Magic in Europe
Cunning folk and grimoires, alchemy, runes and seidr, the fairy faith, the witch trials, and the folk calendar of fire and fertility. 817 entries on EveryJaadu so far.
Places of magic
London 18Paris 18Delphi 13Athens 12Cairo 5Dodona 5Edinburgh 4Krak贸w 4Olympia 4Praeneste 4Prague 4Amsterdam 3Bamberg 3Capitoline Hill 3Cumae 3Dartmoor 3Egyptian Hall 3Eleusis 3Logro帽o 3Lyon 3New York 3Quebec 3Santiago de Compostela 3Trier 3Val Camonica 3Veii 3Vilnius 3W眉rzburg 3York 3Zugarramurdi 3
Rites of the region
Midsummer and St John's Eve herbs and firesWalpurgis Night and May Day firesSamhain and Halloween divination gamesFirst-footing at HogmanayWitch bottleKnocking on wood and horseshoe customsThe Sator squareIcelandic galdrastafirMalocchio removal with oil and waterMatiasma and ftou ftou
Countries
馃嚘馃嚤 Albania 29馃嚘馃嚛 Andorra 1馃嚘馃嚬 Austria 33馃嚙馃嚲 Belarus 21馃嚙馃嚜 Belgium 11馃嚙馃嚘 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4馃嚙馃嚞 Bulgaria 37馃嚟馃嚪 Croatia 16馃嚚馃嚳 Czech Republic 14馃嚜馃嚜 Estonia 28馃嚝馃嚠 Finland 38馃嚝馃嚪 France 157馃嚛馃嚜 Germany 135馃嚞馃嚪 Greece 134馃嚟馃嚭 Hungary 14馃嚠馃嚫 Iceland 47馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland 104馃嚠馃嚬 Italy 136馃嚱馃嚢 Kosovo 4馃嚤馃嚮 Latvia 10馃嚤馃嚬 Lithuania 20馃嚤馃嚭 Luxembourg 2馃嚥馃嚬 Malta 2馃嚥馃嚛 Moldova 4馃嚥馃嚜 Montenegro 4馃嚦馃嚤 Netherlands 32馃嚥馃嚢 North Macedonia 6馃嚦馃嚧 Norway 44馃嚨馃嚤 Poland 43馃嚨馃嚬 Portugal 16馃嚪馃嚧 Romania 42馃嚪馃嚭 Russia 115馃嚪馃嚫 Serbia 36馃嚫馃嚢 Slovakia 4馃嚫馃嚠 Slovenia 7馃嚜馃嚫 Spain 75馃嚫馃嚜 Sweden 85馃嚚馃嚟 Switzerland 30馃嚭馃嚘 Ukraine 25馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom 230馃嚮馃嚘 Vatican City 1
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
馃嚪馃嚫 Serbia and 5 moreVampire
An undead creature from folklore that feeds on the blood or life force of the livingBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 5 moreWerewolf
A mythical shapeshifter that turns into a wolf, central to European witch-hunts and Gothic horror.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomBoggart
A malevolent household spirit from northern English folkloreBeing 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 3 moreVodyanoy胁芯写褟薪芯泄
A water spirit of Slavic folklore that dwells in rivers and lakesBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚟馃嚪 Croatia and 5 moreVilavila (Serbian: 胁懈谢邪), v铆la (Bulgarian: 胁懈虂谢邪)
Slavic nature spirits known for healing, storms, and deadly dancesBeing 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 3 moreLeshy谢械褕懈泄
A forest spirit from Slavic folklore who guards the woods and misleads travelers.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandBansheebean s铆
A female spirit in Irish folklore who wails to herald the death of a family member.Being 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 4 moreLady MiddayPoludnitsa
A Slavic noon spirit who watches over fields and punishes those who work during the hottest hours.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Protection Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomGlaistig
A Scottish shape-shifting spirit linked to cattle, deer, and haunted castles.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyAlp
A Germanic spirit that presses on sleepers and drinks milkBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomBlack dog
A spectral hound from English folklore that signals death or guards the living.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Protection Legendary
馃嚪馃嚧 Romania and 2 moreStrigoi
A Romanian undead spirit linked to witchcraft and vampirismBeing 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 1 moreAos S铆
Supernatural beings of Irish and Scottish folklore, said to dwell in mounds and influence the human world.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 4 moreSelkie
Mythical seal-people who shed their skin to walk as humans on landBeing 路 Love and attraction 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomBarghest
A mythical black dog from Northern England that foretells death and haunts the countryside.Being 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceCirce螝委蟻魏畏
A Greek goddess and witch known for turning men into beasts with her potionsBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Love and attraction Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomTylwyth Teg
Welsh mythological beings linked to the fairy folk of neighboring traditionsBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚪馃嚫 Serbia and 1 moreDrekavac袛褉械泻邪胁邪褑
A South Slavic night creature born from unbaptised souls or sinnersBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚠馃嚫 Iceland and 1 moreNornsnornir
Fate-weaving figures from Norse myth who shape human destiny and tend the world tree.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 3 moreMare
A spirit that sits on sleepers to cause nightmares and physical distressBeing 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 1 moreBlue men of the Minchna fir ghorma
Mythical blue-skinned spirits of the Scottish strait who challenge sailors to poetry contestsBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomCat-s矛th
A spectral feline from Celtic lore that haunts the Scottish Highlands and guards the dead.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 Sweden and 2 moreMj枚lnirMj谦llnir
The hammer of the Norse thunder god Thor, used as a weapon and for blessingsBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Protection Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 1 moreFuath
A class of malevolent water spirits in Scottish and Irish folkloreBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 5 moreRevenant
An animated corpse or spirit that returns from the grave to haunt the livingBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 3 moreChangeling
