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. 830 entries on EveryJaadu so far.
Places of magic
London 18Paris 18Delphi 13Athens 12Cairo 5Dodona 5Edinburgh 4Kraków 4Olympia 4Praeneste 4Prague 4Amsterdam 3Bamberg 3Capitoline Hill 3Cumae 3Dartmoor 3Egyptian Hall 3Eleusis 3Logroño 3Lyon 3Milan 3New York 3Quebec 3Santiago de Compostela 3Trier 3Val Camonica 3Veii 3Vilnius 3Würzburg 3York 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
🇦🇱 Albania 30🇦🇩 Andorra 1🇦🇹 Austria 34🇧🇾 Belarus 21🇧🇪 Belgium 11🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4🇧🇬 Bulgaria 37🇭🇷 Croatia 16🇨🇿 Czech Republic 14🇪🇪 Estonia 28🇫🇮 Finland 38🇫🇷 France 157🇩🇪 Germany 137🇬🇷 Greece 135🇭🇺 Hungary 13🇮🇸 Iceland 47🇮🇪 Ireland 105🇮🇹 Italy 138🇽🇰 Kosovo 5🇱🇻 Latvia 10🇱🇹 Lithuania 20🇱🇺 Luxembourg 2🇲🇹 Malta 2🇲🇩 Moldova 4🇲🇪 Montenegro 4🇳🇱 Netherlands 32🇲🇰 North Macedonia 6🇳🇴 Norway 44🇵🇱 Poland 45🇵🇹 Portugal 17🇷🇴 Romania 42🇷🇺 Russia 117🇷🇸 Serbia 37🇸🇰 Slovakia 4🇸🇮 Slovenia 7🇪🇸 Spain 75🇸🇪 Sweden 85🇨🇭 Switzerland 30🇺🇦 Ukraine 25🇬🇧 United Kingdom 231🇻🇦 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
🇪🇸 SpainBasajaun
A hairy forest lord of Basque myth who protects livestock and teaches human skillsBeing · Protection · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAllocer
A duke of demons in grimoires who teaches sciences and commands legionsBeing · Power and authority Historical
🇱🇹 Lithuania and 2 moreLaumaLaumė
A Baltic fairy-like spirit of the sky, weather, and newborn children.Being · Protection · Healing Historical
🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 moreFairy Queen
A female ruler of fairies found in folklore, literature, and witchcraft trials across Europe.Figure · Power and authority Historical
🇷🇺 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
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreZmeu
A humanoid dragon from Romanian folklore that kidnaps maidens and steals treasures.Being · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Legendary
🇵🇱 Poland and 3 moreStrzyga
A female demon in Polish folklore, linked to owls and vampiric traitsBeing · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇪🇸 SpainCatalina Lercaro
A ghost story from Tenerife about a woman who took her own life on her wedding dayBeing Living
🇷🇺 Russia and 4 moreFiery serpentsогненный змей
A pan-Slavic spirit of fire and wind, seen as a demon or a household helperBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇦🇱 Albania and 3 moreKulshedra
A multi-headed serpent demon in Albanian folklore that controls storms and droughts.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇫🇷 France and 4 moreJean de l'Ours
A half-bear folk hero who rescues princesses from an underworld giant.Figure · Power and authority Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 1 moreBabayБабай
A night spirit in Slavic folklore used to frighten children into sleepingFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 4 moreIriyВырай
A mythical Slavic realm where souls and birds gather for the winterBelief · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreOwlmanKowanden
A winged humanoid creature from Cornish folklore, linked to a 1976 sighting event.Figure Legendary
🇬🇷 GreeceShield of Achilles
A mythical shield forged by Hephaestus, decorated with a complete picture of the world and human life.Figure · Power and authority Legendary
🇫🇷 FranceTarvos Trigaranus
A Gaulish bull deity depicted with three cranes on a Roman-era Parisian pillarBeing Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreJenny Greenteeth
A river-hag from English folklore used to warn children away from dangerous watersFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇷 GreeceGelloΓελλώ
A Greek demon of infancy and a class of beings blamed for infant death.Being · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomMoragMòrag
A Scottish lake monster said to dwell in Loch MorarBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreRinging Cedars' Anastasianismдвижение «Анастасия»
A Russian new religious movement based on books about a Siberian mystic and nature worshipTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreCacodemonκακοδαίμων (kakodaimōn)
An ancient Greek evil spirit, depicted as a horned youth and used in literature and games.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomAm Fear Liath Mòr
A mountain spirit said to haunt the misty peaks of the Scottish CairngormsBeing Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreAetherius Society
A new religious movement blending theosophy, UFO claims, and spiritual healing to aid humanity.Tradition · Protection · Healing Living
🇮🇪 IrelandMerrowmurúch
A sea creature from Irish folklore, known for its magical cap and singing voice.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇵🇱 PolandBoginka
Female spirits of wild nature in Polish pagan mythologyBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomBritish big cats
Urban legends and reported sightings of large wild cats in the United KingdomBelief · Wonder and entertainment Fading
🇪🇪 EstoniaVanapaganVanatühi
A giant farmer and underworld figure from Estonian folklore who is often outwitted.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreElwetritschElwedritsch
