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 FranceHoly GrailSaint Graal
A cup or stone from Arthurian tales that grants healing and eternal lifeFigure 路 Healing 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 3 moreFirebird
A glowing bird of Slavic folklore that brings both fortune and peril to those who seek itFigure 路 Wonder and entertainment 路 Luck and prosperity 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
馃嚠馃嚫 IcelandFylgja
A Nordic guardian spirit that shadows a person and their fateBeing 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity 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 KingdomBrowniebr霉naidh
A nocturnal household spirit from Scottish folklore that performs chores in exchange for offerings.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
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
馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyPied Piper of Hamelinder Rattenf盲nger von Hameln
A medieval legend about a piper who leads children away from the town of HamelinFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚠馃嚫 IcelandN谩br贸k
A pair of pants made from human skin, said to generate endless wealth in Icelandic folklore.Charm 路 Luck and prosperity 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
馃嚝馃嚪 France and 2 moreMelusineM茅lusine
A water spirit of French and Luxembourgish lore, known for her serpent form and the castles she built.Figure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Power and authority Legendary
馃嚚馃嚟 Switzerland and 3 moreTatzelwurm
A cat-headed lizard of the Alps, said to guard mines and drink cow milk.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 RussiaGolden apple
A mythical fruit that sparks quests, wars, and linguistic confusion across culturesFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 Sweden and 5 moreLindwormlindorm
A serpentine dragon of Northern and Central European folklore, often depicted as limbless or winged.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚘馃嚤 Albania and 3 moreKulshedra
A multi-headed serpent demon in Albanian folklore that controls storms and droughts.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandFar darrigFear Dearg
A solitary Irish faerie known for cruel jokes and the ability to shift sizeBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚫 SerbiaCikavac褑懈泻邪胁邪褑
A winged creature from Serbian folklore that fetches honey and milk for its ownerBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Power and authority Legendary
馃嚪馃嚧 RomaniaZ芒n膬
A Romanian woodland spirit linked to Diana that guides travelers and blesses children.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 Sweden and 1 moreSkogsr氓
A forest spirit in Swedish folklore who appears as a beautiful woman but hides a hollow back and animal feet.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
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
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandGlas Gaibhnenn
A fabulous cow of Irish myth that yields boundless milk and sparks a quest for vengeance.Being 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚟馃嚭 HungaryLid茅rc
A shape-shifting spirit from Hungarian folklore that brings wealth or illness.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚬馃嚪 Turkey and 1 moreMidas螠委未伪蟼
A Phrygian king from Greek myth who gained a golden touch and donkey earsFigure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyWitte Wiwer
Subterranean spirits of Low German folklore known for music and child exchangeBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomBluecap
A blue flame spirit of English mines that guides miners and warns of dangerBeing 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity 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
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceFarfadet
Small helpful spirits of French folklore that perform chores for foodBeing 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚧 RomaniaS芒ntoaderi
Supernatural beings in Romanian folklore known for causing illness through music and danceBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 SwedenSj枚r氓
A Swedish lake spirit that rewards kindness and drowns the disrespectfulBeing 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomJoan the Wad
A Cornish pixie queen linked to fire and fortuneFigure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Protection Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomCeffyl D诺r
A Welsh water spirit that takes the form of a horse to test or harm travellers.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Firebird: Philippe Giabbanelli, CC BY 3.0, source
- Huldra: Bernard Evans Ward, Public domain, source
- Xana: John William Waterhouse, Public domain, source
- Changeling: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Vampire: Edvard Munch, Public domain, source
- Draugr: Kim Diaz Holm, CC BY 4.0, source
- P煤ca: Wirt Sikes, Public domain, source
- Brownie: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Vodyanoy: Ivan Bilibin, Public domain, source
- Pied Piper of Hamelin: Edmund Evans, Public domain, source
- N谩br贸k: Bernard McManus, CC BY 2.0, source
- Melusine: GilPe, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tatzelwurm: Abrasax, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, source
- Lindworm: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Kulshedra: Bidgee, CC BY 3.0, source
- Skogsr氓: Gunnar Creutz (Achird), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Midas: The Midas Painter, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Glas Gaibhnenn: Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, source
- Farfadet: User:Mattes, Public domain, source
- Puck: Joseph Noel Paton, Public domain, source
- Holy Grail: Photographed by the National Library of Wales, CC0, source
- Cat-s矛th: John D. Batten, Public domain, source
- Vishap: Kulttuurinavigaattori, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Golden apple: Guido Reni, Public domain, source
- Enchanted Moura: Henrique Jos茅 Teixeira Matos, Public domain, source