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Witch-huntsWitching Hour in Salem and Beyond—The 12 Scariest Things to Do on Halloween NightMuseumsThis Week in Moab: Magic for Seekhaven and a New Museum Show, October 19–25DivinationThe Secret Romani History of TarotLiving traditionsMalou Beauvoir Introduces OUR VODOU Book 2, Celebrating Haiti's Heritage Through Children's StorytellingDivinationInside Seattle's witchy side: Tarot, crystals and a little local magicFestivalsMoreno family’s Day of the Dead celebration returns to the Village Green Nov. 1Stage magicThe Houdini Séance, once a Petaluma tradition, rises from the graveHistoryThe more archaeologists examine this temple find, the less it looks like ritual gear: inside the Thracian bronze puzzleCharmsA Man Took a Hidden Prayer to Jesus to His Grave—It Could Rewrite Christianity’s Origin StoryWitch-huntsFive Places Worth Visiting In Salem This Halloween SeasonWitch-huntsWitching Hour in Salem and Beyond—The 12 Scariest Things to Do on Halloween NightMuseumsThis Week in Moab: Magic for Seekhaven and a New Museum Show, October 19–25DivinationThe Secret Romani History of TarotLiving traditionsMalou Beauvoir Introduces OUR VODOU Book 2, Celebrating Haiti's Heritage Through Children's StorytellingDivinationInside Seattle's witchy side: Tarot, crystals and a little local magicFestivalsMoreno family’s Day of the Dead celebration returns to the Village Green Nov. 1Stage magicThe Houdini Séance, once a Petaluma tradition, rises from the graveHistoryThe more archaeologists examine this temple find, the less it looks like ritual gear: inside the Thracian bronze puzzleCharmsA Man Took a Hidden Prayer to Jesus to His Grave—It Could Rewrite Christianity’s Origin StoryWitch-huntsFive Places Worth Visiting In Salem This Halloween Season
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All entries

2,659 entries so far, best known first. 2,252 more are on the list to be written. Narrow by region, kind, purpose, practitioner, belief world, occasion or how alive it is.

