All entries
2,261 entries so far, best known first. 3,022 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
🇮🇸 IcelandGrásteinn
A lodestone in Iceland linked to elf habitation and safe passageBeing · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇬🇷 GreeceAmulet MS 5236
A stamped gold amulet from ancient Greece invoking ApolloCharm · Protection · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇹 Italy and 3 moreSaint Valentine's Key
A metal key charm from Padua used for healing epilepsy and as a romantic tokenCharm · Healing · Love and attraction Living
🇪🇸 SpainLamialamiak
River and sea spirits of Basque folklore, known for their beauty and magical labour.Being · Power and authority Historical
🇸🇪 SwedenÁlfablót
A late autumn homestead ritual to elves and ancestors in pagan ScandinaviaRite · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Healing Historical
🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreManannán mac Lir
A sea god and otherworld king in Gaelic mythology who guards the hidden lands of the Tuatha Dé Danann.Being · Protection · Power and authority Legendary
🇮🇪 IrelandLughLú
A master craftsman and warrior of Irish myth who defeats a tyrant eyeFigure · Power and authority · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇪 IrelandThe DagdaIn Dagda
Chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann in Irish mythology, associated with fertility and magic.Being · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇬🇷 GreeceNecklace of Harmonia
A cursed golden adornment from Greek myth that brought ruin to the House of ThebesCharm · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇸 Iceland and 1 moreNithing poleníðstǫng
A curse pole from Norse tradition used to shame or harm an enemyRite · Cursing and harm Living
🇫🇷 FranceHoules fairyGwenn fadoù
Immortal coastal fairies of Brittany who live in sea caves and aid humansBeing · Protection · Healing Historical
🇩🇪 GermanyBieresel
A German house spirit taking the shape of a donkey, linked to beer cellars and taverns.Being · Power and authority Historical
🇸🇪 SwedenGlemminge stone
A Viking Age runestone in Sweden bearing a Younger Futhark inscription and a curse.Text · Cursing and harm Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomDunnie
A border spirit that mimics horses and sings of lost treasureBeing · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomTeinddeachamh
A Scottish tithe for clergy and a fairy tribute to the devilTradition · Power and authority Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomBauchan
A Scottish domestic spirit known for its contradictory helpfulness and mischief.Being · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreCrucifix
A cross bearing the figure of Jesus, central to Christian worship and artText · Power and authority Living
🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreNutcracker doll
A carved wooden figurine of a soldier used to crack nuts and now a popular Christmas decorationCharm · Luck and prosperity Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreBloody Bones
A bogeyman figure used to frighten children in English and North American folkloreFigure · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇹 ItalyTredesin de Mars
A Milanese spring celebration marked by a flower fair and a legendary stoneTradition · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇮🇹 ItalyBorda
A blindfolded witch from the Po Valley who drowns children in marshesFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇩🇪 GermanyFeldgeist
German folk creatures tied to crops, weather and harvest ritualsBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇫🇷 FranceFarfadet
Small helpful spirits of French folklore that perform chores for foodBeing · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇪🇸 SpainTrenti
A forest goblin from Cantabrian mythology known for pranks and mischiefBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇫🇮 FinlandRahko
A Finnish mythic figure linked to the darkening of the Moon and nightmaresBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇦🇱 AlbaniaLugat
A shadow-dwelling vampire of Albanian folklore that attacks sleepers and hides in ruins.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇭🇺 HungaryLidérc
A shape-shifting spirit from Hungarian folklore that brings wealth or illness.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomBuccabocka
A Cornish sea-spirit and mine-dweller who receives fish offerings from coastal communities.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreBogle
A Northumbrian and Scots household spirit or ghost known for perplexing people.Being · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 morePan Twardowski
A Polish sorcerer who bargained with the Devil and ended up on the MoonFigure · Power and authority Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAstral body
