Evil eye (nazar): superstition explained

The belief

The evil eye is the belief that a look of envy or praise can cause harm to a person, a child, an animal or a business. It is found from the Mediterranean to the Middle East, South Asia and Latin America, with many protective charms: the blue eye bead (nazar boncuk) in Turkey, the mati in Greece, the hamsa hand in the Middle East and North Africa, and in India the black dot (kajal tika) on a child, and lemons and chillies hung at shops and homes.

Where it comes from

The belief is thousands of years old and is mentioned in ancient Mesopotamia and Greece. Anthropologists link it with envy in small communities: people feared that being noticed brought trouble. The charms and sayings, such as "mashallah" or "touch wood", are a way to praise without causing harm.

What is really going on

It is a cultural custom, and many people use the charms for decoration and as a gesture of care. A kajal mark on a baby is not recommended by doctors if the kajal is not clean, since eye infections are a risk.

See also

• Horseshoe A horseshoe hung above the door, points up, is lucky in many Western countries,
• Four-leaf clover The rare four-leaf clover is considered lucky, in particular in Ireland, where c
• Knocking on wood People tap wood after saying something hopeful to avoid tempting fate; a belief
• Crossing fingers A gesture for luck in many countries, thought to come from the early Christian s
• Shooting star In many countries, a shooting star is an occasion to make a wish and keep it a s
• Wishbone Two people pull on the wishbone of a chicken or turkey; the one with the larger

Questions people ask

This page reports popular beliefs for interest. Superstitions do not predict or cause anything, and nothing here is advice.