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
馃嚪馃嚫 Serbia and 5 moreVampire
An undead creature from folklore that feeds on the blood or life force of the livingBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceHoly GrailSaint Graal
A cup or stone from Arthurian tales that grants healing and eternal lifeFigure 路 Healing 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyBefana
An Italian witch-like figure who delivers gifts on Epiphany EveFigure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 3 moreJack
A trickster hero from English folklore who outwits giants and oppressorsFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyPied Piper of Hamelinder Rattenf盲nger von Hameln
A medieval legend about a piper who leads children away from the town of HamelinFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyWitches of Benevento
A medieval Italian legend of witches gathering under a walnut treeBelief 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 3 moreFirebird
A glowing bird of Slavic folklore that brings both fortune and peril to those who seek itFigure 路 Wonder and entertainment 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚝馃嚠 Finland and 1 moreSampo
A magical mill or world pillar in Finnish and Estonian mythology that produces wealth.Figure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 2 moreMelusineM茅lusine
A water spirit of French and Luxembourgish lore, known for her serpent form and the castles she built.Figure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Power and authority Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 RussiaGolden apple
A mythical fruit that sparks quests, wars, and linguistic confusion across culturesFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚫馃嚠 Slovenia and 5 moreVesna袙械褋薪邪
A Slavic personification of spring and youth, known in myth and languageFigure 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyMonacielloMunaciello
A Neapolitan sprite linked to the city's underground waterways and hidden wealth.Figure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomQueen of Elphame
The elfin queen of Faerie from Lowland Scotland and Northern England folkloreFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Healing Historical
馃嚫馃嚜 SwedenYs盲tters-Kajsa
A wind-troll from Swedish folklore who danced with the gales of N盲rkeFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚬馃嚪 Turkey and 1 moreMidas螠委未伪蟼
A Phrygian king from Greek myth who gained a golden touch and donkey earsFigure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚝馃嚠 Finland and 2 moreTiet盲j盲
A traditional Finnic healer and sage whose power came from memorised spells and deep knowledge.Figure 路 Healing 路 Protection Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomMadgy Figgy's Chair
A granite rock in Cornwall linked to a legendary witch and her storm conjuringFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚪馃嚫 Serbia and 3 moreBo啪i膰袘芯卸懈褯
A Slavic figure linked to the new year and spring, whose name now marks ChristmasFigure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Wonder and entertainment Historical
馃嚦馃嚤 Netherlands and 3 moreZwarte Piet
A companion of Saint Nicholas in Low Countries folklore, now the subject of major cultural debate.Figure 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚪馃嚧 Romania and 2 moreCaloian
A Romanian clay effigy ritual for rain and fertility, featuring a mock funeralRite 路 Luck and prosperity Fading
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomJoan the Wad
A Cornish pixie queen linked to fire and fortuneFigure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Protection Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Sampo: V盲in枚 Blomstedt, Public domain, source
- Firebird: Philippe Giabbanelli, CC BY 3.0, source
- Vampire: Edvard Munch, Public domain, source
- Jack: Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, source
- Pied Piper of Hamelin: Edmund Evans, Public domain, source
- Melusine: GilPe, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vesna: Viktor Vasnetsov, Public domain, source
- Midas: The Midas Painter, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tiet盲j盲: Robert Wilhelm Ekman, Public domain, source
- Madgy Figgy's Chair: Jim Champion, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Zwarte Piet: The illustrator is Daan Hoeksma, who died in 1935. The author is liste, Public domain, source
- Caloian: Costic膬 Acsinte Archive, No restrictions, source
- Befana: El 脕gora, Public domain, source
- Holy Grail: Photographed by the National Library of Wales, CC0, source
- Golden apple: Guido Reni, Public domain, source
- Witches of Benevento: Guglielmo della Porta, CC0, source