THE EVIL EYE AND THE AMULET THAT PROTECTS US FROM IT
You see it everywhere, that amulet of a blue eye. You look at it and it stares right back at you. The impression is always stark, scary, but that is what it does. It is there to scare evil away, to protect you and has been believed in by people around the world for a very long time. Why?
SUPERSTITION
Humans need to feel in control of their environment in a world that cannot be controlled. To navigate our daily lives, we need to figure out a way to reduce this anxiety. We look for patterns, a way to predict the outcome of situations. People throughout the world, since ancient times, came to understand cause and effect. They anticipated when something would happen what the outcome would be, so they could protect themselves. Over time this became incorporated into their belief system.
We walk under a ladder; we expect bad luck. This is called superstition. We don’t have any logical reason to believe superstitions are real, yet we do. We create rituals like knocking on wood to avoid bad luck.
THE EYE AMULET
The evil eye is a curse passed onto its victim by a sinister gaze. Due to jealousy, spitefulness, or depravity, it was meant to harm. Its origins are unknown but have existed long before the creation of an evil eye amulet. The talisman was meant to shield a person from a harmful curse being cast upon them. Whether it was bad luck or physical harm, the person who cast the spell had only one goal, to bring misfortune to their victim.
ANCIENT ORIGINS – 3300 BC
The origin of the evil eye amulet can be found around 3300 BC in Mesopotamia and the Middle East. Ancient texts have been found providing chants to divert the evil stares from the intended victim. The first confirmation of what these eyes looked like has come from Tell Brak, one of the oldest cities in Mesopotamia (Modern Syria) where they were found during excavations. They were alabaster figures with big eyes. In Assyria, blue stones were found having holes to represent eyes, The Egyptians created the Eye of Horus to deflect evil and curses. Blue eyes were chosen since this eye color was unusual in these regions. When encountering people from other lands who had blue eyes, they were perceived to have the ability to inadvertently cause evil with a stare.
GREEK AND ROMAN CONCEPT OF THE EVIL EYE- 600-500 BC
The philosopher, Plutarch the Greek has left us a comprehensive work on the evil eye. He understood it as having a biological foundation not just a superstition. He reasoned that envy shoots out invisible rays which will cast a spell, particularly on the most susceptible and defenseless. In his opinion, children and animals were most at risk because they had undeveloped bodies, which the rays could pierce. Combining Democritus’ atomic theory with Aristotle’s pneuma theory, he conjectured that it sends out lethal projectiles of affliction which an amulet could deflect. Greeks hung eye ornaments or painted eye designs on walls in their homes to safeguard their families. The belief came to be absorbed into their culture and religion.
Heliodorus of Emesa summed up the idea of the evil eye in his work, Aethiopica by writing: “When anyone looks at what is excellent with an envious eye, he fills the surrounding atmosphere with a pernicious quality and transmits his own envenomed exhalations into whatever is nearest to him”.
Phiny the Elder wrote of African enchanters who had the power to kill with their gaze. In a poem by Virgil, two shepherds speak of “What eye is it that has fascinated my tender lambs?”.
The Romans protected themselves from the evil eye by carrying a phallus shaped fascinus, which comes from the Latin verb fascinare, meaning to cast a spell.
Spitting into the folds of clothes was another way for both the Greeks and Romans to protect themselves from the fascination.
There was a custom in ancient Greece of dressing boys up as girls to protect them from the evil eye.
THE MODERN NAZAR EVIL EYE AMULET – 1500 BC- PRESENT
Following breakthroughs in glassmaking in the Aegean Islands and Asia Minor, the legendary blue and white glass eye talisman known today were created. It came to be called the Nazar Evil Eye Amulet, after the Arabic word meaning surveillance. It was made from a compound of glass, copper, iron, salt and water. It was believed these combined elements would create a defend against evil and consume the harm. The distinctive charm is found in a teardrop or bullseye shape.
The concept of an evil eye found its way across the ancient world, becoming incorporated into Hindi, Jewish, Christian and Islamic customs and traditions. It is cited in both the Bible and the Quran. It has become a universal belief with the exception of Native American, Asia and Sub-Saharan African cultures. It is known by Ayin Ha’ra in Hebrew, Malocchio in Italian, Nazar Boncugu in Turkish, Mati in Greece, Al-Ayn in Arabic, Cheshm Nazar in Persian, Boser in German, Mal de Ojo in Spanish, Mauvais in French, Mau Olhado in Portuguese and Buri Nazar in Urdu.
THE EVIL EYE IN RELIGION
In Hinduism
In ancient Hinduism, which heralds back 4,000 years based upon the Vedas, there is no notion of evil. Modern Hinduism developed in the 19th century at a time of social reform and colonial rule. At that time, Hinduism incorporated a belief in the evil eye. It is called nazir, kudrishti or drishi which they characterize as jealousy, intense emotions or bad intentions. Rituals used to deflect negative energy include hanging a mirror opposite the front door and waving a handful of salt around the head of a person in circles then dropping the salt in water to dissolve their negative energy. Newborns are protected by placing a black kohl dot behind their ear. New houses or cars are safeguarded by flailing a coconut around them.
The evil eye amulet common in Hinduism is the Om Evil Eye. It unites the standard nazar amulet with the Om symbol. The Om signifies the sound and vibrations of the universe with cosmic energy. It connects the evil eye to inner peace and spiritual strength and harmony.
In Judaism
The Talmudic rabbinic scholar Rashi said that the ten sons of Jacob went to Egypt during a famine to purchase provisions. They each entered different gates discreetly, so they would not be gazed. The renown Rabbi Eliezer stated that an evil eye is worse than a bad friend, a bad neighbor or an evil heart.
Under Jewish law, a person cannot gaze into another’s field of maturing grain for concern that their stares would harm the crop. People were warned by Rabbis not to purchase a field adjacent to a city without first installing a fence. This is required to keep away pedestrians who might cast an evil eye as they walked by. Another way to avoid the evil eye was to spit three times. This custom the Romans described as “despuere malum” meaning to spit at evil.
In Islam
Islamic doctrine incorporates the belief in the evil eye. It is said in the Quran that Islamic prophet Muhammad stated, “The influence of an evil eye is a fact”. It is further stated in the Quran that the evil eye causes harm due to jealousy and envy but states it is a result of God’s will. The evil eye itself has no power. Those seeking refuge in him will be protected. Muhammad commanded that if a person realizes something in themselves that they hold in high esteem they must say, “Masha’Allah” (what Allah wills). This is important because the evil eye can happen to a person without them realizing it and only by seeking Allah’s protection can they be safe. Reciting certain prayers daily acts as a spiritual shield from the evil eye.
Amulets are strictly forbidden in Islam as only Allah can protect a person.
MOVING FROM SPIRITUAL PROTECTION TO POP STATUS
The amulet remained a near universal tool of protection for thousands of years. All the while it became deeply entwined within cultural and spiritual beliefs across the globe. As it moved into today’s world, the evil eye amulet has found its way into pop culture.
It can be found as a trendy fashion statement in jewelry, clothing and home decor. Within the self-care movement, you can now find it representing a sign of positive energy and mindfulness. Some now see it as an expression of spiritual wellness, and it is often intermingled with astrology. Others see it as an instrument to protect mental health and repel bad intentions. It became integrated into electronic communication when the Nazar was adopted as the official Apple emoji.
Some have contended that these trends have removed the symbol’s spiritual and culture’s historical significance and lasting deep meaning among many peoples. They see Apple’s adoption of the Nazir as turning something meaningful into a generic cultural theft.
