Lucky Charms of Iraq

Iraq is the cradle of civilization where the world's first recorded lucky-charm traditions originated in ancient Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria. The Assyrian evil eye tradition is among the oldest on earth — cylinder seals engraved with protective eyes date back four thousand years. Modern Iraqi culture, both Arab and Kurdish, centers on protection against the evil eye (ayn al-hasad) through blue beads, Quranic amulets, and the hand of Fatima.

The date palm — the tree of life of ancient Mesopotamia and the most prolific food tree of the Iraqi landscape — carries ancient associations with prosperity and divine favor that persist in folklore. The crescent moon is central to Shia Islamic identity here, and the hand of Abbas (a variant of the hamsa) carries specific Shia devotional meaning.