Sorcerers and healers who practice black magic use a variety of raw materials to make their traditional medicines. Dessicated chameleons, snake skins and dried birds are popular ingredients as are crocodile and monkey skulls. In Lome, the capital of the west African nation of Togo, the Lome Fetish Market has one-stop shopping for just about everything a witch doctor might need.
“This place is like a pharmacy for everybody in the world. When someone has a serious sickness and the hospital cannot help, they come here to the fetish market,” said Joseph, a local healer in a BBC News report.
Also a popular tourist attraction, visitors are welcome to look. Taking photos or a guided tour is OK too, for a small fee.
Check this photo gallery brought to us by “Jess”, featuring her tour of the Lome Fetish Market and showing some of the images captured along the way via reddit, where an interesting discussion about such matters is going on.
%Gallery-177226%Those who practice black magic believe that using the ingredients we see here will cure a variety of ailments or be used to cast curses and spells (or get rid of them).
Want to know more about black magic and the Lome Fetish Market, check this short video:
[Photo Credit- Jess via Reddit]