All entries
1,806 entries so far, best known first. 3,971 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
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreTennin天人
Heavenly beings in Japanese Buddhism, often depicted as beautiful women with feathered scarves.Being · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇬🇷 GreecePeleiadesΠελειάδες
Sacred women of the Oracle at Dodona, linked to doves and ZeusBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago and 5 moreSoucouyant
A shape-shifting vampire spirit of Caribbean folklore that sheds its skin to fly as a fireballBeing · Cursing and harm Living
🇳🇴 Norway and 1 moreTroll cat
A familiar spirit in Nordic folklore blamed for stealing milk and cream from farmsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreRougarou
A lycanthrope legend from French-speaking communities in North AmericaBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreSolomonariȘolomonar
A Romanian weather wizard who rides a dragon and controls the storms.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇹🇼 Taiwan and 1 moreOng Yah王爺 (Ông-iâ)
Royal Lord deities of Fujian and Taiwan who tour the land, driving out diseaseBeing · Protection · Healing Living
🇸🇾 SyriaLilulilû (Akkadian), lilu (Sumerian)
A class of Mesopotamian spirits linked to unfulfilled lives and illnessBeing · Cursing and harm · Healing Historical
🇯🇵 JapanOsaki尾先
A mountain spirit in Japanese folklore that brings wealth or possession.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomWirry-cow
A Scottish folk figure representing a frightening object or spiritBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇺🇦 Ukraine and 1 moreStrichaСтріча
A Slavic goddess who spins the golden thread of human destiny and good fortuneBeing · Luck and prosperity · Protection Historical
🇨🇦 CanadaWechuge
A man-eating spirit from Athabaskan legend born of taboo and excessive powerBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇦🇿 AzerbaijanBastyBasdı
A group of evil spirits and goblins from Turkic folklore in Anatolia.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomMadam Pigott
A White Lady ghost of Shropshire who haunts roads and rides on horsesBeing Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaVelichappaduവെളിച്ചപ്പാട്
A Hindu temple oracle in Kerala who channels deities through trance and danceBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇯🇵 JapanMisaki御先
Japanese spirit-like entities that serve gods or possess humans with illness and calamityBeing · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreDydko
A Polish folk creature evolved from a Slavic house demon into a night-time scarecrow.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesThe Gray Man
A coastal ghost from South Carolina said to warn of hurricanesBeing · Protection Living
🇮🇱 Israel and 4 moreAngelמלאך
A supernatural messenger or intermediary spirit found in many religious traditions.Being · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Protection Living
🇨🇳 China and 4 moreDragon
A serpentine mythical creature found in global folklore and art, representing power, chaos, or imperial authority.Being · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇷 Greece and 2 morePhoenix
A legendary bird that dies and is reborn from its own ashesBeing · Wonder and entertainment 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
🇬🇧 United KingdomLoch Ness MonsterUilebheist Loch Nis
A legendary lake creature from the Scottish Highlands, famous for disputed photographs and folk tales.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreEaster Bunny
A German folkloric hare that judges children and delivers colored eggs for EasterBeing · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇬🇷 GreeceAegisαἰγίς
A mythical shield or skin of Zeus and Athena, symbolizing divine protectionBeing · Protection · Power and authority Legendary
🇱🇰 Sri LankaMara
A Buddhist figure representing the forces that block spiritual awakening and keep beings trapped in rebirth.Being · Cursing and harm · Binding and oaths Living
🇬🇷 GreeceCeryneian HindΚερυνῖτις ἔλαφος
A swift deer with golden antlers and bronze hooves from Greek mythBeing Legendary
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreUraeusjꜥrt
An ancient Egyptian rearing cobra emblem of royal power and divine protectionCharm · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇺🇸 United StatesMothman
A humanoid cryptid from West Virginia folklore, linked to large birds and a bridge collapse.Being · Seeing and foretelling Living
🇬🇷 GreeceErymanthian Boarὁ Ἐρυμάνθιος κάπρος
A wild boar from Greek myth captured by Heracles as his fourth labourBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇲🇳 MongoliaMongolian death wormолгой-хорхой (olgoi-khorkhoi)
A legendary desert creature said to kill with venom or electricityBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreWyvern
A two-legged winged dragon common in European heraldry and fantasy fictionBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreMakaraमकर
A legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology and a symbol of water and thresholdsBeing · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaMahishasuraमहिषासुर
A bovine asura slain by the goddess Durga in Hindu myth and legendBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇷 Greece and 3 moreHippocampusἱππόκαμπος
A mythological hybrid of a horse and fish from ancient Mediterranean culturesBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreKinnaraकिन्नर (Sanskrit)
A half-human, half-bird creature from Hindu and Buddhist myth, known for music and devotion.Being · Love and attraction · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇶 Iraq and 1 moreTawûsî Melekتاوسی مەلەک
The central angel of Yazidism, known as the Peacock Angel and leader of the Seven Mysteries.Being · Power and authority · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreTutelary deity
A guardian spirit or god assigned to protect a specific place, person, or group.Being · Protection Living
🇬🇷 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
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreMoon rabbit月兔 (yuètù)
A mythical figure seen in lunar markings, pounding elixirs or rice cakes across Asia and the Americas.Being · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇮🇱 Israel and 5 moreAstaroth
An arch-demon in Western occultism, derived from the ancient goddess Astarte.Being · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇷 Iran and 2 moreYazata𐬫𐬀𐬰𐬀𐬙𐬀
A Zoroastrian term for divine beings worthy of worship and venerationBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Historical
🇧🇹 BhutanDrukའབྲུག
A mythical thunder dragon from Tibetan and Bhutanese traditionBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇮🇷 IranFravashi
A personal spirit in Zoroastrian belief that guides the living and protects the dead.Being · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇪🇬 EgyptSerpopard
A mythical hybrid creature with a serpent-like neck and feline body from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.Being · Protection · Power and authority Legendary
🇦🇱 Albania and 4 moreDhampir
A half-vampire figure from Balkan folklore who hunts the undeadBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇭 Switzerland and 3 moreTatzelwurm
A cat-headed lizard of the Alps, said to guard mines and drink cow milk.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanNamazu鯰
A giant catfish myth believed to cause earthquakes in JapanBeing Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Tennin: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Rougarou: XxxJohnDoExxxx, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Brownie: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- The Gray Man: Phoebe, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ong Yah: Suzuki1314 at Chinese Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Cupid: Bertel Thorvaldsen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dragon: Katsushika Hokusai, Public domain, source
- Phoenix: Bertuch-fabelwesen.JPG : Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch (1747–1822) d, Public domain, source
- Aegis: Unknown creator, Public domain, source
- Ceryneian Hind: Unknown artist, Public domain, source
- Erymanthian Boar: Antimenes Painter, Public domain, source
- Mongolian death worm: The original uploader was Pieter0024 at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 1.0, source
- Mahishasura: Prakashsubbarao at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Makara: Subbhashinee S, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Hippocampus: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Kinnara: ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เ, Public domain, source
- Tawûsî Melek: Bernd Schwabe in Hannover, CC BY 3.0, source
- Moon rabbit: An artist, Public domain, source
- Fravashi: Hooman Mallahzadeh, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Serpopard: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Loch Ness Monster: StaraBlazkova at Czech Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mothman: Tim Bertelink, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Uraeus: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mara: Under the Bo, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Angel: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Easter Bunny: Dr. Bernd Gross, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Wyvern: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Astaroth: M. Jarrault, Public domain, source
- Namazu: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Tatzelwurm: Abrasax, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, source