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Evil Eye

The evil eye is a widespread folk belief positing that an envious, malevolent, or admiring glance from one person can cause physical, emotional, or material harm to another, often through supernatural means attributed to jealousy.^[1] This superstition, known by various names such as ayin ha-ra in Hebrew, baskania in Greek, and nazar in Turkish, is thought to affect vulnerable targets like children, animals, crops, or prosperous individuals, manifesting as illness, misfortune, or lethargy. It can be cast intentionally by those with perceived power or unintentionally during compliments, reflecting a cultural fear of intangible forces like envy.^[2] Originating in ancient civilizations, the evil eye concept appears in Mesopotamian texts dating back thousands of years and gained prominence in classical Greek literature, where philosophers like Plutarch described the eye as emitting harmful particles due to jealousy. It spread through cross-cultural exchanges to ancient Roman traditions, the Quran, and later Jewish texts, influencing Jewish, Christian, and Islamic practices.^[3] The belief persists globally as of the early 2010s, with surveys indicating adherence rates of about 16% among Americans, over 42% in sub-Saharan Africa, and up to 90% in parts of North Africa and the Middle East, particularly in agricultural and pastoral societies with high social inequality.^[1] In contemporary anthropology, it is viewed as a mechanism for social leveling in unequal societies. Protection against the evil eye typically involves amulets like blue glass beads (the nazar boncuğu in Turkish culture), hand-shaped talismans (hamsa), or natural items such as garlic and red peppers, alongside rituals like spitting three times or reciting prayers.^[3] In medical contexts, symptoms attributed to the evil eye—such as unexplained fatigue or digestive issues—may overlap with psychosomatic conditions, prompting culturally sensitive approaches in healthcare.^[2] Economically and socially, the belief functions as a heuristic norm in weakly institutionalized settings, encouraging behaviors like wealth concealment or underinvestment to mitigate envy-driven conflicts.^[1]

Definition and Etymology

Core Concept

The evil eye refers to a malevolent curse or misfortune believed to be inflicted upon individuals, animals, or possessions through the envious, jealous, or admiring gaze of another person.^[4] This supernatural phenomenon is rooted in the idea that the power of the human eye can transmit harm without physical contact, often manifesting as sudden adversity or decline.^[5] In many traditions, the curse targets vulnerable elements such as personal health, financial prosperity, livestock, or young children, leading to outcomes like unexplained illnesses, crop failures, or the sudden death of animals.^[4] For instance, in certain rural communities, envy is thought to dry up crops, slay cattle, or cause small children to fall ill without apparent cause.^[4] The belief distinguishes between intentional and unintentional forms of the evil eye. Intentional instances involve deliberate malice, where a person harbors jealousy and directs a harmful glare to sabotage another's well-being.^[6] Unintentional cases, however, arise from innocent admiration or compliments that inadvertently channel negative energy, such as when praising a healthy child or bountiful harvest without protective measures.^[2] This duality underscores the perceived involuntariness of the eye's power in some cultural interpretations, where even well-meaning glances can prove dangerous if not tempered.^[5] The evil eye belief exhibits near-universal prevalence across human cultures, appearing in variations from ancient Mediterranean societies to contemporary Asian, African, and Latin American communities, often framed as a type of sympathetic magic where the gaze symbolically links the observer's emotions to the target's fate.^[5] This form of magic operates on principles of similarity and contagion, positing that envy "infects" the object of attention much like a disease.^[7] To counter its effects, protective symbols such as the nazar amulet are commonly employed to deflect the harmful gaze.^[6]

Linguistic Origins

The English term "evil eye" originates from Old English, where it denoted a look of ill will or malice, evolving through Middle English influences from Latin concepts such as oculus malus (evil eye) and tied to the broader classical notion of harmful gazes. This phrase entered common usage in the late 14th century, reflecting translations of ancient beliefs, with roots tracing to Latin fascinare ("to bewitch" or "enchant"), derived from fascinum meaning "spell" or "witchcraft," often associated with envious or malefic looks.^[8] The Latin term connects to Greek baskanos (envious or slanderous), implying sorcery through the gaze, which underscores the ocular mechanism in early European linguistic expressions of the concept.^[8] Across languages, key terms for the evil eye emphasize the eye as a conduit for negativity, often pairing it with qualifiers denoting envy or harm. In Arabic, it is known as ʿayn al-ḥasūd ("eye of the envious"), highlighting jealousy as the driving force behind the curse. Hebrew employs ayin hara ("evil eye"), a direct reference to the malevolent gaze capable of bewitching or harming.^[9] In Turkish, nazar derives from the Arabic naẓar ("sight" or "gaze"), simplified to evoke the piercing look that inflicts misfortune.^[10] Hindi uses nazar lagna ("eye sticking" or "evil eye afflicting"), or buri nazar ("bad eye"), where the verb form suggests the gaze adhering like a harmful attachment. These terms commonly integrate "eye" with negative descriptors like "evil," "envious," "blue," or "jealous," mirroring the universal cultural perception of the eye as a powerful, symbolic organ for transmitting ill intent through mere sight. This pattern reflects ocular symbolism in folklore, where the gaze embodies vulnerability to external malice.