A chicken-like creature from German folklore that tames the fear of sleep paralysisBeing · Protection Living
🇫🇷 FranceDictionnaire Infernal
A French demonology book cataloguing spirits and their hierarchies with engravings.Text · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇸 SpainJentilJentilak
Giants of Basque myth linked to ancient stone builders and pre-Christian timesBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇷🇺 RussiaShishigaшишига
A female swamp spirit of Russian and Komi folklore that brings misfortune and death.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 7 moreOgnyena MariaОгнена Марија
A Slavic fire goddess linked to lightning, rain, and seasonal fire bansFigure · Protection · Healing Living
🇫🇷 France and 3 moreLes LavandièresKannerez-Noz
Supernatural washerwomen who wash shrouds or bloodstained clothes for those about to die.Being · Seeing and foretelling 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
🇬🇧 United KingdomBoobrie
A shapeshifting loch monster from Scottish folklore that preys on livestock and horses.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreWestern Sufism
Adaptations of Islamic mysticism in Europe and North AmericaTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living
🇩🇪 GermanyBahkauv
A deformed calf-like monster from Aachen folklore that harasses drunk menBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇪 IrelandFar darrigFear Dearg
A solitary Irish faerie known for cruel jokes and the ability to shift sizeBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇪🇸 SpainHerensuge
A mythical seven-headed dragon or serpent from Basque legendBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇺 RussiaTriple-headed eagle
A heraldic and mythological bird with three heads, appearing in Russian symbolism and European manuscripts.Being · Power and authority Historical
🇬🇷 GreeceCancer (mythology)Καρκίνος
A giant crab from Greek myth that became a zodiac constellationBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreSaint Michael
A Christian archangel who defends the faithful and weighs soulsBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Living
🇷🇸 SerbiaCikavacцикавац
A winged creature from Serbian folklore that fetches honey and milk for its ownerBeing · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary
🇵🇱 PolandTopielec
A Slavic water spirit of the drowned dead that pulls victims into lakes.Being · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇪 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
🇦🇲 Armenia and 2 moreAzhdahakԱժդահակ
A dragon-like demon of Armenian and Iranian myth, imprisoned in a mountain until the end of time.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreCola Pesce
An Italian merman legend about a boy cursed by his mother to live in the seaFigure · Cursing and harm · Seeing and foretelling Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Boobrie: Ole Worm - Olaus Wormius, Public domain, source
- Shield of Achilles: Angelo Monticelli (1778-1837), Public domain, source
- Ognyena Maria: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Fairy: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Allocer: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Basajaun: Airiartmed2, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Strzyga: Filip Gutowski, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kulshedra: Bidgee, CC BY 3.0, source
- Babay: Kyoukaa, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Jean de l'Ours: Édouard François Zier (1856–1924), illustrator, Public domain, source
- Cacodemon: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Gello: Filippino Lippi, Public domain, source
- Jenny Greenteeth: Jayan.thanal, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tarvos Trigaranus: Als33120, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dictionnaire Infernal: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Elwetritsch: AnRo0002, CC0, source
- Vanapagan: Kristjan Raud, Public domain, source
- British big cats: Midnightblueowl at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Boginka: Walery Eljasz Radzikowski, Public domain, source
- Merrow: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Aetherius Society: Hjamesberglen, CC0, source
- Cancer (mythology): Diosphos Painter, Public domain, source
- Herensuge: Francisco Tomas Burgui, Public domain, source
- Jentil: Ketari ( http://ketari.nirudia.com/ ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bahkauv: Sascha Faber, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann: spud murphy, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Water Horse: Theodor Kittelsen, Public domain, source
- Owlman: Krzysztof Wisniewski, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ringing Cedars' Anastasianism: Лобачев Владимир, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lauma: Raki_Man, CC BY 3.0, source
- Saint Michael: Francesco Botticini, Public domain, source
- Am Fear Liath Mòr: Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Les Lavandières: Jean-Édouard Dargent, Public domain, source
- Catalina Lercaro: tivity.es, CC BY 3.0, source
- Triple-headed eagle: Неизвестный автор. (фото обложки сборника: Александр Храмов), Public domain, source