain, source
- Michael Scot: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Fairy: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Witch of Endor: Adam Elsheimer / John Kay, CC BY 4.0, source
- Faust: Earthsphere, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bishop-fish: photo by Sean Linehan, NOS, NGS National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin, Public domain, source
- Devil Whale: Edmund Dulac, Public domain, source
- Balak: Philip De Vere, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Prester John: Diogo Homem, Public domain, source
- Haymon: Hafelekar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Holy Grail: Photographed by the National Library of Wales, CC0, source
- Giant: Attributed to Francisco Goya, Public domain, source
- Queen of Sheba: Jacopo Tintoretto, Public domain, source