Magic in North Africa
The hand of Fatima, Amazigh and Gnawa healing, Egyptian heka and Hermetic lore, and the Maghrebi books of magic. 33 entries on EveryJaadu so far.
Places of magic
Thebes 4Abydos 3Memphis 3Heliopolis 2Luxor 2Saqqara 2Siwa Oasis 2Amarna 1Behbeit el-Hagar 1British Museum 1Buto 1Byblos 1Cancho Roano 1Cynopolis 1Djoser's Step Pyramid complex 1Ephesus 1Esna 1Essaouira 1Ghirza 1Hathor temple 1Koptos 1Lake Tritonis 1Leiden University Library 1Leipzig University Library 1Louvre 1Nekhen 1Philae 1Rabat 1Tell Nebesha 1Casablanca
Rites of the region
The zar possession ceremonyThe Gnawa lilaHenna nightBkhour, the Moroccan fumigationHeka, Egyptian ritual powerThe Book of the DeadAmazigh protective tattoos
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
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreLilithלִילִית
A feminine figure from Mesopotamian and Jewish mythology, often depicted as a night demon or spirit.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇪🇬 EgyptCurse
A spoken wish for misfortune to befall a person or placeBelief · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇩🇿 Algeria and 1 moreAhmad al-Buniأحمد البوني المالكي
A medieval Sufi scholar known for works on letter mysticism and talismansText · Power and authority · Seeing and foretelling Historical
🇱🇾 Libya and 4 moreTraditional Berber religionAmazigh religion
Ancient beliefs of Northwest Africa centered on celestial bodies, caves, and ancestors.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptCurse of the pharaohs
A belief that disturbing ancient Egyptian tombs brings illness or death to the living.Belief · Cursing and harm Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptScarab
A carved beetle amulet and seal used in ancient Egypt for protection, identity, and ritual.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreHamsaخمسة
A palm-shaped amulet used across North Africa and the Middle East to ward off harm.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇲🇦 Morocco and 1 moreGnawa musicڭْناوة or كْناوة
Moroccan ritual music blending West African heritage with Islamic practice for healing and tranceTradition · Healing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreEbers Papyrus
An ancient Egyptian medical scroll detailing herbal remedies and bodily theories from around 1550 BCE.Text · Healing Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptAnubis𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣
The jackal-headed god who guides souls and oversees mummification in ancient Egypt.Being · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptAncient Egyptian afterlife beliefs
A system of rituals and texts guiding the soul through the underworld to eternal rebirthTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreDendera zodiac
A carved Egyptian sky map now held in a Paris museumText · Seeing and foretelling · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptPapyrus Graecus Holmiensis
A third-century Egyptian manuscript of craft and alchemical recipes written in GreekText · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreLeyden papyrus X
A third-century Greek manuscript of alchemical and metallurgical recipesText · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptPapyrus of Ani
A decorated Egyptian scroll for the afterlife, held in LondonText · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptImhotepỉỉ-m-ḥtp
An ancient Egyptian architect deified as a god of healing and wisdomBeing · Healing · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptKhaemwesetḫꜥ m wꜣst
A prince and priest remembered for restoring ancient Egyptian monuments.Figure Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptLucifer
A Latin name for the planet Venus that became an epithet for the Devil in Christian traditionFigure · Cursing and harm Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreBehemothבְּהֵמוֹת
A primeval land-monster from the Book of Job and later Jewish legendBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreFoundation deposit
Ritual burial of objects under buildings to protect them from ruinRite · Protection Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptOpening of the mouth ceremonywpt-r (Egyptian)
An ancient Egyptian rite to restore a deceased person's senses for the afterlifeRite · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreShen ring
An ancient Egyptian symbol of eternal protection, shaped like a rope looped around a stick.Charm · Protection Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptDjedḏd
An ancient Egyptian pillar symbol representing stability and resurrectionCharm · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreAnkh
Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph for life and the amulet that carries its meaningCharm · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptWadjetwꜢḏyt
The green cobra goddess who protected Lower Egypt and the pharaohs.Being · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptUshabtiwšbtj
Ancient Egyptian funerary figurines believed to work for the dead in the afterlifeCharm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptScrying
A divination practice of gazing into a medium to receive visions or guidance.Oracle · Seeing and foretelling · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreAncient Egyptian religion
Polytheistic worship, divine kingship, and funerary rites along the NileTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptHekaḥkꜣw
The ancient Egyptian deification of magic, medicine, and primordial creative powerBeing · Healing · Protection Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptSham Ennessimشم النسيم
An Egyptian spring holiday marked by picnics, colored eggs, and salted fishTradition · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreIsisꜣst (Egyptian)
Egyptian goddess of magic, mourning and kingship, mother of HorusBeing · Protection · Healing Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptTheurgyθεουργία
A Neoplatonic ritual path to unite the soul with the divine through sacred actsTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptDjedi
A fictional magician from the Westcar Papyrus who resurrects animals and foretells a king's lineage.Figure · Seeing and foretelling · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Isis: Ägyptischer Maler um 1360 v. Chr., Public domain, source
- Ahmad al-Buni: Khalili Collections, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo, source
- Traditional Berber religion: Potymkin, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lilith: Photographs by Ardon Bar Hama, author of original document is unknown., Public domain, source
- Curse of the pharaohs: Jerzy Strzelecki, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Scarab: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Curse: Katsushika Hokusai, Public domain, source
- Hamsa: Kritzolina, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Gnawa music: Lucyin, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ebers Papyrus: PEbers_c41.jpg : Einsamer Schütze derivative work: Photohound ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Anubis: Hunefer, Public domain, source
- Ancient Egyptian afterlife beliefs: Hunefer, Public domain, source
- Dendera zodiac: Shonagon, CC0, source
- Papyrus of Ani: Photographed by the British Museum; original artist unknown, Public domain, source
- Imhotep: Rama, CC BY-SA 3.0 fr, source
- Khaemweset: No machine-readable author provided. Neithsabes assumed (based on copy, Public domain, source
- Lucifer: Gustave Doré, Public domain, source
- Behemoth: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
- Foundation deposit: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Opening of the mouth ceremony: Hunefer, Public domain, source
- Shen ring: Rama, CC BY-SA 3.0 fr, source
- Djed: Anonymous ( Egypt ) Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Ankh: Soutekh67, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Wadjet: Rama, CC BY-SA 3.0 fr, source
- Ushabti: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Scrying: John William Waterhouse, Public domain, source
- Ancient Egyptian religion: Moh hakem, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Sham Ennessim: Ikonact, CC BY-SA 3.0, source