Evil Eye (Middle East)

The Evil Eye, known as 'Nazar' in Turkish and Arabic-speaking communities and 'Ayin Hara' in Hebrew, is one of the oldest and most pervasive protective beliefs in the world, with its roots running deepest in the Middle East. The concept holds that a glance of intense envy or admiration can curse the target with misfortune, illness, or bad luck, even when the gaze is unintentional. To counter this, people carry or display a blue glass eye-shaped bead that captures and neutralizes the harmful stare.

The vivid cobalt blue of the traditional evil eye bead is not arbitrary — blue was believed by ancient peoples of the Mediterranean and Middle East to be the color most associated with the sky, divinity, and protective power. Glass-bead production for evil eye amulets became highly sophisticated in the workshops of ancient Egypt and later flourished in Turkey, Lebanon, and across the Levant. The layered glass technique used to create the concentric circles of the eye is a craft passed down through generations of artisans.

Modern versions appear as decorative wall hangings, car accessories, baby clothing pins, jewelry, and keychains. In Israel, Lebanon, and Egypt, gifting someone a Nazar bead upon a new purchase, birth, or achievement is a common social practice, acknowledging the risk of jealousy while simultaneously offering protection.