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
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 3 moreWiederg盲nger
A German term for a revenant or ghost that returns to the world of the living.Being 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚪馃嚧 RomaniaC膬pc膬un
A Romanian ogre with a dog head known for kidnapping children and eating peopleBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 SwedenAskafroa
A Scandinavian tree spirit believed to guard the ash and demand appeasement.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Protection Legendary
馃嚨馃嚬 PortugalEnchanted Mouramoura encantada
A supernatural maiden from Portuguese and Galician folklore who guards treasures and ancient stones.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomLlamhigyn y D诺r
A winged frog-like creature blamed for harm to fishermen and livestock in Welsh folkloreBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomTrow
Nocturnal spirits of the Orkney and Shetland islands, known for mischief and musical abduction.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Wonder and entertainment Historical
馃嚘馃嚥 ArmeniaVishap站斋辗铡蘸
A water dragon of Armenian myth linked to storms and the sunBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalySquasc
A small, tawny creature from Eastern Lombardy folklore that frightens children and plays jokes on young girlsBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandGancanaghgean c谩nach
A male Irish fairy known for seducing women and tricking humans.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Love and attraction Legendary
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 4 moreNight ravennattravn
A nocturnal creature of European folklore, feared as a child-stealer or seen as a ghost in bird form.Being 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceYan-gant-y-tan
A Breton demon who carries five candles and is said to bring bad luck.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Wonder and entertainment Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 1 moreDusios
A Gaulish spirit type later classified as an incubus demon by early Christian writersBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyMonacielloMunaciello
A Neapolitan sprite linked to the city's underground waterways and hidden wealth.Figure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚦馃嚧 NorwayDeildegast
A Norwegian ghost bound to boundary stones it moved in lifeBeing 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandL煤in of CeltcharL煤in Celtchair
A fiery Irish spear that burned its wielder unless quenched in bloodCharm 路 Cursing and harm 路 Power and authority Legendary
馃嚟馃嚭 Hungary and 1 moreS谩rk谩ny
A winged reptilian beast from Hungarian folklore, linked to weather and literary heroes.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Wonder and entertainment 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
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandDevil Whale
A giant sea creature mistaken for an island that drags sailors to the deepBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 2 moreSupernatural beings in Slavic religion
Mythic entities of nature, death, and fate in Slavic folklore and belief.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
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
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomPiers Shonks
A legendary knight who slew a dragon and cheated the Devil in HertfordshireFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚠馃嚫 IcelandYule catJ贸lak枚tturinn
A giant feline from Icelandic folklore that threatens those without new Christmas clothesFigure 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚠馃嚫 IcelandDj谩kninn 谩 Myrk谩
An Icelandic ghost story about a dead deacon who returns for his bride on Christmas EveFigure 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 1 moreMaternal impression
A discredited theory that a mother's shock or thoughts can mark her unborn childBelief 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚪馃嚫 Serbia and 1 moreVampire pumpkins and watermelons
A Balkan folk tale about ground fruit that turns into vampires.Belief 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 SwedenVittra
A forest spirit from northern Sweden linked to livestock and seductionBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Love and attraction Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomNanny Rutt
A cautionary figure from Lincolnshire folklore who lures girls into the woodsFigure 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚡馃嚨 JapanLooking taboo
A mythic rule forbidding a gaze that would bring disasterBelief 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomLazy Laurence
A mischievous English pixie who makes orchard workers lazy and gives them indigestionBeing 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 5 moreFiredrakeognennyi zmei
A European dragon myth born from sightings of shooting stars and will-o'-the-wispsBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 1 moreSebile
A medieval enchantress who evolved from a classical prophetess into an Arthurian fairy queenFigure 路 Love and attraction 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚘馃嚤 AlbaniaLjubi
A multi-headed water demon from Albanian folklore linked to storms and sacrificeBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚠馃嚫 IcelandSelkolla
A seal-headed woman from Icelandic folklore who clashed with a medieval bishop.Being 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚪馃嚧 RomaniaMuma P膬durii
A forest spirit in Romania who protects nature and punishes those who harm itBeing 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 SwedenStentoften Runestone
A seventh-century Swedish stone inscribed with a curse and harvest blessings in Proto-NorseText 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚫馃嚜 SwedenYs盲tters-Kajsa
A wind-troll from Swedish folklore who danced with the gales of N盲rkeFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 1 moreScylla危魏蠉位位伪
A sea monster from Greek tales who guards a perilous passage and devours sailors.Being 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚜馃嚫 SpainXana
A water spirit of Asturian myth who offers treasures or madness to those who hear her song.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚝馃嚠 FinlandAjatar
An evil female spirit of Finnish folklore associated with serpents and diseaseFigure 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 Sweden and 1 moreStalloSt谩llu
A large, clumsy creature from S谩mi folklore that eats people and is often outwitted by humans.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Wonder and entertainment 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
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 5 moreWitchcraft accusations against children
Historical and modern persecution of children blamed for witchcraftBelief 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚜馃嚫 SpainGatipedro
A horned cat from Galicia that makes children wet their bedsFigure 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyCacus
A fire-breathing giant of Roman myth who stole cattle and was slain by HerculesBeing 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomLantern man
A ghost light of the English fens said to lure victims into the marshesBelief 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚫 IcelandGr媒la
A monstrous Icelandic troll associated with Christmas and the Yule LadsBeing 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 3 moreCruentation
A medieval judicial test where a suspect touched a victim's body to see if it bled.Rite 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.
- Supernatural beings in Slavic religion: Bartolomeo Giuliano, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cruentation: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Gr媒la: Andrii Gladii, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Witchcraft accusations against children: Radbot, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Stallo: John Bauer, Public domain, source
- Xana: John William Waterhouse, Public domain, source
- Scylla: Unknown artist, Public domain, source
- Changeling: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Sebile: tony_57, CC BY 3.0, source
- Wiederg盲nger: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Yan-gant-y-tan: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Night raven: Kim Diaz Holm (den unge herr Holm), CC BY 4.0, source
- Dusios: Eric Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Devil Whale: Edmund Dulac, Public domain, source
- L煤in of Celtchar: Harold Robert Millar, Public domain, source
- S谩rk谩ny: Albrecht D眉rer, Public domain, source
- Meilichios: Mark Landon, CC BY 4.0, source
- Piers Shonks: William Blyth Gerish, Public domain, source
- Yule cat: Christine Rondeau, CC BY 2.0, source
- Dj谩kninn 谩 Myrk谩: Th茅odore Meyer-Heine / Jules Worms, Public domain, source
- Vampire pumpkins and watermelons: The original uploader was Ke4roh at English Wikipedia ., Public domain, source
- Looking taboo: ArchaiOptix, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Firedrake: Ramesh Kumar R, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Stentoften Runestone: Sendelbach ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Gatipedro: Dende, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cacus: William Blake, Public domain, source
- Vishap: Kulttuurinavigaattori, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Enchanted Moura: Henrique Jos茅 Teixeira Matos, Public domain, source