The strange power of the evil eye:  

Have you ever wished that you could kill with a single glance, like Darth Vader or Voldemort? And has anyone ever looked at you in that way? In modern English, we have expressions such as “if looks could kill” and “looking daggers at someone” – but the idea of dangerous eyes was much more real in the ancient world, and it is still taken seriously in Turkey today. This is the story of the Evil Eye, known in Turkish as Nazar, whose history stretches back to ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome through to the Bible, Medieval Europe, and the modern day.

The word Nazar derives from Arabic, meaning literally “look” or “glance.” Of course, no culture believes that all eye contact is evil. The harmful power comes from emotions such as envy or greed, meaning that its victims are people who own something precious: a child, a happy relationship, wealth, fame, or healthy crops and animals. The Evil Eye fixes on these fortunate things and – exactly how is not explained – causes them to fall into illness, failure, and conflict.

When faced with this magical power, it is natural that people found a magical solution. Any visitor to Turkey will have seen the blue eye symbol on plates, pottery, jewelry, and glass. Although foreigners often call this symbol “the Evil Eye,” these are in fact made to protect you from the Evil Eye. This works on the principle of similia similibus or “like influences like” – many cultures believe that a symbol in the same shape as an evil force can deflect the evil away, much like the best antidotes to snake poison are often made from the poison itself.

Some historians have linked the blue Nazar with the sky god Tengri, which the Turks used to worship before they converted to Islam. But the Evil Eye has such a long and broad history that it is hard to tie it to one religion. There are references to the Evil Eye in Sumerian cuneiform texts from 3,000 BC, from where it became the Hebrew ‘ayin harah, the Greek baskania, and the Roman fascinatio. The Old and New Testaments reference the Evil Eye many times – Paul asks in a letter to a Celtic tribe in Anatolia, “Oh you uncomprehending Galatians, who has injured you with an Evil Eye?”

At the beginning of the modern era, thinkers such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Martin Luther, and Thomas Aquinas wrote about the Evil Eye in religious and scientific terms.

So it seems that millions of people around the world still believe in a magical power that is at least 5,000 years old. Of course, there is no proof that the Evil Eye actually exists. Perhaps the Evil Eye is a way of teaching us not to be jealous of our neighbor’s success, but instead to search for satisfaction through our own efforts. 

You may book one of our Private Istanbul Tours to explore Istanbul on her offers. For more information regarding private tours in Istanbul please contact us:

http://www.privateistanbulwalkingtours.com

http://www.privateistanbulwalkingtours.com

#privateistanbulwalkingtours #ontripadvisor #turkeyistanbultours #accesssibleistanbultours #tripadvisoristanbultours
private tours in Istanbul, accessible tours in Istanbul, private Istanbul tours, Istanbul tours, private Istanbul walking tours, food tours in Istanbul, private Istanbul guided tours, Walking tours in Istanbul, TripAdvisor Istanbul tours, Istanbul Guided Private Tours, guided Istanbul tours, Istanbul private walking tours. #Istanbul walks #istanbul #hagiasophia #topkapipalace #bluemosque #offthebeatentrackistanbul #istanbul #visitistanbul #local #visitturkey #istanbultours
#visitistanbul #privateistanbulwalkingtours #istanbullayovertours #privateistanbultours #istanbultripadvisor #tripadvisoristanbultours #furkangokcel #luxurytoursofistanbul #luxurytoursinistanbul #luxuryistanbultours #local #istanbulwalks #walkingtoursofistanbul #privateistanbulwalks #accessibleistanbultours #tripadvisoristanbultours #viatoristanbultours #tripadvisoristanbultours #bbctravel #lonelyplanet #lonelyplanetistanbul #blueeyes #evileyes #superstition #turksihblueeyes #bbctravel #lonelyplanetistanbul #lonleyplanet