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. 828 entries on EveryJaadu so far.

Places of magic

Rites of the region

Midsummer and St John's Eve herbs and fires Walpurgis Night and May Day fires Samhain and Halloween divination games First-footing at Hogmanay Witch bottle Knocking on wood and horseshoe customs The Sator square Icelandic galdrastafir Malocchio removal with oil and water Matiasma and ftou ftou

Countries

KindTradition Rite Charm Oracle Substance Being Figure Text Illusion Belief

PurposeProtection Healing Seeing and foretelling Luck and prosperity Love and attraction Cursing and harm Cleansing and purification Speaking with spirits and the dead Change and initiation Binding and oaths Power and authority Wonder and entertainment

WhoShamans Folk healers Priests and ritual specialists Witches, sorcerers and cunning folk Diviners and readers Mediums and the possessed Ceremonial magicians and alchemists Households and ordinary people Stage magicians Scholars and sceptics

BeliefHindu and Tantric Buddhist Jain Muslim and Sufi Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian Shinto and Taoist Indigenous and shamanic African and Afro-diasporic Pagan and Neopagan Esoteric and occult Folk and village custom Secular and stage Other traditions

OccasionWeddings and betrothal Festivals Birth and childhood Death and remembrance Harvest, farming and weather New year Initiation and coming of age Illness and misfortune Journeys and voyages Everyday use

StandingLiving Revived Fading Historical Legendary Performed

OrderBest known A to Z Newest Living first

🇳🇴 Norway and 1 moreFossegrim A Scandinavian water spirit known for teaching fiddle music in exchange for offeringsBeing · Power and authority Legendary

🇨🇿 Czech Republic and 4 moreGolemגּוֹלֶם An animated clay figure from Jewish folklore created to serve or protectBeing · Protection · Power and authority Legendary

🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreZeusΖεύς Supreme king of the Greek gods and ruler of the sky and thunderBeing · Power and authority Legendary

🇮🇪 IrelandTuatha Dé Danann A supernatural race in Irish mythology, later known as the fairy folk.Being · Power and authority Legendary

🇬🇷 GreeceAegisαἰγίς A mythical shield or skin of Zeus and Athena, symbolizing divine protectionBeing · Protection · Power and authority Legendary

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreWyvern A two-legged winged dragon common in European heraldry and fantasy fictionBeing · Power and authority Legendary

🇮🇪 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

🇫🇮 FinlandIku-Turso A primordial giant and sea monster from Finnish mythologyBeing · Power and authority · 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

🇪🇸 SpainBasajaun A hairy forest lord of Basque myth who protects livestock and teaches human skillsBeing · Protection · Power and authority Legendary 🇷🇸 SerbiaCikavacцикавац A winged creature from Serbian folklore that fetches honey and milk for its ownerBeing · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary 🇷🇺 RussiaMoryanaМоря́на A female sea spirit in Slavic folklore who controls winds and calms stormsBeing · Power and authority Legendary 🇪🇸 SpainMinairó Tiny magical beings from the Pyrenees said to build stone piles and work fields.Being · Power and authority Legendary

🇮🇹 ItalyWinged lion A mythological creature combining a lion's body with bird wings, used in heraldry and art.Being · Protection · Power and authority Legendary 🇬🇧 United KingdomMaggy Moulach A Scottish brownie known for her hair and fierce protection of her kinBeing · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇦🇱 AlbaniaXhindi Invisible spirits in Albanian mythology that appear at night and may help or harm.Being · Cursing and harm · 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.

Golem: user Thander, Public domain, source
Winged lion: Rjcastillo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Fossegrim: Bjørn som tegner, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Salmon of Knowledge: Man vyi, Public domain, source
Tuatha Dé Danann: John Duncan, Public domain, source
Zeus: Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0, source
Wyvern: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Iku-Turso: Hugo Simberg, Public domain, source
Basajaun: Airiartmed2, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Aegis: Unknown creator, Public domain, source