All entries
1,890 entries so far, best known first. 3,757 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
🇪🇪 Estonia and 1 moreKalevaKalev
A primordial giant and ancestral figure in the mythologies of Estonia and FinlandBeing · Power and authority Historical
🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreKrasueกระสือ
A floating head with trailing organs from Southeast Asian folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Living
🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreBahamutبهموت
A cosmic fish or bull that supports the earth in medieval Islamic cosmographyBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇲🇽 MexicoCamazotz
A bat spirit of the Maya underworld linked to night, death, and sacrificeBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇸🇪 Sweden and 5 moreLindwormlindorm
A serpentine dragon of Northern and Central European folklore, often depicted as limbless or winged.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreChortчёрт
A Slavic demon spirit with horns and hooves, known in folklore as a trickster or minor evil force.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreBishop-fish
A legendary sea creature said to gesture like a cleric before vanishingBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAbura-sumashi油すまし
A mountain spirit from Amakusa folklore said to be a thief turned yōkaiBeing Legendary
🇫🇮 Finland and 1 moreHiisi
A Finnic spirit of sacred places that evolved into a demonic giant in folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical
🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreHousehold deity
A spirit or minor god believed to guard a home and its family members.Being · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaSnow Lionགངས་སེང་གེ་
A celestial mountain guardian of Tibet embodying fearlessness, bliss, and the DharmaBeing · Protection · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 IndiaKirtimukhaकीर्तिमुख
A swallowing face motif in Hindu and Buddhist temple architecture across South and Southeast AsiaBeing · Protection · Cleansing and purification Historical
🇯🇵 JapanGashadokuroがしゃどくろ
A giant skeleton spirit born from the bones of those who died in war or famine.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇪🇬 EgyptAeonαἰών
Emanations of the divine source in Gnostic cosmologyBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇱🇾 Libya and 4 moreHeadless men
A legendary race of people described as lacking heads or having facial features on their chest.Being · Wonder and entertainment 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
🇯🇵 JapanNurikabe塗り壁
A spirit that manifests as an invisible wall to block travelers at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreStrixστρίξ
A classical bird of ill omen that evolved into a term for witches and vampires across Europe.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇪🇹 EthiopiaCatoblepas
A legendary beast from ancient texts with a heavy head and a lethal gaze or breath.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇫🇷 FranceTitivillus
A medieval demon who collects scribal errors and liturgical mistakes in a sack.Being · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreTeraphimתרפים
Ancient Hebrew household figures linked to ancestry, property rights and divinationBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇫🇮 FinlandIku-Turso
A primordial giant and sea monster from Finnish mythologyBeing · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇹🇭 Thailand and 1 moreNang Taniนางตานี
A female spirit said to inhabit wild banana trees in Southeast Asian folklore.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanRaijū雷獣
A Japanese lightning creature that sleeps in navels and falls from stormsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAllocer
A duke of demons in grimoires who teaches sciences and commands legionsBeing · Power and authority Historical
🇦🇲 ArmeniaAralēzարալէզ
Winged dog-like spirits in Armenian mythology that revive fallen heroesBeing · Healing Legendary
🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreBalaur
A many-headed dragon from Romanian folklore that guards treasures and controls the weather.Being · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanSatori覚
A mind-reading monkey-like yōkai from the mountains of JapanBeing Legendary
🇪🇸 SpainBasajaun
A hairy forest lord of Basque myth who protects livestock and teaches human skillsBeing · Protection · Power and authority Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesGoatman
A goat-human hybrid blamed for dog deaths in Maryland woodsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇹🇷 Turkey and 4 moreAl BastyAlbastı
A female spirit of guilt and childbirth found in Turkic and Caucasian folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇲🇲 Myanmar and 5 moreChintheခြင်္သေ့
A stylized lion statue that guards Buddhist temples in Myanmar and across Asia.Being · Protection Living
🇮🇷 IranAzhdahaاژدها
A winged serpent from Iranian myth and literature, often linked to the dragon archetype.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreVengeful ghost
A restless spirit said to return from death to punish those who caused harmBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇱🇹 Lithuania and 2 moreLaumaLaumė
A Baltic fairy-like spirit of the sky, weather, and newborn children.Being · Protection · Healing Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreHybrid beasts in folklore
Creatures made of animal and human parts found in myths and ancient artBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇨🇴 ColombiaPatasola
A Colombian jungle monster that lures men with beauty before revealing a one-legged formBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇲🇽 MexicoAhuizotlāhuitzotl
