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
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 4 moreBaba Yaga
A complex Slavic witch figure who lives in a moving hut and flies in a mortar.Figure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Protection Legendary
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyCumaean SibylSibylla Cumana
The priestess of the Apollonian oracle at Cumae, famous in Roman legend for her prophetic books and underworld guidance.Figure 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceTiresias韦蔚喂蟻蔚蟽委伪蟼
A blind Greek seer who lived as both man and woman and spoke to the dead.Figure 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 2 moreHaruspex
A diviner who read the will of gods by inspecting animal entrailsFigure 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚜馃嚫 SpainSorginak
Mythical beings and historical figures associated with Basque witchcraft and the goddess Mari.Figure 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚘馃嚬 Austria and 3 moreSalige Frau
A blissful Alpine spirit who guides farmers and guards mountain gameFigure 路 Protection 路 Healing Legendary
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceTrophonius韦蟻慰蠁蠋谓喂慰蟼
A Greek hero turned subterranean oracle god at LebadeaFigure 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Baba Yaga: Ivan Bilibin, Public domain, source
- Cumaean Sibyl: Elihu Vedder, Public domain, source
- Haruspicy: Lokilech, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tiresias: Pietro della Vecchia, Public domain, source
- Sorginak: Errazking, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Salige Frau: various, Public domain, source