Introduction

Abstract

Members of ISFNR Charms, Charming and Charmers working group has studied data from different eras and regions including texts, material objects such as amulets, religious norms and practices, and incantations. Different periods and regions have their own specific variations, intertextual transmissions, poetic and linguistic realisations, text types and motifs. The diversity of charm research is highlighted through published monographs, dissertations and articles. At the same time, databases have been developed in several countries, the creation of which stems from personal initiatives and the research needs of scholars with digital collections and databases
being opened in Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Russia (Vepsian material), Belarus, and Estonia. Several novel techniques to assist in content analysis were used alongside quantitative research.