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RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
KindTraditionRiteCharmOracleSubstanceBeingFigureTextIllusionBelief
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
OccasionWeddings and betrothalFestivalsBirth and childhoodDeath and remembranceHarvest, farming and weatherNew yearInitiation and coming of ageIllness and misfortuneJourneys and voyagesEveryday use
StandingLivingRevivedFadingHistoricalLegendaryPerformed
OrderBest knownA to ZNewestLiving first
🇨🇭 Switzerland and 5 moreWerewolf A figure in folklore who transforms into a wolf or hybrid beastFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceCassandraΚασσάνδρα A Trojan priestess cursed to speak truth that no one acceptsFigure · Seeing and foretelling Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceMedeaΜήδεια A sorceress and princess of Colchis who aids Jason and uses magic for revenge.Figure · Cursing and harm · Healing Legendary 🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreFairy A European spirit with magical powers and human form found in folklore and artBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceOrpheusὈρφεύς A Thracian bard whose music charms nature and who journeys to the underworldFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreLeshyлеший A forest spirit from Slavic folklore who guards the woods and misleads travelers.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceTiresiasΤειρεσίας A blind Greek seer who lived as both man and woman and spoke to the dead.Figure · Seeing and foretelling · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary 🇮🇸 Iceland and 2 moreValkyrievalkyrja Female figures in Norse myth who select fallen warriors and guide them to Odin's hallBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary 🇸🇪 Sweden and 2 moreFreyja Norse goddess of love, war, and seiðr magic who rides a chariot pulled by catsBeing · Love and attraction · Seeing and foretelling Legendary 🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreCupidCupīdō A Roman deity of desire and erotic love, often depicted with a bow and arrow.Being · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceCeryneian HindΚερυνῖτις ἔλαφος A swift deer with golden antlers and bronze hooves from Greek mythBeing Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceEmpusaἜμπουσα A shape-shifting phantom of Greek myth with a single brass leg, sent by Hecate to seduce and devour young men.Being · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary 🇮🇸 Iceland and 2 moreBrísingamen The enchanted necklace of the Norse goddess FreyjaCharm · Power and authority Legendary 🇮🇪 IrelandSalmon of KnowledgeAn Bradán Feasa A mythical fish in Irish folklore that holds all the world's wisdom.Being · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceCancer (mythology)Καρκίνος A giant crab from Greek myth that became a zodiac constellationBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreWitege A Germanic legendary warrior who shifts from loyal companion to traitor in epic poems.Figure · Power and authority Legendary 🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreSupernatural beings in Slavic religion Mythic entities of nature, death, and fate in Slavic folklore and belief.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇮🇸 IcelandHjúki and Bil A brother and sister pair from Norse mythology who follow the Moon across the skyFigure Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceArgoἈργώ The mythic ship of Jason and the Argonauts, built with divine aid for a quest across the sea.Being · Power and authority Legendary 🇮🇪 IrelandBoannBoand Irish goddess of the River Boyne, mother of Aengus in the old talesFigure · Protection Legendary 🇬🇷 GreecePolemosΠόλεμος A Greek spirit of war and the personification of conflictBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇮🇹 ItalyCacus A fire-breathing giant of Roman myth who stole cattle and was slain by HerculesBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇮🇸 Iceland and 1 moreSleipnir Odin's eight-legged horse in Norse myth, born of Loki and a stallionBeing Legendary 🇬🇷 GreecePhemonoeΦημονόη A mythic Greek poet and priestess of Delphi linked to prophecy and verseFigure Legendary 🇹🇷 Turkey and 1 moreMidasΜίδας A Phrygian king from Greek myth who gained a golden touch and donkey earsFigure · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇮🇸 Iceland and 3 moreElf A supernatural person of Germanic lore, linked to illness, beauty and magicBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceHorkosὍρκος A Greek divine personification of the curse that follows a broken oathFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇷 GreecePrometheusΠρομηθεύς A Titan who took fire for humans and paid for itFigure · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceCentaurideΚενταυρίδε (Kentauride) A female centaur from Greek mythology, depicted in art and literature as a hybrid of woman and horse.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceTalosΤάλως A bronze automaton that guarded Crete from invaders and piratesBeing · Protection Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceAloadaeἈλωάδαι (Aloadai) Twin giants of Thessaly who challenged the gods and built mountains to reach Olympus.Being Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceHarpyἅρπυια (hárpyia) Half-human, half-bird creatures from Greek and Roman myth, often seen as storm winds or snatchers of food.Being · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇫🇷 France and 1 moreSebile A medieval enchantress who evolved from a classical prophetess into an Arthurian fairy queenFigure · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇸🇪 SwedenHeiðr A Norse name meaning bright or honour, worn by seeresses and warriorsFigure Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceMormoΜορμώ A Greek bogey whose name adults spoke to frighten childrenBeing Legendary 🇳🇴 NorwayEinherjar Óðinn's host of warriors killed in battle, feasting in Valhalla until RagnarökBeing Legendary 🇨🇿 Czech Republic and 1 moreRübezahl A mountain spirit of the Giant Mountains, kindly to some and vengeful to othersBeing · Protection · Healing Legendary 🇬🇷 GreecePasiphaëΠασιφάη A Cretan queen and solar goddess cursed with lust for a bull, mother of the MinotaurFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇬🇷 GreeceBranchusΒράγχος A mortal lover of Apollo who became a prophet and founded an oracle cult in ancient Greece.Figure · Seeing and foretelling · Healing Legendary 🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreScyllaΣκύλλα A sea monster from Greek tales who guards a perilous passage and devours sailors.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

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The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: seven entries you may not know, what is on the calendar this week, and one rite drawn step by step.