All entries
2,161 entries so far, best known first. 3,219 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 1 moreEye of Horusw岣応湥t
A stylized eye symbol in ancient Egypt representing healing and cosmic orderCharm 路 Protection 路 Healing Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptScarab
A carved beetle amulet and seal used in ancient Egypt for protection, identity, and ritual.Charm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptAncient Egyptian afterlife beliefs
A system of rituals and texts guiding the soul through the underworld to eternal rebirthTradition 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptAnubis饟噵饟垨饟姫饟儯
The jackal-headed god who guides souls and oversees mummification in ancient Egypt.Being 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 1 moreAncient Egyptian religion
Polytheistic worship, divine kingship, and funerary rites along the NileTradition 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptOpening of the mouth ceremonywpt-r (Egyptian)
An ancient Egyptian rite to restore a deceased person's senses for the afterlifeRite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptDjed岣廳
An ancient Egyptian pillar symbol representing stability and resurrectionCharm 路 Protection 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 2 moreIsis隃t (Egyptian)
Egyptian goddess of magic, mourning and kingship, mother of HorusBeing 路 Protection 路 Healing Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptUshabtiw拧btj
Ancient Egyptian funerary figurines believed to work for the dead in the afterlifeCharm 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 1 moreHypocephalus
An ancient Egyptian disk placed under the head of the dead for protection and rebirthCharm 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 4 moreScarab
An ancient Egyptian amulet and seal shaped like a dung beetleCharm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptPlummet amulet
An Ancient Egyptian charm shaped like a plumb bob to ensure balance in the afterlifeCharm Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptHermanubis峒櫹佄嘉蔽轿酷喀尾喂蟼
A Graeco-Egyptian god who guides the souls of the dead to the underworld.Being 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptMenatmnj.t
A beaded necklace and rattle linked to Hathor for protection and luck in ancient EgyptCharm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Ushabti: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Scarab: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Ancient Egyptian afterlife beliefs: Hunefer, Public domain, source
- Hypocephalus: rob koopman, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Opening of the mouth ceremony: Hunefer, Public domain, source
- Djed: Anonymous ( Egypt ) Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Isis: 脛gyptischer Maler um 1360 v. Chr., Public domain, source
- Menat: Anagoria, CC BY 3.0, source
- Anubis: Hunefer, Public domain, source
- Ancient Egyptian religion: Moh hakem, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Scarab: Rama, CC BY-SA 2.0 fr, source
- Hermanubis: Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Eye of Horus: Tangopaso, Public domain, source
- Plummet amulet: The Art Institute of Chicago, CC0, source