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

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

🇦🇺 Australia and 5 moreSword swallowing A dangerous stage skill where a performer guides a blade down the throat into the stomachIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Living 🇪🇸 SpainMaslama al-Majritiأبو القاسم مسلمة بن أحمد المجريطي A tenth-century scholar of alchemy and astronomy in Islamic Spain.Figure · Wonder and entertainment · Power and authority Historical

🇬🇧 United KingdomJohn Nevil Maskelyne A Victorian magician who exposed fraud and invented the pay toiletIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇫🇷 France and 5 moreJean Eugène Robert-HoudinJean-Eugène Robert-Houdin A French clockmaker who elevated stage magic into a refined theatrical art.Illusion · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇬🇧 United KingdomUp Helly Aa A Shetland fire festival marking the end of Yule with a torchlit procession and burning of a Viking galleyRite · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇬🇧 United KingdomIsaac Fawkes An English conjurer who moved magic from the fairground to fashionable London society.Illusion · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇩🇪 Germany and 2 morePhantasmagoria A horror theatre using magic lanterns to project frightening images in the darkIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreBrocken spectreBrockengespenst A giant shadow cast by an observer onto clouds, often surrounded by a rainbow halo.Illusion · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 moreMay Day A European spring festival marking the start of summer with flowers, poles and fire.Tradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWheel of the Year An annual cycle of eight seasonal festivals observed by modern pagans.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreStraw bearStrohbär A carnival figure wrapped in straw that visits homes for gifts and marks the turning of seasons.Tradition · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Living

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreWelsh mythologyY Chwedlau The ancient legends of Wales and the Celtic Britons, preserved in medieval manuscripts.Tradition · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇮🇸 Iceland and 1 moreNorse mythology The mythic tales of the North Germanic peoples and their ancient gods.Tradition · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreCairn A human-made stack of stones used as a marker, memorial, or religious symbol across many cultures.Tradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreFairy ring A natural ring of mushrooms surrounded by folklore about dancing spirits and witches.Belief · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreEdward Kelley An English occultist and scryer who worked with John Dee to contact angels and practice alchemy.Figure · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇬🇧 United KingdomEgyptian Hall A London exhibition hall known for magic shows and Egyptian-style architecture, demolished in 1905.Illusion · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreSawing a woman in half A stage illusion where an assistant appears to be cut into pieces inside a box or on a tableIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreMentalism A stage art that mimics psychic powers using psychology and sleight of handIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 morePepper's ghost A stage illusion using angled glass to project hidden actors as visible ghostsIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBullet catch A stage illusion where a magician appears to catch a fired bullet in their mouth or handIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreBiodynamic agriculture An organic farming system with esoteric roots and spiritual practicesTradition · Healing · Power and authority Living

🇨🇭 Switzerland and 4 moreEurythmy An expressive movement art that translates music and speech into gestureTradition · Wonder and entertainment · Change and initiation Living

🇮🇹 ItalyBadaliscBadalisch A mythical goat-headed creature from the Italian Alps, captured and mocked during Epiphany celebrations.Being · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Living 🇮🇹 ItalySola Busca tarot The oldest complete 78-card tarot deck with unique illustrations and Roman numerals.Text · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇮🇹 Italy and 2 morePiedmontese tarotTarocco Piemontese A 78-card Italian deck used for trick-taking games in northern Italy and beyondTradition · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreTarocco Bolognese A 62-card Italian tarot deck from Bologna used for games and cartomancyText · Wonder and entertainment · Seeing and foretelling Living

🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreGuillotine (magic trick) A stage illusion where a blade passes through a neck or finger without harmIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇬🇷 Greece and 2 morePhoenix A legendary bird that dies and is reborn from its own ashesBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇬🇧 United KingdomLoch Ness MonsterUilebheist Loch Nis A legendary lake creature from the Scottish Highlands, famous for disputed photographs and folk tales.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreEaster Bunny A German folkloric hare that judges children and delivers colored eggs for EasterBeing · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreHippogriffippogrifo A legendary hybrid creature with the front of an eagle and the back of a horse.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇬🇷 Greece and 3 moreHippocampusἱππόκαμπος A mythological hybrid of a horse and fish from ancient Mediterranean culturesBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreFionn mac CumhaillFionn mac Cumaill A legendary Irish hero and leader of the Fianna warrior bandFigure · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇷🇺 RussiaGolden apple A mythical fruit that sparks quests, wars, and linguistic confusion across culturesFigure · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary

🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreBishop-fish A legendary sea creature said to gesture like a cleric before vanishingBeing · Wonder and entertainment 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

🇫🇷 France and 3 moreDahu A French mountain legend about an asymmetrical goat used in practical jokesFigure · Wonder and entertainment 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 🇷🇺 RussiaIndrikИндрик-зверь A legendary Russian beast said to rule all animals from a sacred mountainBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreWater Horse A mythical shape-shifter from Celtic and Nordic lore, often linked to lake monsters.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇬🇧 United KingdomMoragMòrag A Scottish lake monster said to dwell in Loch MorarBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇬🇧 United KingdomBritish big cats Urban legends and reported sightings of large wild cats in the United KingdomBelief · Wonder and entertainment Fading

🇮🇪 IrelandMerrowmurúch A sea creature from Irish folklore, known for its magical cap and singing voice.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreThirteen Treasures of the Island of BritainTri Thlws ar Ddeg Ynys Prydain A collection of magical objects from late-medieval Welsh legendText · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇪🇸 SpainJentilJentilak Giants of Basque myth linked to ancient stone builders and pre-Christian timesBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇮🇪 IrelandFour Treasures of the Tuatha Dé DanannCeithre Bhua na Tuath Dé Danann Four magical items brought to Ireland by the mythological Tuatha Dé DanannFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇷🇴 RomaniaZână A Romanian woodland spirit linked to Diana that guides travelers and blesses children.Being · Protection · 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.

Eurythmy: Awslibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Guillotine (magic trick): Reginald Scott, Public domain, source
Biodynamic agriculture: Martist, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Pepper's ghost: The original uploader was Wapcaplet at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Badalisc: Luca Giarelli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Piedmontese tarot: Argonitros, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Tarocco Bolognese: Countakeshi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Salmon of Knowledge: Man vyi, Public domain, source
Bullet catch: Dave Fayram, CC BY 2.0, source
Irish folklore: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Loch Ness Monster: StaraBlazkova at Czech Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Easter Bunny: Dr. Bernd Gross, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Fionn mac Cumhaill: Ary Scheffer / Formerly attributed to Anne-Louis Girodet, Public domain, source
Bishop-fish: photo by Sean Linehan, NOS, NGS National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin, Public domain, source
British big cats: Midnightblueowl at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Merrow: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Jentil: Ketari ( http://ketari.nirudia.com/ ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann: spud murphy, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Water Horse: Theodor Kittelsen, Public domain, source
Phoenix: Bertuch-fabelwesen.JPG : Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch (1747–1822) d, Public domain, source
Hippogriff: LadyofHats, CC0, source
Sword swallowing: Jeff Kubina, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
John Nevil Maskelyne: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin: Carcharoth (Commons), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Mentalism: The U.S. Printing Co., Russell-Morgan Print, Cincinnati & New York., Public domain, source
Up Helly Aa: Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Isaac Fawkes: William Hogarth, Public domain, source
Phantasmagoria: Alphonse de Neuville or A. Jahandier, Public domain, source
Brocken spectre: Draceane, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
May Day: Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0, source
Wheel of the Year: Sunblade1500, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Straw bear: Photo: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
Norse mythology: Lorenz Frølich, Public domain, source
Cairn: Andrew Bossi, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Dahu: Philippe Semeria, CC BY 3.0, source
Hippocampus: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Fairy ring: User:Mrs skippy, Public domain, source
Edward Kelley: Thomas Pennant, Public domain, source
Egyptian Hall: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
Golden apple: Guido Reni, Public domain, source
Sawing a woman in half: Jasper Maskelyne, Public domain, source