A subtle vehicle of emotion and dream said to travel beyond the physical formBelief · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomMaggy Moulach
A Scottish brownie known for her hair and fierce protection of her kinBeing · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇷 Greece and 3 morePalladium
A sacred image or object believed to guarantee the safety of a city or nationCharm · Protection Historical
🇫🇷 France and 1 moreDogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie
A foundational treatise on ritual magic by Éliphas Lévi, structured around the tarot.Text · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇵🇱 PolandFrankenstein town gravediggers scandal
A 1606 witchcraft trial in Silesia that may have inspired Mary Shelley's novelBelief · Cursing and harm Historical
🇩🇪 Germany and 3 moreKlabautermann
A North Sea ship kobold that aids sailors and signals a vessel's doom.Being · Protection · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomGwragedd Annwngwraig Annwn
Welsh lake fairies linked to the origin of black cattle and the Tylwyth TegBeing Legendary
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreKarzełekСкарбник, Кладенец
A Slavic mine spirit that guards treasures and guides miners.Being · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇨🇭 SwitzerlandArbatel de magia veterum
A 1575 Swiss grimoire focused on celestial spirits and Christian ethicsText · Power and authority · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreMagical motto
A chosen name used by occultists to separate their spiritual identity from their everyday life.Belief · Power and authority Historical
🇸🇾 Syria and 5 moreInsufflation
A ritual breath used in Christian rites to drive out evil or invite the spirit.Rite · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreFiddler's Green
A maritime afterlife of endless music and rest for veteran sailorsBelief · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇫🇮 Finland and 2 moreTietäjä
A traditional Finnic healer and sage whose power came from memorised spells and deep knowledge.Figure · Healing · Protection Historical
🇬🇷 GreeceCampeΚάμπη
A female monster who guarded the imprisoned Titans in Greek mythBeing Legendary
🇬🇷 GreeceHarpyἅρπυια (hárpyia)
Half-human, half-bird creatures from Greek and Roman myth, often seen as storm winds or snatchers of food.Being · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇹 ItalyDe Umbris Idearum
A 1582 treatise by Giordano Bruno on memory, magic and philosophyText · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomSpring-heeled Jack
A Victorian phantom known for leaping over walls and breathing fire.Figure · Cursing and harm Historical
🇫🇷 FranceMagonia
A cloud realm of aerial sailors blamed for hail and stolen grain in medieval EuropeBelief · Cursing and harm · 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.
- Glemminge stone: Jorchr, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Spring-heeled Jack: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Feldgeist: Zwoelefant, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Farfadet: User:Mattes, Public domain, source
- Bucca: Frederick Whymper, Public domain, source
- Pan Twardowski: Pit1233, Public domain, source
- Astral body: Rad el Baluvar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Palladium: Marie-Lan Nguyen ( Jastrow ), Public domain, source
- Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie: Eliphas Levi, Public domain, source
- Frankenstein town gravediggers scandal: Jacek Halicki, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, source
- Klabautermann: Anton von Werner, Public domain, source
- Karzełek: Krystian Hasterok, CC BY 2.5, source
- Tietäjä: Robert Wilhelm Ekman, Public domain, source
- Harpy: Unknown, near the Tyrrhenian Group?, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Tredesin de Mars: A ntv, Public domain, source
- Grásteinn: Ásgeir Helgason, Attribution, source
- Amulet MS 5236: Martin Schøyen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lamia: Josu Goñi Etxabe, Public domain, source
- Manannán mac Lir: Kenneth Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Lugh: Peter Clarke, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- The Dagda: WordRidden, CC BY 2.0, source
- Necklace of Harmonia: Marie-Lan Nguyen, Public domain, source
- Nithing pole: r Saxo Gramaticus; tr. (Danish) Frederik Winkel Horn; illus. Louis Moe, Public domain, source
- Houles fairy: Minseong Kim, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bieresel: Neulich im Roxy Kino, CC BY 3.0, source
- Teind: Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Crucifix: Turismo Bahia, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Nutcracker doll: Raul654, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bloody Bones: ArtemisiaGentileschiFan, CC0, source