apotropaic magic
Warding off harm
Apotropaic magic is ritual practice intended to ward off evil or bad luck.
The term appears in anthropology and religious studies to describe protective charms, gestures, or ceremonies—from garlic against vampires to the evil eye amulet.
The horseshoe above the door was apotropaic magic.
The adjective apotropaic works alone: an apotropaic gesture.
- folk magicTraditional supernatural practices
- amuletWorn protective token
- talismanMagical protective charm
- horseshoeCurved metal hoof protector
- hamsaPalm-shaped protective amulet
knocking on wood · superstition · warding · rowan · pentagram · garlic · crucifix · threshold · dreamcatcher · gorgon · iron · crossroads · banishing · witchcraft · binding · rune · shamanism · animism
- evil eyeevil eye, evil eye bead, evil eye charm, hamsa, hamsa hand
- ancient amuletsscarab, ankh, Eye of Horus, scarabs, winged scarab
apotropaic magiccurse
Invoked harm through words
hex · black magic · jinx · malediction · dark magic
apotropaic magicnecromancy
Communicating with the deceased
demon summoning · cursing · hexing · sending · crossing