All entries

601 entries so far, best known first. 5,855 more are on the list to be written. Narrow by region, kind, purpose, practitioner, belief world, occasion or how alive it is.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

RegionSouth Asia Southeast Asia East Asia Central Asia and the Caucasus Middle East North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Europe North America Latin America and the Caribbean Oceania

KindTradition Rite Charm Oracle Substance Being Figure Text Illusion Belief

PurposeProtection Healing Seeing and foretelling Luck and prosperity Love and attraction Cursing and harm Cleansing and purification Speaking with spirits and the dead Change and initiation Binding and oaths Power and authority Wonder and entertainment

WhoShamans Folk healers Priests and ritual specialists Witches, sorcerers and cunning folk Diviners and readers Mediums and the possessed Ceremonial magicians and alchemists Households and ordinary people Stage magicians Scholars and sceptics

BeliefHindu and Tantric Buddhist Jain Muslim and Sufi Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian Shinto and Taoist Indigenous and shamanic African and Afro-diasporic Pagan and Neopagan Esoteric and occult Folk and village custom Secular and stage Other traditions

OccasionWeddings and betrothal Festivals Birth and childhood Death and remembrance Harvest, farming and weather New year Initiation and coming of age Illness and misfortune Journeys and voyages Everyday use

StandingLiving Revived Fading Historical Legendary Performed

OrderBest known A to Z Newest Living first

🇧🇪 Belgium and 2 moreHorseshoe A metal shoe for a horse's hoof and a talisman of good fortuneCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreHeliotrope A green and red mineral stone used as an amulet for health, invisibility, and courage.Charm · Protection · Healing Historical

🇮🇳 IndiaUnicorn horn A legendary object believed to neutralize poison and cure disease, traded as narwhal teeth for centuries.Charm · Healing · Protection Historical

🇲🇦 Morocco and 5 moreWild rueاسپند A desert plant whose seeds hold psychoactive alkaloids and serve as incense in the Middle East.Substance · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇺🇦 Ukraine and 5 moreMugwortчорнобиль (chornóbyl') An aromatic herb used in folk medicine, cooking, and magical protection across Eurasia.Substance · Protection · Healing Living

🇮🇹 Italy and 5 morePrecious coral A marine skeleton harvested for jewelry and worn as a protective charm in several culturesSubstance · Protection · Healing Living

🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreAmber Fossilized tree resin used in jewelry and folk healing traditionsSubstance · Protection · Healing Living

🇸🇩 Sudan and 5 moreIncense Aromatic plant materials burned to release fragrant smoke for ritual, scent, or timekeeping.Substance · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇧🇷 Brazil and 5 moreAmethyst A violet quartz variety used in jewelry and historically believed to ward off intoxicationSubstance · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreCalifornian white sage A California shrub used by Indigenous peoples for food, healing, and ritual cleansingSubstance · Protection · Healing Living

🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreTurquoise An opaque blue-green gemstone prized for its color since ancient timesSubstance · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreRowancaorann A Northern Hemisphere tree believed to ward off witches and protect travellers.Substance · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreBay Laurelδάφνη An aromatic Mediterranean plant used in cooking and as a symbol of victory and purification.Substance · Protection · Cleansing and purification Living

🇮🇳 IndiaKumkumकुङ्कुमम् A red powder made from turmeric and lime, used in Hindu markings and ritualsSubstance · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreFlorida Water A citrus perfume used in spiritual cleansing and folk healing across the Americas.Substance · Protection · Cleansing and purification Living

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreRudrakshaरुद्राक्ष Dried seeds of the Elaeocarpus tree used as prayer beads in Hindu and Buddhist traditions.Substance · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreJet A black gemstone carved into amulets and mourning jewellery for centuriesCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreDragon's blood A bright red resin from several plant species used in magic, medicine, and art since antiquitySubstance · Healing · Protection Living

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Wild rue: Yuriy75, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Mugwort: Prahlad balaji, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Precious coral: Géry PARENT, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Amber: uploaded with permission, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Jet: Thmsfrst, Public domain, source
Incense: nakimusi, CC BY 2.0, source
Horseshoe: Cgoodwin, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Amethyst: JJ Harrison ( https://jjharrison.com.au/ ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Californian white sage: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Heliotrope: Ra'ike (see also: de:Benutzer:Ra'ike ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Turquoise: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Rowan: Taken by me, Jonik , on August 25, 2004., CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Bay Laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source
Kumkum: Thamizhpparithi Maari, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Florida Water: Unknown artist(s), Public domain, source
Rudraksha: Merasmita, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dragon's blood: Andy Dingley, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Unicorn horn: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source

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Photo credits on this page

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