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. 816 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 134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
馃嚨馃嚤 Poland and 1 moreMichael SendivogiusMicha艂 S臋dziw贸j
A Polish alchemist who discovered oxygen and wrote on the 'food of life'Text 路 Power and authority 路 Change and initiation Historical
馃嚜馃嚫 Spain and 5 moreAlfonso X of Castileel Sabio
A medieval king who sponsored astronomical tables and translated works on magic and astrology.Text 路 Power and authority 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚠馃嚩 Iraq and 5 moreGrimoire
A textbook containing instructions for spells, rituals, and the creation of magical objects.Text 路 Protection 路 Healing Historical
馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyBasil ValentineBasilius Valentinus
A pseudonymous alchemist whose chemical writings shaped early modern chemistry and hermetic tradition.Text 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 2 more脡liphas L茅vi
A French writer who shaped modern occult thought and ceremonial magic.Text 路 Power and authority 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚜馃嚫 SpainDirectorium Inquisitorum
A 14th-century manual for inquisitors on heresy, magic, and trial procedureText 路 Cursing and harm 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomWilliam Lilly
A seventeenth-century English astrologer and author who shaped Western tradition.Text 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 1 moreNicholas Culpeper
An English herbalist and astrologer who translated medical texts into English for the poor.Text 路 Healing 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyChymical Wedding of Christian RosenkreutzChymische Hochzeit Christiani Rosencreutz anno 1459
An allegorical romance and Rosicrucian manifesto detailing a seven-day alchemical initiation.Text 路 Change and initiation 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceEtteilla
The first professional tarot occultist who created a system for card divination.Text 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 3 moreRunes釟贬殺釟踞洘
An ancient Germanic script used for writing and magical signs.Text 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 1 moreNostradamus
A French astrologer and physician known for a book of poetic propheciesText 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyThe MagicianLe Bateleur
A tarot trump symbolizing power and the link between spirit and matterText 路 Power and authority 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 3 moreRenaissance magic
A 15th and 16th century revival of magical arts blending philosophy, astrology, and hidden knowledge.Tradition 路 Power and authority 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomGeoffrey of MonmouthGruffudd ap Arthur
A medieval cleric whose writings shaped the King Arthur legend and British myth.Text 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚫 IcelandGaldergaldr
A Germanic incantation and the written charms derived from itText 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 3 moreSixth and Seventh Books of Moses
A grimoire claiming to reveal the hidden spells of Moses for controlling spirits and natureText 路 Power and authority 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚪馃嚫 Serbia and 3 moreSerbian folklore小褉锌褋泻懈 褎芯谢泻谢芯褉
The folk traditions and epic poetry of the Serbs, blending pre-Christian customs with Orthodox faith.Tradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceThree Books of Occult PhilosophyDe occulta philosophia libri III
A Renaissance treatise on elemental, celestial and divine magicText 路 Healing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 5 moreAleister Crowley
English occultist and founder of the religion of ThelemaText 路 Power and authority 路 Change and initiation Living
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 2 moreKey of SolomonClavicula Salomonis
A Renaissance grimoire attributed to King Solomon, detailing ritual preparations and invocations.Text 路 Cursing and harm 路 Love and attraction Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 1 moreJohn Dee
An English scholar and advisor to Elizabeth I who pursued angelic communication through scrying.Tradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomGrimoire (sample)
A handbook of rites and names.Text 路 Power and authority 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚠馃嚫 IcelandRau冒skinna
A legendary Icelandic grimoire said to grant mastery over dark forces.Text 路 Power and authority 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceDictionnaire Infernal
A French demonology book cataloguing spirits and their hierarchies with engravings.Text 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyGli ExperimentiGli Experimenti de la Ex.ma S.r Caterina da Furlj Matre de lo inllux.mo S.r Giouanni de Medici
A 16th-century manuscript of alchemical, medicinal, and cosmetic recipes by Caterina SforzaText 路 Healing 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 1 moreDogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie
A foundational treatise on ritual magic by 脡liphas L茅vi, structured around the tarot.Text 路 Power and authority 路 Wonder and entertainment Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 FrancePetit AlbertSecrets merveilleux de la magie naturelle et cabalistique du petit Albert
An 18th-century French grimoire of natural and cabalistic magic sold to rural householdsText 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚚馃嚟 SwitzerlandArbatel de magia veterum
A 1575 Swiss grimoire focused on celestial spirits and Christian ethicsText 路 Power and authority 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyDe Umbris Idearum
A 1582 treatise by Giordano Bruno on memory, magic and philosophyText 路 Power and authority 路 Wonder and entertainment Historical
馃嚠馃嚫 IcelandSowilo
The s-rune representing the sun in Germanic writing systemsText 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceMinoan sealstones
Carved gemstones and amulets from Bronze Age Crete used for identification and ritualCharm 路 Protection 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomThe Book of Thoth
A guide to a tarot deck designed by an occultist and his collaboratorText 路 Power and authority 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 1 moreBooks of secrets
Early modern European compilations of recipes and formulae framed as hidden knowledgeText 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚫 Iceland and 3 moreRune poem
Proverbial verses used to memorize the names and order of runic lettersText 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚫 Iceland and 3 moreDeal with the Devil
A cultural trope of trading one's soul for worldly favours in exchange for demonic aidBelief 路 Power and authority 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚜馃嚫 SpainLiber Ignium
A medieval Latin manuscript containing recipes for incendiary weapons and chemicals.Text 路 Cursing and harm 路 Power and authority Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Alfonso X of Castile: Otto Posse (1847-1921), Public domain, source
- Grimoire: Bengt A. Lundberg, CC BY 2.5, source
- 脡liphas L茅vi: Eliphas L茅vi [1810-1875], Public domain, source
- Directorium Inquisitorum: Nicol谩s Eymerich, Public domain, source
- William Lilly: Simon Harriyott, CC BY 2.0, source
- Nicholas Culpeper: Richard Gaywood, Public domain, source
- Runes: Bengt Olof 脜RADSSON, CC BY 1.0, source
- Nostradamus: After C茅sar de Notre-Dame, Public domain, source
- The Magician: Pamela Colman Smith, Public domain, source
- Renaissance magic: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Geoffrey of Monmouth: Colin Cheesman, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Galder: Bengt A. Lundberg, CC BY 2.5, source
- Dictionnaire Infernal: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie: Eliphas Levi, Public domain, source
- John Dee: Unidentified painter, Public domain, source
- Deal with the Devil: Christoph, Public domain, source
- Michael Sendivogius: 艁uszczkiewicz, Public domain, source
- Gli Experimenti: Mattman723, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Key of Solomon: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Petit Albert: Albertus Parvus Lucius, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Aleister Crowley: Aleister Crowley, Public domain, source
- Three Books of Occult Philosophy: Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, Public domain, source
- Minoan sealstones: Andree Stephan, CC BY 3.0, source
- Serbian folklore: Uro拧 Predi膰, Public domain, source
- Rune poem: Tollef Salemann, CC0, source
- Basil Valentine: TomKidd, CC BY-SA 3.0, source