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
🇸🇪 Sweden and 5 moreLindwormlindorm
A serpentine dragon of Northern and Central European folklore, often depicted as limbless or winged.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreDerafsh Kavianiدرفش کاویانی
A legendary royal standard of pre-Islamic Iran, later adopted as a symbol of national identity.Charm · Power and authority · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreChortчёрт
A Slavic demon spirit with horns and hooves, known in folklore as a trickster or minor evil force.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreBishop-fish
A legendary sea creature said to gesture like a cleric before vanishingBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇫🇮 Finland and 1 moreHiisi
A Finnic spirit of sacred places that evolved into a demonic giant in folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical
🇸🇮 Slovenia and 5 moreVesnaВесна
A Slavic personification of spring and youth, known in myth and languageFigure · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanAbura-sumashi油すまし
A mountain spirit from Amakusa folklore said to be a thief turned yōkaiBeing Legendary
🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreHousehold deity
A spirit or minor god believed to guard a home and its family members.Being · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇷🇸 Serbia and 5 moreWolves in folklore, religion and mythology
A global survey of how cultures view the wolf as symbol, spirit or threatBelief · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Historical
🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreDietrich von Bern
A legendary Germanic hero based on the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the GreatFigure · Power and authority Historical
🇺🇸 United StatesSkunk ape
A large, hairy humanoid cryptid said to live in Florida swamps and forestsFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇳 IndiaSnow Lionགངས་སེང་གེ་
A celestial mountain guardian of Tibet embodying fearlessness, bliss, and the DharmaBeing · Protection · Power and authority 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
🇮🇳 IndiaKirtimukhaकीर्तिमुख
A swallowing face motif in Hindu and Buddhist temple architecture across South and Southeast AsiaBeing · Protection · Cleansing and purification Historical
🇪🇹 EthiopiaCatoblepas
A legendary beast from ancient texts with a heavy head and a lethal gaze or breath.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesFive-Percent Nation
A New York movement teaching that Black people are the original gods and earth of civilizationTradition · Power and authority · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreStrixστρίξ
A classical bird of ill omen that evolved into a term for witches and vampires across Europe.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanNurikabe塗り壁
A spirit that manifests as an invisible wall to block travelers at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇪 IrelandSalmon of KnowledgeAn Bradán Feasa
A mythical fish in Irish folklore that holds all the world's wisdom.Being · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇪🇬 EgyptAeonαἰών
Emanations of the divine source in Gnostic cosmologyBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇯🇵 JapanGashadokuroがしゃどくろ
A giant skeleton spirit born from the bones of those who died in war or famine.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomEnfield poltergeist
A disputed 1970s case of alleged supernatural activity in a London homeBelief Historical
🇫🇷 France and 3 moreDahu
A French mountain legend about an asymmetrical goat used in practical jokesFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇫🇷 FranceTitivillus
A medieval demon who collects scribal errors and liturgical mistakes in a sack.Being · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreTeraphimתרפים
Ancient Hebrew household figures linked to ancestry, property rights and divinationBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇹🇭 Thailand and 1 moreNang Taniนางตานี
A female spirit said to inhabit wild banana trees in Southeast Asian folklore.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanRaijū雷獣
A Japanese lightning creature that sleeps in navels and falls from stormsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇫🇮 FinlandIku-Turso
A primordial giant and sea monster from Finnish mythologyBeing · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreMadam Koi Koi
A Nigerian school ghost known for the sound of her heelsFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇪🇸 SpainBasajaun
A hairy forest lord of Basque myth who protects livestock and teaches human skillsBeing · Protection · Power and authority Legendary
🇦🇲 ArmeniaAralēzարալէզ
Winged dog-like spirits in Armenian mythology that revive fallen heroesBeing · Healing Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanSatori覚
A mind-reading monkey-like yōkai from the mountains of JapanBeing Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAllocer
