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. 857 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

🇷🇺 RussiaVolkhovnikВолховник A lost Old Russian divination book of omens and signsText · Seeing and foretelling · Healing Historical 🇬🇧 United KingdomThe Cheltenham Ghost A late nineteenth century English haunting investigated by the Society for Psychical ResearchBelief Historical

🇮🇹 ItalyTredesin de Mars A Milanese spring celebration marked by a flower fair and a legendary stoneTradition · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Historical 🇪🇸 SpainGeomantic figures Sixteen four-line symbols used in geomancy to interpret questions through elemental and astrological correspondences.Oracle · Seeing and foretelling Historical

🇪🇸 SpainHuman sacrifice in the ancient Iberian Peninsula Ancient ritual killings by Lusitanian and Vetton peoples for divination and warRite · Seeing and foretelling · Cursing and harm Historical 🇬🇷 GreeceTrophoniusΤροφώνιος A Greek hero turned subterranean oracle god at LebadeaFigure · Seeing and foretelling · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical

🇬🇷 GreeceAmulet MS 5236 A stamped gold amulet from ancient Greece invoking ApolloCharm · Protection · Cursing and harm Historical

🇪🇸 SpainLamialamiak River and sea spirits of Basque folklore, known for their beauty and magical labour.Being · Power and authority Historical 🇸🇪 SwedenÁlfablót A late autumn homestead ritual to elves and ancestors in pagan ScandinaviaRite · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Healing Historical

🇫🇷 FranceHoules fairyGwenn fadoù Immortal coastal fairies of Brittany who live in sea caves and aid humansBeing · Protection · Healing Historical

🇩🇪 GermanyBieresel A German house spirit taking the shape of a donkey, linked to beer cellars and taverns.Being · Power and authority Historical 🇬🇧 United KingdomDunnie A border spirit that mimics horses and sings of lost treasureBeing · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇬🇧 United KingdomTeinddeachamh A Scottish tithe for clergy and a fairy tribute to the devilTradition · Power and authority Historical 🇬🇧 United KingdomBauchan A Scottish domestic spirit known for its contradictory helpfulness and mischief.Being · Cursing and harm · 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.

Tredesin de Mars: A ntv, Public domain, source
Human sacrifice in the ancient Iberian Peninsula: Manuel Parada López de Corselas User:Manuel de Corselas ARS SUMMUM, Ce, Public domain, source
Amulet MS 5236: Martin Schøyen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Lamia: Josu Goñi Etxabe, Public domain, source
Houles fairy: Minseong Kim, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bieresel: Neulich im Roxy Kino, CC BY 3.0, source
Teind: Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Magic in Europe

Places of magic

Rites of the region

Countries

Photo credits on this page

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