A legendary Aztec water creature said to lure people to their deathsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇺 RussiaIndrikИндрик-зверь
A legendary Russian beast said to rule all animals from a sacred mountainBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesAshtar
A channeled extraterrestrial figure central to mid-century American ufology and New Age spiritualityBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Seeing and foretelling Living
🇯🇵 JapanKijo鬼女
A demon woman from Japanese folklore, born of resentment and karma.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaSundel bolong
A vengeful ghost of Java, a woman whose long black hair hides the hole in her back.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaAntabogaꦄꦤ꧀ꦠꦨꦺꦴꦒ
A serpent deity of Javanism and Sundanism who created the world turtle and rice goddessBeing · Power and authority Historical
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreZmeu
A humanoid dragon from Romanian folklore that kidnaps maidens and steals treasures.Being · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreWorld Turtle
A mythic giant turtle said to support the earth or contain the world in various cultures.Being · Power and authority Legendary
🇵🇾 Paraguay and 2 moreKurupiCurupí
A Guaraní forest spirit known for his elongated phallus and role as a protector or abductor.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇱 Poland and 3 moreStrzyga
A female demon in Polish folklore, linked to owls and vampiric traitsBeing · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇦🇱 Albania and 3 moreKulshedra
A multi-headed serpent demon in Albanian folklore that controls storms and droughts.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreKrasueกระสือ
A floating head with trailing organs from Southeast Asian folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Living
🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreBahamutبهموت
A cosmic fish or bull that supports the earth in medieval Islamic cosmographyBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇲🇽 MexicoCamazotz
A bat spirit of the Maya underworld linked to night, death, and sacrificeBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇸🇪 Sweden and 5 moreLindwormlindorm
A serpentine dragon of Northern and Central European folklore, often depicted as limbless or winged.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreChortчёрт
A Slavic demon spirit with horns and hooves, known in folklore as a trickster or minor evil force.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreBishop-fish
A legendary sea creature said to gesture like a cleric before vanishingBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAbura-sumashi油すまし
A mountain spirit from Amakusa folklore said to be a thief turned yōkaiBeing Legendary
🇫🇮 Finland and 1 moreHiisi
A Finnic spirit of sacred places that evolved into a demonic giant in folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical
🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreHousehold deity
A spirit or minor god believed to guard a home and its family members.Being · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaSnow Lionགངས་སེང་གེ་
A celestial mountain guardian of Tibet embodying fearlessness, bliss, and the DharmaBeing · Protection · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 IndiaKirtimukhaकीर्तिमुख
A swallowing face motif in Hindu and Buddhist temple architecture across South and Southeast AsiaBeing · Protection · Cleansing and purification Historical
🇯🇵 JapanGashadokuroがしゃどくろ
A giant skeleton spirit born from the bones of those who died in war or famine.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇪🇬 EgyptAeonαἰών
Emanations of the divine source in Gnostic cosmologyBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇱🇾 Libya and 4 moreHeadless men
A legendary race of people described as lacking heads or having facial features on their chest.Being · Wonder and entertainment 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
🇯🇵 JapanNurikabe塗り壁
A spirit that manifests as an invisible wall to block travelers at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreStrixστρίξ
A classical bird of ill omen that evolved into a term for witches and vampires across Europe.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇪🇹 EthiopiaCatoblepas
A legendary beast from ancient texts with a heavy head and a lethal gaze or breath.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇫🇷 FranceTitivillus
A medieval demon who collects scribal errors and liturgical mistakes in a sack.Being · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreTeraphimתרפים
Ancient Hebrew household figures linked to ancestry, property rights and divinationBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇫🇮 FinlandIku-Turso
A primordial giant and sea monster from Finnish mythologyBeing · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇹🇭 Thailand and 1 moreNang Taniนางตานี
A female spirit said to inhabit wild banana trees in Southeast Asian folklore.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanRaijū雷獣
A Japanese lightning creature that sleeps in navels and falls from stormsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAllocer
A duke of demons in grimoires who teaches sciences and commands legionsBeing · Power and authority Historical
🇦🇲 ArmeniaAralēzարալէզ
Winged dog-like spirits in Armenian mythology that revive fallen heroesBeing · Healing Legendary
🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreBalaur
A many-headed dragon from Romanian folklore that guards treasures and controls the weather.Being · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanSatori覚