A substitute left by supernatural beings in place of a stolen human child or adultBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚘馃嚬 Austria and 3 morePerchtaPercht
A Alpine goddess of winter who rewards diligence and punishes laziness during the twelve days after Christmas.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Revived
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 1 moreEach-uisge
A fierce water spirit of the Scottish Highlands and Irish shores that takes the form of a horse.Being 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 2 moreUpi贸r褍锌褨芯褉
A demonic spirit from Slavic and Turkic folklore that is believed to return from the dead to feed on the living.Being 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomAfanc
A lake monster from Welsh mythology that dwells in dark waters and preys on the unwary.Being 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 5 moreFairy
A European spirit with magical powers and human form found in folklore and artBeing 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚜馃嚫 Spain and 5 moreDuende
A humanoid spirit of Iberian and Latin American folklore, ranging from household pranksters to forest guardians.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 3 moreHellhound
A mythological canine that guards the underworld or serves demonic forces across global folkloreBeing 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomC诺n Annwn
Spectral hounds of the Welsh otherworld that hunt souls and signal deathBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandBadb
An Irish war goddess who appears as a crow to sow fear and predict death in battle.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Seeing and foretelling Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomGwyllion
Welsh spirits that lead travellers astray and are feared in mountain folkloreBeing 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 1 moreNachzehrer
A German revenant believed to consume the living from beyond the graveBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚠馃嚫 Iceland and 3 moreDraugr
A malevolent undead revenant from Nordic folklore, often guarding buried treasure.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 1 moreLikho袥懈褏芯
A Slavic spirit of bad luck and misfortune, often depicted as a one-eyed creature.Being 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandP煤ca
A shape-shifting spirit of Celtic folklore that brings fortune or mischiefBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomPuck
A mischievous domestic sprite of English folklore known for practical jokes and household choresBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚭馃嚘 Ukraine and 1 moreVedmak胁褟写蟹褜屑邪泻
A Slavic male warlock or witch with shamanic roots and shape-shifting powersBeing 路 Healing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
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
馃嚦馃嚧 Norway and 1 moreTroll cat
A familiar spirit in Nordic folklore blamed for stealing milk and cream from farmsBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚪馃嚧 Romania and 2 moreSolomonari葮olomonar
A Romanian weather wizard who rides a dragon and controls the storms.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomWirry-cow
A Scottish folk figure representing a frightening object or spiritBeing 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚨馃嚤 Poland and 1 moreDydko
A Polish folk creature evolved from a Slavic house demon into a night-time scarecrow.Being 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 1 moreCupidCup墨d艒
A Roman deity of desire and erotic love, often depicted with a bow and arrow.Being 路 Love and attraction 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Selkie: Carolyn Emerick, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Alp: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Badalisc: Luca Giarelli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Changeling: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Vampire: Edvard Munch, Public domain, source
- Upi贸r: 袙褨褖褍薪, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hellhound: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Badb: Commonists, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Draugr: Kim Diaz Holm, CC BY 4.0, source
- Norns: file: James Steakley ; artwork: Gustav Heidenreich, Public domain, source
- P煤ca: Wirt Sikes, Public domain, source
- Boggart: Katolophyromai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Likho: Mhapon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Leshy: 螕蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vila: Scan by NYPL, Public domain, source
- Fairy: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Vodyanoy: Ivan Bilibin, Public domain, source
- Duende: Ren茅 Mayorga, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Cupid: Bertel Thorvaldsen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Wiederg盲nger: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Mj枚lnir: M氓rten Eskil Winge, Public domain, source
- Perchta: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Circe: Wright Barker, Public domain, source
- Puck: Joseph Noel Paton, Public domain, source
- Banshee: W.H. Brooke, Public domain, source
- Lady Midday: 袙褨褖褍薪, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Blue men of the Minch: Lord P in the Commons 17:16, 17 June 2007 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Each-uisge: John Allan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Mare: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Cat-s矛th: John D. Batten, Public domain, source
- Aos S铆: AE [George William Russell] (1867-1935), CC BY 4.0, source
- Werewolf: Mont Sudbury, Public domain, source