Magic in Middle East
The evil-eye bead, the djinn, ruqyah and the talisman, Kabbalah and Jewish amulets, and the ancient Babylonian and Persian arts. 172 entries on EveryJaadu so far.
Places of magic
Rome 11Jerusalem 6Meron 5Thebes 3Uruk 3Constantinople 2Damascus 2Mecca 2Paphos 2Persepolis 2Tiberias 2Abu Shudhr 1Ahvaz 1Alaca H枚y眉k 1al-Qurnah 1Amuka 1Andaman Islands 1Arima 1Assur 1Babylon 1Bawit 1Behistun 1Beqaa Valley 1Bern 1Bethlehem 1Biblioth猫que nationale de France 1Brisone River 1Carnuntum 1Cerrillos Hills 1Cilicia 1
Rites of the region
Esfand, the wild rue smokeChaharshanbe Suri fire-jumpingThe nazar boncu臒u, the blue beadRuqyah recitationKapparotThe red thread and Rachel's tombWriting a Jewish amulet (kame'a)
Countries
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
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 3 moreAmulet
A portable object worn or carried to ward off harm and invite fortuneCharm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚬馃嚪 Turkey and 5 moreEvil eye
A curse caused by an envious look and the charms used to block itBelief 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelUrim and Thummim讛指讗讜旨专执讬诐 讜职讛址转只旨诪执旨讬诐
Sacred lots used by the ancient Israelite High Priest to reveal divine judgment.Charm 路 Cursing and harm 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 1 moreJannes and Jambres讬谞讬住 讜讬诪讘专讬住
Named Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses in biblical traditionFigure 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 2 moreLeviathan诇执讜职讬指转指谉 (Livya峁乶)
A primordial sea monster from ancient Near Eastern myth and biblical textBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 3 moreCleromancy
A divination method that uses random chance to reveal divine willOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 moreShimon bar Yochai砖诪注讜谉 讘专 讬讜讞讗讬
A second-century sage of the Land of Israel and a central figure in Kabbalistic tradition.Figure 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚫馃嚲 SyriaMetoposcopy
A divination method that reads personality and fate from forehead linesOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelWitch of Endor讗值芝砖侄讈转 讘址旨纸注植诇址转志讗止謻讜讘 讘职旨注值芝讬谉 讚止旨纸讜专
A biblical spirit-diviner summoned by King Saul to consult the prophet Samuel.Figure 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 5 moreTetragrammaton讬讛讜讛
The four-letter name of God in the Hebrew Bible, written as YHWH.Belief 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 2 moreMezuzah诪职讝讜旨讝指讛
A scroll of Torah verses placed in a case on Jewish doorpostsCharm 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 4 moreIsaac Luria讬执爪职讞指拽 讘谉 砖诇诪讛 讗砖讻谞讝讬 诇讜旨专职讬指讗
A sixteenth-century rabbi who founded modern Kabbalah through oral teachings in Safed.Text 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Change and initiation Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 2 moreBelial讘职旨诇执讬址旨注址诇
A Hebrew term for worthlessness that evolved into a demon of darkness in Jewish and Christian texts.Being 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚪 Iran and 5 moreMagi
Priests of Zoroastrianism and the figures who inspired the word for magicTradition 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelRed string讞讜讟 讛砖谞讬
A scarlet wool bracelet worn to ward off the evil eye and bring good luckCharm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 5 moreTefillin转职旨驻执诇执旨讬谉
Black leather boxes containing Torah scrolls, worn by Jewish men during weekday prayers.Charm 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 moreAzazel注讝讗讝诇
A desert place and fallen angel linked to the Yom Kippur scapegoat ritualFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Cleansing and purification Historical
馃嚨馃嚫 PalestineHekhalot literature住驻专讜转 讛讛讬讻诇讜转 讜讛诪专讻讘讛
Jewish visionary texts describing ascents to heavenly palaces and chariotsText 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Change and initiation Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 2 moreLag BaOmer诇址状讙 讘指旨注讜止诪侄专
A Jewish holiday marking the end of a mourning period with bonfires and outdoor playTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 2 moreSibylline Oracles
A mixed collection of ancient prophecies attributed to pagan prophetesses but shaped by Jewish and Christian writers.Text 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 5 moreSacred dance
Movement used in worship to honour deities, heal communities, or connect with the spirit world.Tradition 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 1 moreMagic and religion
A study of how ritual power and sacred belief overlap or separate across culturesBelief 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 2 moreUpsherin讗指驻旨砖注专谉 (opshern)
A first haircut ceremony for Jewish boys, marking the start of formal study.Rite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 3 moreGematria讙讬诪讟专讬讛
A numeric writing system that assigns numerical values to words and phrases for interpretation.Text 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚨馃嚫 Palestine and 1 moreRachel's TombQever Ra岣l; Qabr R膩岣ツ玪
A shared holy site near Bethlehem revered by Jews, Christians, and MuslimsTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 5 moreHamsa禺賲爻丞
A palm-shaped amulet used across North Africa and the Middle East for protection.Charm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚬馃嚪 TurkeyHamsa (sample)Khamsa
An open hand with an eye, hung on doors.Charm 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 5 moreBirkat haMinim讘专讻转 讛诪讬谞讬诐
A Jewish liturgical curse against apostates and Christians within the daily standing prayerRite 路 Cursing and harm 路 Binding and oaths Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 5 moreAmulet
