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Evil Eye: A stylish way to ward off malevolence
Although the name sounds malicious, the Turkish talisman of the Evil Eye is believed to give people protection.
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Must-have: The Turkish amulet is often given to newborns to protect them from negativity. (Shutterstock/agean)
When you visit Turkey, it is almost certain that you will see a blue bead with an eye in the center called the Evil Eye.
More than just a souvenir, the Evil Eye is believed to have supernatural powers that ward off negative forces.
So significant is the amulet to Turkish culture that people incorporate the Evil Eye in many parts of their lives, from carving Evil Eyes into cement floors, giving a talisman to a newborn or simply using it as jewelry or home décor.
Although it is famously known as a Turkish ornament, the evil eye was first created and used as a talisman in Syria in 3500 BC.
“The first few ones created were abstract amulets from Tell Brak, Syria, as idols with incised forms carved on alabaster pieces,” said Nese Yildiran, an art historian at Istanbul’s Bahçeşehir University.
“Egyptians had used blue-glazed mud contained with oxides, copper and cobalt in making Eye amulets. That is how the blue-shaded amulets and beads circulated throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.”
