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
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 3 moreAmulet
A portable object worn or carried to ward off harm and invite fortuneCharm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelRed string讞讜讟 讛砖谞讬
A scarlet wool bracelet worn to ward off the evil eye and bring good luckCharm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 5 moreTalisman
An object believed to channel specific forces for protection, healing, or influence.Charm 路 Protection 路 Healing Historical
馃嚬馃嚪 TurkeyHamsa (sample)Khamsa
An open hand with an eye, hung on doors.Charm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 5 moreAmulet
A portable object worn or carried to ward off harm and invite protection.Charm 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelSegula住讙讜诇讛
A Jewish charm or ritual believed to bring protection, healing, or blessings.Charm 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚠馃嚪 Iran and 1 moreDerafsh Kaviani丿乇賮卮 讴丕賵蹖丕賳蹖
A legendary royal standard of pre-Islamic Iran, later adopted as a symbol of national identity.Charm 路 Power and authority 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 4 moreChai讞讬
A Hebrew word and symbol meaning 'alive', used as an amulet and in Jewish culture.Charm 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.
- Amulet: Anonymous ( Egypt ) Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Red string: Mx. Granger, CC0, source
- Derafsh Kaviani: CNG Coins, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chai: BASWIM, CC BY 3.0, source
- Talisman: Sasha India, CC BY 2.0, source