A mind-reading monkey-like yōkai from the mountains of JapanBeing Legendary
🇪🇸 SpainBasajaun
A hairy forest lord of Basque myth who protects livestock and teaches human skillsBeing · Protection · Power and authority Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesGoatman
A goat-human hybrid blamed for dog deaths in Maryland woodsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇹🇷 Turkey and 4 moreAl BastyAlbastı
A female spirit of guilt and childbirth found in Turkic and Caucasian folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇲🇲 Myanmar and 5 moreChintheခြင်္သေ့
A stylized lion statue that guards Buddhist temples in Myanmar and across Asia.Being · Protection Living
🇮🇷 IranAzhdahaاژدها
A winged serpent from Iranian myth and literature, often linked to the dragon archetype.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreVengeful ghost
A restless spirit said to return from death to punish those who caused harmBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇱🇹 Lithuania and 2 moreLaumaLaumė
A Baltic fairy-like spirit of the sky, weather, and newborn children.Being · Protection · Healing Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreHybrid beasts in folklore
Creatures made of animal and human parts found in myths and ancient artBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇨🇴 ColombiaPatasola
A Colombian jungle monster that lures men with beauty before revealing a one-legged formBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇲🇽 MexicoAhuizotlāhuitzotl
A legendary Aztec water creature said to lure people to their deathsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇺 RussiaIndrikИндрик-зверь
A legendary Russian beast said to rule all animals from a sacred mountainBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesAshtar
A channeled extraterrestrial figure central to mid-century American ufology and New Age spiritualityBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Seeing and foretelling Living
🇯🇵 JapanKijo鬼女
A demon woman from Japanese folklore, born of resentment and karma.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaSundel bolong
A vengeful ghost of Java, a woman whose long black hair hides the hole in her back.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaAntabogaꦄꦤ꧀ꦠꦨꦺꦴꦒ
A serpent deity of Javanism and Sundanism who created the world turtle and rice goddessBeing · Power and authority Historical
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreZmeu
A humanoid dragon from Romanian folklore that kidnaps maidens and steals treasures.Being · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreWorld Turtle
A mythic giant turtle said to support the earth or contain the world in various cultures.Being · Power and authority Legendary
🇵🇾 Paraguay and 2 moreKurupiCurupí
A Guaraní forest spirit known for his elongated phallus and role as a protector or abductor.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇱 Poland and 3 moreStrzyga
A female demon in Polish folklore, linked to owls and vampiric traitsBeing · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇦🇱 Albania and 3 moreKulshedra
A multi-headed serpent demon in Albanian folklore that controls storms and droughts.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Maya mythology: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Lauma: Raki_Man, CC BY 3.0, source
- Antaboga: fir0002 flagstaffotos [at] gmail.com Canon 20D + Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, GFDL 1.2, source
- Salmon of Knowledge: Man vyi, Public domain, source
- Krasue: Xavier Romero-Frias, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bishop-fish: photo by Sean Linehan, NOS, NGS National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin, Public domain, source
- Chort: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Lindworm: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Abura-sumashi: Triton, CC BY 3.0, source
- Snow Lion: John Hill, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Household deity: Claus Ableiter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nurikabe: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Strix: Prosthetic Head, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Catoblepas: Jan Jonston, Public domain, source
- Kirtimukha: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, source
- Gashadokuro: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Headless men: Hartmann Schedel (1440-1514), Public domain, source
- Aeon: Jacques Matter, Public domain, source
- Nang Tani: Xufanc, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Iku-Turso: Hugo Simberg, Public domain, source
- Teraphim: Athanasius Kircher, Public domain, source
- Titivillus: Andrewrabbott, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Allocer: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Goatman: Jack Boucher, Public domain, source
- Basajaun: Airiartmed2, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chinthe: Wagaung, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Azhdaha: Andersen, H. C. (Hans Christian), 1805-1875, Dugald Stewart Walker (18, Public domain, source
- Vengeful ghost: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi; Tsukioka Yoshitoshi died 1892; Negishi Chokuzan;, Public domain, source
- Ahuizotl: Infrogmation, New Orleans, Public domain, source
- Ashtar: Evedawn99, Public domain, source
- World Turtle: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Kurupi: FrankOWeaver, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Strzyga: Filip Gutowski, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kulshedra: Bidgee, CC BY 3.0, source
- Hybrid beasts in folklore: Peter Schmelzle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source