All entries
2,158 entries so far, best known first. 3,227 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
馃嚙馃嚜 Belgium and 2 moreHorseshoe
A metal shoe for a horse's hoof and a talisman of good fortuneCharm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 5 moreAmber
Fossilized tree resin used in jewelry and folk healing traditionsSubstance 路 Protection 路 Healing 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
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 1 moreHeliotrope
A green and red mineral stone used as an amulet for health, invisibility, and courage.Charm 路 Protection 路 Healing Historical
馃嚠馃嚪 Iran and 5 moreTurquoise
An opaque blue-green gemstone prized for its color since ancient timesSubstance 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 3 moreRowancaorann
A Northern Hemisphere tree believed to ward off witches and protect travellers.Substance 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 5 moreBay Laurel未维蠁谓畏
An aromatic Mediterranean plant used in cooking and as a symbol of victory and purification.Substance 路 Protection 路 Cleansing and purification Living
馃嚠馃嚦 IndiaUnicorn horn
A legendary object believed to neutralize poison and cure disease, traded as narwhal teeth for centuries.Charm 路 Healing 路 Protection Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomWassail
A hot spiced drink and the twelfth-night customs of singing to trees or visiting homes for giftsTradition 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Protection Living
馃嚠馃嚛 Indonesia and 3 moreDragon's blood
A bright red resin from several plant species used in magic, medicine, and art since antiquitySubstance 路 Healing 路 Protection Living
馃嚙馃嚪 Brazil and 5 moreAmethyst
A violet quartz variety used in jewelry and historically believed to ward off intoxicationSubstance 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚭馃嚘 Ukraine and 5 moreMugwort褔芯褉薪芯斜懈谢褜 (chorn贸byl')
An aromatic herb used in folk medicine, cooking, and magical protection across Eurasia.Substance 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 3 moreJet
A black gemstone carved into amulets and mourning jewellery for centuriesCharm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 5 moreFlorida Water
A citrus perfume used in spiritual cleansing and folk healing across the Americas.Substance 路 Protection 路 Cleansing and purification Living
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 5 morePrecious coral
A marine skeleton harvested for jewelry and worn as a protective charm in several culturesSubstance 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 5 moreLock of hair
A piece of human hair kept for symbolic, sentimental, or superstitious reasons.Substance 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Precious coral: G茅ry PARENT, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Amber: uploaded with permission, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Incense: nakimusi, CC BY 2.0, source
- Heliotrope: Ra'ike (see also: de:Benutzer:Ra'ike ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Turquoise: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Rowan: Taken by me, Jonik , on August 25, 2004., CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bay Laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source
- Unicorn horn: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Wassail: Joss Smithson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Dragon's blood: Andy Dingley, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Horseshoe: Cgoodwin, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Amethyst: JJ Harrison ( https://jjharrison.com.au/ ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mugwort: Prahlad balaji, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Jet: Thmsfrst, Public domain, source
- Lock of hair: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Florida Water: Unknown artist(s), Public domain, source