Ghosts, demons, spirits, and monsters have been haunting humanity for at least 3,500 years. The so-called “Ghost Tablet” (c. 1500 BCE), from ancient Babylon, depicts a woman leading a ghost to the underworld and amulets from earlier periods strongly suggest a belief in their efficacy in protecting one from evil spirits, ghosts, and other dark entities.
Not all spirits were malevolent. Sometimes, as in China and among the Native peoples of North America – to cite only two – spirits could be helpful if acknowledged respectfully. For the most part, however – even in these cultures – no one thought encountering a supernatural entity was anything to rejoice over. In the region of modern-day India, ghosts were known as Bhoots, appearing to the living in human form but with backward feet, and the direction of the feet was a sign that something had gone wrong in the soul’s transition from this world to the next.
Demons and monsters, the world over, have also been a part of the collective human experience as they were thought to either punish the wicked or prey on the innocent and, one or the other, needed to be recognized, and steps needed to be taken for the protection of oneself and one’s family. Amulets, statuary, and figures of dogs – thought to be especially useful in scaring away supernatural entities of all types – have been found in tombs and ancient ruins worldwide, dating back thousands of years.
The purpose these supernatural beings served varied from culture to culture, but it is clear they were recognized as simply another aspect of daily life. The first tales told in ancient China were ghost stories, and this is also true of other civilizations. The following gallery presents images of some of the best-known and lesser-known entities that have haunted the world through the ages, as well as some of the deities associated with them.
