All entries
2,212 entries so far, best known first. 3,117 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
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 5 moreBay Laurel未维蠁谓畏
An aromatic Mediterranean plant used in cooking and as a symbol of victory and purification.Substance 路 Protection 路 Cleansing and purification Living
馃嚠馃嚫 Iceland and 1 moreHidden-folkhulduf贸lk
Supernatural beings in Nordic folklore who live in a parallel world within the landscape.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚫馃嚜 Sweden and 5 moreMidsummerJ膩艈i; Jonin臈s; Jaanip盲ev; Enyovden; Litha; Juhannus
A summer solstice festival marked by bonfires, maypole dancing, and feasting across Europe.Tradition 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 7 moreWalpurgis NightWalpurgisnacht
A spring vigil marking the eve of Saint Walpurga's feast day with bonfires and student festivalsRite 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 1 moreSamhain
A Gaelic festival marking the end of harvest and the start of winter, observed on November 1st.Tradition 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 5 moreHalloween
A Christian vigil on 31 October for the dead, now marked by costumes and carved vegetablesRite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandBlarney StoneCloch na Blarnan
A limestone block in an Irish castle kissed for the gift of eloquenceCharm 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 4 moreNeed-fireNotfeuer
A ritual fire lit by friction to protect livestock and people from disease and witchcraftRite 路 Protection 路 Cleansing and purification Historical
馃嚨馃嚬 Portugal and 5 moreCocoCoca
A monster used to frighten children into obedience across the Iberian world and Latin America.Figure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Binding and oaths Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomEvil eye bead (sample)Nazar boncu臒u
A blue glass bead hung to turn aside envy.Charm 路 Protection Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomWitch bottle (sample)
A stoppered bottle set out against curses.Charm 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 5 moreBiodynamic agriculture
An organic farming system with esoteric roots and spiritual practicesTradition 路 Healing 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 2 moreBulla
A round Roman amulet given to freeborn boys as a mark of status and protectionCharm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyBadaliscBadalisch
A mythical goat-headed creature from the Italian Alps, captured and mocked during Epiphany celebrations.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalySanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia
A vast Roman sanctuary complex in Palestrina that housed an oracle and a temple to the goddess of fate.Tradition 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Protection Historical
馃嚟馃嚭 HungaryCurse of TuranTur谩ni 谩tok
A Hungarian belief that a historic spell causes national misfortune and personal despairBelief 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 2 morePiedmontese tarotTarocco Piemontese
A 78-card Italian deck used for trick-taking games in northern Italy and beyondTradition 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 1 moreHercules' ClubHerkuleskeule
A club-shaped amulet worn in the Roman Empire and by Germanic peoples as a protective charm.Charm 路 Protection Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 2 moreLecanomancy
Divination using a dish or bowl of water to read the futureOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandStatue rubbing
A tourist custom of touching statues to attract luck, love, or a return visit.Belief 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Love and attraction Living
馃嚜馃嚫 SpainDetente bala
A cloth charm worn by Spanish soldiers to stop bullets in the name of JesusCharm 路 Protection Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 1 moreBirthing girdle
A medieval charm worn during pregnancy to ensure a safe deliveryCharm 路 Protection Historical
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 1 moreKollyra curse tablet
An ancient Greek tablet cursing a thief to suffocation until stolen goods are returned.Text 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 1 moreOomancy
Divination by eggs, reading shapes and signs to foresee events or diagnose spiritual statesOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Healing Living
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalySmorfia
A Neapolitan dream book that turns visions into lottery numbersOracle 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 4 moreAnimal TarotTiertarock
A family of playing card decks featuring animal imagery instead of traditional tarot scenesTradition 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceCurse of Vibia
A damaged Oscan lead tablet invoking underworld forces against a named man and his kinCharm 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomFumsup
A small figurine charm believed to bring good luck, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Charm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 1 moreEaster Bunny
A German folkloric hare that judges children and delivers colored eggs for EasterBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 4 moreTutelary deity
A guardian spirit or god assigned to protect a specific place, person, or group.Being 路 Protection Living
馃嚫馃嚠 Slovenia and 5 moreVesna袙械褋薪邪
