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. 33 entries on EveryJaadu so far.

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

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreAstrology A divinatory practice that reads human fate through the positions of celestial bodies.Belief · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living

🇪🇬 Egypt and 3 moreAmulet A portable object worn or carried to ward off harm and invite fortuneCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreTurquoise An opaque blue-green gemstone prized for its color since ancient timesSubstance · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇱 IsraelRed stringחוט השני A scarlet wool bracelet worn to ward off the evil eye and bring good luckCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇷 Iran and 4 moreChaharshanbe Suriچهارشنبه‌سوری An Iranian fire festival marking the transition from winter to springTradition · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇮🇷 Iran and 7 moreNowruzنوروز A spring equinox festival marking the new year across Persianate culturesTradition · Luck and prosperity · Cleansing and purification Living 🇹🇷 TurkeyHamsa (sample)Khamsa An open hand with an eye, hung on doors.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Amulet: Anonymous ( Egypt ) Unknown author, Public domain, source
Astrology: Wilfredor, CC0, source
Turquoise: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Chaharshanbe Suri: Philippe Giabbanelli, CC BY 3.0, source
Nowruz: Katzenfee50, CC0, source
Red string: Mx. Granger, CC0, source

Magic in Middle East

Places of magic

Rites of the region

Countries

Photo credits on this page

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