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.

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

🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreSphinx A mythical hybrid with a human head and lion body, serving as guardian or riddler in Egyptian and Greek traditions.Being · Protection · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇹🇷 Turkey and 2 moreApollonius of TyanaἈπολλώνιος ὁ Τυανεύς A first-century philosopher and miracle worker whose life became a legend of divine power.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇪🇹 Ethiopia and 5 morePrester John A legendary Christian king and priest said to rule a lost kingdom in the East.Figure · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇮🇷 Iran and 2 moreJabir ibn Hayyanجابِر بِن حَيّان A legendary Islamic alchemist and philosopher whose writings shaped medieval magic and chemistryText · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇮🇱 Israel and 2 moreLag BaOmerלַ״ג בָּעוֹמֶר A Jewish holiday marking the end of a mourning period with bonfires and outdoor playTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Wonder and entertainment 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

🇱🇾 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

🇮🇷 IranAzhdahaاژدها A winged serpent from Iranian myth and literature, often linked to the dragon archetype.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇮🇱 IsraelSeder hishtalshelusסדר השתלשלות A Kabbalistic cosmology mapping the descent of divine light through spiritual realms to the physical world.Belief · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Living 🇮🇷 IranBalaibalanباليبلن An early constructed language from the Islamic world, likely created for sacred or poetic purposes.Text · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Wonder and entertainment Historical 🇮🇱 IsraelAdne Sadehאַדְנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה A wild humanoid from Jewish folklore tethered to the earth by its navelBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇸🇾 Syria and 1 moreHumbaba A Mesopotamian giant who guarded the cedar forest and faced the hero GilgameshBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇹🇷 Turkey and 3 moreSufi whirlingSemazen A spinning meditation practiced by Sufi dervishes to reach spiritual connection with Allah.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Love and attraction Living

Photo credits on this page

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

Rabisu: editor Austen Henry Layard , drawing by L. Gruner, Public domain, source
Incense: nakimusi, CC BY 2.0, source
Sphinx: Ipipipourax, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Apollonius of Tyana: Zde, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Lag BaOmer: Yoninah, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Headless men: Hartmann Schedel (1440-1514), Public domain, source
Azhdaha: Andersen, H. C. (Hans Christian), 1805-1875, Dugald Stewart Walker (18, Public domain, source
Seder hishtalshelus: Daderot, Public domain, source
Prester John: Diogo Homem, Public domain, source
Jabir ibn Hayyan: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Sama: myself, Public domain, source

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Photo credits on this page

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