A Slavic personification of spring and youth, known in myth and languageFigure 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚡馃嚨 Japan and 4 moreHousehold deity
A spirit or minor god believed to guard a home and its family members.Being 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 4 moreFiery serpents芯谐薪械薪薪褘泄 蟹屑械泄
A pan-Slavic spirit of fire and wind, seen as a demon or a household helperBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚨馃嚤 Poland and 3 moreStrzyga
A female demon in Polish folklore, linked to owls and vampiric traitsBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Protection Historical
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceGello螕蔚位位蠋
A Greek demon of infancy and a class of beings blamed for infant death.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Protection Historical
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 5 moreRinging Cedars' Anastasianism写胁懈卸械薪懈械 芦袗薪邪褋褌邪褋懈褟禄
A Russian new religious movement based on books about a Siberian mystic and nature worshipTradition 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 2 moreAetherius Society
A new religious movement blending theosophy, UFO claims, and spiritual healing to aid humanity.Tradition 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 1 moreElwetritschElwedritsch
A chicken-like creature from German folklore that tames the fear of sleep paralysisBeing 路 Protection Living
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 7 moreOgnyena Maria袨谐薪械薪邪 袦邪褉懈褬邪
A Slavic fire goddess linked to lightning, rain, and seasonal fire bansFigure 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 5 moreWestern Sufism
Adaptations of Islamic mysticism in Europe and North AmericaTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 5 moreSaint Michael
A Christian archangel who defends the faithful and weighs soulsBeing 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚪馃嚧 Romania and 1 moreS芒nzian膬
Romanian fairies and a summer solstice festival of flowers and magicBeing 路 Protection 路 Love and attraction Living
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 3 moreYehowists懈谢褜懈薪褑褘
A Russian Spiritual Christian group founded by Nikolai Ilyin in the 1840sTradition 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 1 moreNew Israel袧芯胁褘泄 袠蟹褉邪懈谢褜
A Russian sectarian movement that established a farming commune in UruguayTradition Living
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceMargot the fairy
Earthly fairies of Brittany known for dancing, building monuments, and testing human guests.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚨馃嚬 Portugal and 1 moreCabra cabriola
A fire-breathing goat bogeyman used to frighten children in Portuguese and Brazilian folkloreBeing 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomChained Oak
A Staffordshire oak bound in chains by a local legend of a curse and an earl.Belief 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceMeilichios螠蔚喂位委蠂喂慰蟼
An ancient Greek chthonic spirit linked to Zeus and appeased through fire offerings.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Biodynamic agriculture: Martist, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Birthing girdle: Sarah Fiddyment , Natalie J. Goodison , Elma Brenner , Stefania Signor, CC BY 4.0, source
- Ognyena Maria: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia: MM, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Curse of Vibia: Franz B眉cheler, Public domain, source
- Bulla: Anonymous ( Category:Etruscans ) Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Badalisc: Luca Giarelli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Changeling: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Oomancy: Rollcloud, CC BY 3.0, source
- Animal Tarot: Cards: anonymous; Photo: Andreas Praefcke, Public domain, source
- Bay Laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source
- Hidden-folk: Schorle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Piedmontese tarot: Argonitros, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Midsummer: Kora27, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Walpurgis Night: Luis Ricardo Falero, Public domain, source
- Samhain: Daniel Maclise, Public domain, source
- Halloween: Toby Ord, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Blarney Stone: Srleffler, Public domain, source
- Need-fire: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Coco: Francisco de Goya, CC0, source
- Brownie: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Hercules' Club: Wolfgang Sauber, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lecanomancy: Author Robert Burns Translator Alexander Smith Illustrator C. A. Vande, Public domain, source
- Statue rubbing: Matthias Rosenkranz, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Easter Bunny: Dr. Bernd Gross, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vesna: Viktor Vasnetsov, Public domain, source
- Strzyga: Filip Gutowski, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Gello: Filippino Lippi, Public domain, source
- Elwetritsch: AnRo0002, CC0, source
- Aetherius Society: Hjamesberglen, CC0, source
- Chained Oak: Gary Rogers, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Meilichios: Mark Landon, CC BY 4.0, source
- Ringing Cedars' Anastasianism: 袥芯斜邪褔械胁 袙谢邪写懈屑懈褉, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Household deity: Claus Ableiter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Saint Michael: Francesco Botticini, Public domain, source
- S芒nzian膬: Saturnian, CC BY-SA 3.0, source