A portable object worn or carried to ward off harm and invite protection.Charm 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelJewish astrology诪址讝指旨诇讜止转 (mazz膩l么t)
A belief system within Judaism that celestial bodies influence earthly affairs and human destiny.Belief 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelSegula住讙讜诇讛
A Jewish charm or ritual believed to bring protection, healing, or blessings.Charm 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 4 moreAngel诪诇讗讱
A supernatural messenger or intermediary spirit found in many religious traditions.Being 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 moreSolomon's shamir砖指讈诪执讬专
A legendary worm or stone used to carve stone without iron toolsBeing 路 Power and authority Legendary
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 2 moreRahab专址讛址讘
A Hebrew mythic sea monster and symbol of chaos, later used as a poetic name for Egypt.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Power and authority Legendary
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelAgrat bat Mahlat讗讙专转 讘转 诪讞诇转
A demon in Jewish tradition who rules over destructive spirits and night hours.Being 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 moreAna BeKoach讗谞讗 讘讻讞
A medieval Jewish liturgical poem linked to the 42-letter name of GodText 路 Power and authority 路 Protection Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 moreOrdeal of the bitter water诪值讬 讛址诪指旨专执讬诐 (mei ha-marim)
A biblical test for a wife accused of adultery when no witnesses are present.Rite 路 Cursing and harm 路 Protection Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 1 moreMahalath诪指讞植诇址转
A queen of demons in Jewish mysticism and the mother of AgratBeing 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 moreRighteous Priest
A messianic priestly figure in Jewish eschatology, identified with Shem and Melchizedek.Figure 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelShekhinah砖职讈讻执讬谞指讛
The divine presence of God dwelling among people in Jewish and Islamic thoughtBelief 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 moreYom Hillula讬讜诐 讛讬诇讜诇讗
A joyous death anniversary for a saint in Jewish traditionRite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 moreDream questionShe'elat Halom
A Jewish divination practice seeking prophetic answers through dreamsOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Healing Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelAdne Sadeh讗址讚职谞值讬 讛址砖指旨讉讚侄讛
A wild humanoid from Jewish folklore tethered to the earth by its navelBeing 路 Wonder and entertainment Legendary
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelQlippoth拽职诇执讬驻旨讜止转
Impure spiritual forces in Jewish mysticism, opposites of the holy sefirotBeing 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelMelchom
A demon of hell and former Ammonite idol described in the Dictionnaire InfernalBeing 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelEisheth Zenunim讗值砖侄讈转 讝职谞讜旨谞执讬诐
A demonic epithet for Lilith in Kabbalah and Western esotericismFigure 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 IsraelMessiah ben Joseph诪指砖执讈讬讞址 讘侄旨谉志讬讜止住值祝
A Jewish eschatological figure who wages war and dies before the final age of peaceFigure 路 Cursing and harm 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 1 morePardes驻专讚状住
A four-level method for interpreting Jewish scriptureText 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Ordeal of the bitter water: Charadron, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Jewish mysticism: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Magi: Colijn de Coter, CC0, source
- Tetragrammaton: Lakisletter.gif : derivative work: Filii Henoch ( talk ), Public domain, source
- Yom Hillula: Jonathan Stein, Public domain, source
- Amulet: Anonymous ( Egypt ) Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Isaac Luria: Louski1, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Red string: Mx. Granger, CC0, source
- Tefillin: Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, source
- Lag BaOmer: Yoninah, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Urim and Thummim: Rijksmuseum, CC0, source
- Metoposcopy: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Witch of Endor: Adam Elsheimer / John Kay, CC BY 4.0, source
- Jewish astrology: Talmoryair, Public domain, source
- Upsherin: Vered Peer, CC BY 4.0, source
- Angel: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Solomon's shamir: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eberhard_Werner_Happel, Public domain, source
- Melchom: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Pardes: Anonymous (photo by Adrian Pingstone), Public domain, source
- Azazel: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Sibylline Oracles: Domenichino, Public domain, source
- Mezuzah: Adrian Grycuk, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, source
- Jannes and Jambres: Gerard Hoet, Public domain, source
- Leviathan: Gustave Dor茅, Public domain, source
- Cleromancy: Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Public domain, source
- Shimon bar Yochai: 讗讬转讬 驻专抓, Attribution, source
- Sacred dance: Jorge Barrios, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ana BeKoach: Baruch Zvi Ring (c. 1872 - 1927) Details on Google Art Project, Public domain, source
- Gematria: Bethsheba Ashe, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Evil eye: FocalPoint, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Rachel's Tomb: Lane-Poole, Stanley, Public domain, source
- Hamsa: Kritzolina, CC BY-SA 4.0, source