Results for "bear"
35 entries found.
- Bear Butte Place
🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreStraw bearStrohbär
A carnival figure wrapped in straw that visits homes for gifts and marks the turning of seasons.Tradition · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreBugbear
A medieval English creature used to frighten children into obedienceFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇸 Iceland and 2 moreFur-bearing troutLoðsilungur
A legendary fish with a coat of fur, found in North American and Icelandic tall tales.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesLava bear
A small bear from Oregon's lava beds once thought to be a unique speciesFigure Historical
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreKing ArthurBrenin Arthur
A legendary British king and folk hero of medieval literature and Welsh mythologyFigure · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreLeprechaunlucharachán / leipreachán / luchorpán
A solitary Irish fairy known for mischief and shoe-makingBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomBoggart
A malevolent household spirit from northern English folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇮🇪 IrelandBodach
A Gaelic trickster figure used to frighten children and warn of deathFigure · Cursing and harm · Seeing and foretelling Historical
🇬🇷 Greece and 2 moreCurse tabletκατάδεσμος
A lead sheet inscribed with a binding curse in the Greco-Roman worldCharm · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Historical
🇰🇭 Cambodia and 3 moreSak Yantសាក់យ័ន្ត
A Southeast Asian tattoo tradition using sacred geometry for protection and powerTradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreCaul
A birth membrane kept as a talisman for luck and protection from drowningCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaKapalikaकापालिक
A medieval Indian Shaivite ascetic order known for wearing skulls and transgressive ritualsTradition · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇹 Ethiopia and 4 moreBudaቡዳ
An Ethiopian and Eritrean belief in the evil eye and hyena transformationBelief · Cursing and harm · Protection Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBarongᬩᬭᭀᬂ
A lion-like spirit king of Balinese mythology who battles the witch-queen Rangda in ritual dance.Being · Protection · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreAinu religion
The animist spiritual beliefs and ritual practices of the Ainu people of Japan and RussiaTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇸🇪 Sweden and 2 moreGermanic seeressvǫlva
Diviners and sorceresses of early Germanic and Norse societyTradition · Seeing and foretelling · Power and authority Revived
🇹🇷 Turkey and 1 moreTalismanic shirttılsımlı gömlek
A worn textile inscribed with sacred verses and symbols for protection in the Muslim worldCharm · Protection Historical
🇪🇸 SpainDetente bala
A cloth charm worn by Spanish soldiers to stop bullets in the name of JesusCharm · Protection Living
🇸🇪 SwedenKvinneby amulet
An 11th-century Swedish copper plate with a long runic inscription seeking protectionCharm · Protection Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomWirry-cow
A Scottish folk figure representing a frightening object or spiritBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreZhengde Tongbao正德通寶
A fantasy cash coin used as a Chinese and Vietnamese amulet for luck and protection.Charm · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreBuddhist coin charm佛教品壓勝錢
Amulets shaped like coins that bear Buddhist symbols and prayers for protection.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreConfucian coin charms
Amulets bearing Confucian moral teachings and historical storiesCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇫🇷 France and 4 moreJean de l'Ours
A half-bear folk hero who rescues princesses from an underworld giant.Figure · Power and authority Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreWorld Turtle
A mythic giant turtle said to support the earth or contain the world in various cultures.Being · Power and authority 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
🇩🇪 Germany and 4 moreNight ravennattravn
A nocturnal creature of European folklore, feared as a child-stealer or seen as a ghost in bird form.Being · Cursing and harm Historical
🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreMinoan Genius
A composite creature from Bronze Age Crete, often shown as a libation bearer or sacrificial attendant.Being · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBarongᬩᬭᭀᬂ
A lion-like spirit king of Bali who battles the witch queen Rangda in dance and mythBeing · Protection Living
🇨🇱 ChileCamahueto
A one-horned river bull from Chilote folklore that drags people to the seaBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇷🇸 SerbiaBaukБаук
A bear-like creature from Serbian folklore that lurks in the dark.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇳🇴 Norway and 1 moreBödvar BjarkiBöðvarr Bjarki
A Norse hero who fights as a bear and appears in legends of King Hrolf KrakiFigure · Power and authority Legendary
🇸🇪 SwedenStentoften Runestone
A seventh-century Swedish stone inscribed with a curse and harvest blessings in Proto-NorseText · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇸🇪 SwedenGlemminge stone
A Viking Age runestone in Sweden bearing a Younger Futhark inscription and a curse.Text · Cursing and harm Historical
🇸🇪 SwedenSaleby Runestone
A Swedish memorial stone raised by a husband for his wife, featuring an ancient curse.Text · Protection Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Shield of Achilles: Angelo Monticelli (1778-1837), Public domain, source
- Kaula: Joshua Jonathan, CC0, source
- King Arthur: William Morris, Public domain, source
- Amniomancy: JC Brand, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Sak Yant: Mikhailovich, CC BY 3.0, source
- Kvinneby amulet: Ulrik Skans SHMM, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Talismanic shirt: Ibrahim Husain Meraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Leprechaun: Unknown author, FAL, source
- Boggart: Katolophyromai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Straw bear: Photo: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
- Barong: Michael Gunther, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ainu religion: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Germanic seeress: Emil Doepler, Public domain, source
- Buda: Aberdeen Bestiary, Public domain, source
- Curse tablet: Unknown artist, Public domain, source
- Buddhist coin charm: Scott Semans, CC BY 3.0, source
- Confucian coin charms: Jean-Michel Moullec, CC BY 2.0, source
- World Turtle: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Jean de l'Ours: Édouard François Zier (1856–1924), illustrator, Public domain, source
- Fur-bearing trout: Samantha Marx, CC BY 2.0, source
- Night raven: Kim Diaz Holm (den unge herr Holm), CC BY 4.0, source
- Lava bear: Guy M. Ingram, Public domain, source
- Barong: Skha, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Minoan Genius: Zde, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Camahueto: Rjcastillo, CC BY 4.0, source
- Bödvar Bjarki: Louis Moe, Public domain, source
- Stentoften Runestone: Sendelbach ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Glemminge stone: Jorchr, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Saleby Runestone: Berig, CC BY-SA 3.0, source