A duke of demons in grimoires who teaches sciences and commands legionsBeing · Power and authority Historical
🇺🇸 United StatesGoatman
A goat-human hybrid blamed for dog deaths in Maryland woodsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreBalaur
A many-headed dragon from Romanian folklore that guards treasures and controls the weather.Being · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇲🇲 Myanmar and 5 moreChintheခြင်္သေ့
A stylized lion statue that guards Buddhist temples in Myanmar and across Asia.Being · Protection Living
🇺🇸 United StatesLoveland frog
A legendary humanoid creature sighted in Ohio, often linked to urban folklore and local tourism.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreVengeful ghost
A restless spirit said to return from death to punish those who caused harmBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇹🇷 Turkey and 4 moreAl BastyAlbastı
A female spirit of guilt and childbirth found in Turkic and Caucasian folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇷 IranAzhdahaاژدها
A winged serpent from Iranian myth and literature, often linked to the dragon archetype.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇱🇹 Lithuania and 2 moreLaumaLaumė
A Baltic fairy-like spirit of the sky, weather, and newborn children.Being · Protection · Healing Historical
🇯🇵 JapanAosaginohi青鷺火
A Japanese will-o'-the-wisp attributed to the glowing flight of herons at nightBelief · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇺🇸 United StatesAshtar
A channeled extraterrestrial figure central to mid-century American ufology and New Age spiritualityBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Seeing and foretelling Living
🇨🇴 ColombiaPatasola
A Colombian jungle monster that lures men with beauty before revealing a one-legged formBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 moreFairy Queen
A female ruler of fairies found in folklore, literature, and witchcraft trials across Europe.Figure · Power and authority Historical
🇷🇺 RussiaIndrikИндрик-зверь
A legendary Russian beast said to rule all animals from a sacred mountainBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇲🇽 MexicoAhuizotlāhuitzotl
A legendary Aztec water creature said to lure people to their deathsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreHybrid beasts in folklore
Creatures made of animal and human parts found in myths and ancient artBeing · Power and authority Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Skunk ape: MikesMegapixels, CC BY 3.0, source
- Aosaginohi: Koikawa Harumachi ja:恋川春町 (1744-1789), Public domain, source
- Fairy: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Salmon of Knowledge: Man vyi, Public domain, source
- Derafsh Kaviani: CNG Coins, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bishop-fish: photo by Sean Linehan, NOS, NGS National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin, Public domain, source
- Lindworm: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Vesna: Viktor Vasnetsov, Public domain, source
- Abura-sumashi: Triton, CC BY 3.0, source
- Dietrich von Bern: Workshop of Diebolt Lauber, Hagenau 1444-1448, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nurikabe: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Wolves in folklore, religion and mythology: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Strix: Prosthetic Head, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Catoblepas: Jan Jonston, Public domain, source
- Kirtimukha: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, source
- Gashadokuro: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Headless men: Hartmann Schedel (1440-1514), Public domain, source
- Nang Tani: Xufanc, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Iku-Turso: Hugo Simberg, Public domain, source
- Enfield poltergeist: Mx. Granger, CC0, source
- Titivillus: Andrewrabbott, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Allocer: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Goatman: Jack Boucher, Public domain, source
- Basajaun: Airiartmed2, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Loveland frog: Tim Bertelink, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Azhdaha: Andersen, H. C. (Hans Christian), 1805-1875, Dugald Stewart Walker (18, Public domain, source
- Vengeful ghost: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi; Tsukioka Yoshitoshi died 1892; Negishi Chokuzan;, Public domain, source
- Ahuizotl: Infrogmation, New Orleans, Public domain, source
- Ashtar: Evedawn99, Public domain, source
- Hybrid beasts in folklore: Peter Schmelzle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chinthe: Wagaung, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chort: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Lauma: Raki_Man, CC BY 3.0, source
- Snow Lion: John Hill, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Household deity: Claus Ableiter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Teraphim: Athanasius Kircher, Public domain, source
- Dahu: Philippe Semeria, CC BY 3.0, source
- Aeon: Jacques Matter, Public domain, source