Historical Development

Ancient Origins

The belief in the evil eye, conceptualized as a malevolent gaze capable of causing harm through envy or malice, finds its earliest documented traces in ancient Mesopotamian texts dating back to around 3000 BCE. Sumerian incantations from this period explicitly reference protective rituals against the "evil eye," often invoking deities to counter the destructive power of envious stares that could afflict health, prosperity, or livestock.^[11] These texts, preserved on clay tablets, represent some of the oldest written evidence of the concept, portraying the evil eye as a supernatural force emanating from human or divine sources.^[12] Archaeological evidence from Mesopotamia further supports these beliefs, with clay figurines and eye idols unearthed at sites like Tell Brak, dating to approximately 3000–2000 BCE. These artifacts, often featuring exaggerated or incised eyes made of alabaster or clay, served as apotropaic devices—intended to ward off the evil eye by mimicking and neutralizing its power through sympathetic magic.^[13] Such finds illustrate how Mesopotamian societies integrated the fear of harmful gazes into everyday protective practices, embedding the motif in religious and domestic life. In ancient Egypt, references to the evil eye appear in the Pyramid Texts of the Old Kingdom (c. 2400–2300 BCE), where spells warn against malevolent influences that could threaten the deceased, as in Utterance 534, which invokes protection against Osiris's harmful approach.^[14] The Eye of Horus (Wadjet), a prominent symbol emerging from myths of the god's eye being injured and restored, was widely used as a protective amulet against such harms, representing healing, wholeness, and defense from evil forces including envious gazes.^[15] Egyptians employed this iconography in jewelry, tomb decorations, and medical contexts to safeguard against illness and misfortune attributed to the evil eye.^[16] The concept also manifests in ancient Indian Vedic literature, particularly the Atharva Veda (c. 1200–1000 BCE), where it is termed drishti and addressed through hymns and spells designed to counteract the harmful effects of envious or malevolent gazes disrupting health and prosperity.^[17] By the classical period in Greece and Rome, the evil eye—known as baskania or fascinatio—was well-established in medical and natural philosophical writings. Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History (1st century CE), describes the phenomenon as a harmful influence transmitted through the eyes, particularly noting certain peoples or individuals with double pupils capable of casting it, and recommends amulets to counteract its effects on health and vitality.^[18] Similarly, texts in the Hippocratic Corpus link the evil eye to unexplained illnesses, attributing sudden afflictions like fevers or wasting diseases to the baleful gaze, especially from those with striking eye colors such as blue.^[19] These accounts reflect how the concept evolved from earlier Near Eastern roots into a framework for explaining somatic and psychological disturbances in antiquity.

Evolution in Classical and Medieval Periods

During the Hellenistic period, beliefs in the evil eye were integrated into Greek philosophy, as exemplified by Theophrastus in his Characters, where the "Superstitious Man" (Deisidaimon) takes elaborate precautions against it, such as spitting three times into his bosom upon encountering a one-eyed person or a pauper to avert potential harm from their gaze. This portrayal reflects broader philosophical discussions on superstition and the power of envious looks, building on earlier Platonic and Aristotelian notions of vision as an active force capable of emitting rays that could influence others. In the Roman Empire, these ideas permeated daily life, where the evil eye was feared as a cause of illness, crop failure, and misfortune, prompting widespread use of apotropaic measures like phallic amulets known as fascini to deflect malevolent glances. Roman law addressed related practices through the Lex Cornelia de sicariis et veneficis (81 BCE), which prohibited harmful magic and sorcery, including curses potentially linked to the evil eye, treating them as threats to public order and punishable by exile or death.^[20] In the medieval Islamic world, the evil eye gained scriptural authority through references in the Quran, particularly Surah Al-Qalam (68:51), which describes disbelievers nearly causing harm "with their eyes" upon hearing the revelation, interpreted by classical tafsir scholars like Ibn Kathir as an allusion to the destructive power of envious gazes. Hadiths further reinforced this, with authentic narrations in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim attributing to the Prophet Muhammad the statement, "The evil eye is real, and if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the evil eye," emphasizing its reality while urging protective recitations like the Mu'awwidhatayn (Surahs 113 and 114). Scholarly works, such as Ibn Sina's Canon of Medicine (c. 1025 CE), linked the evil eye to humoral imbalances, positing that a strong imagination in the envious person could emit subtle vapors altering the victim's bodily humors—phlegm, blood, yellow bile, and black bile—leading to physical ailments treatable through diet, herbs, and spiritual remedies.^[21] In Christian medieval Europe, church fathers like Augustine of Hippo (354–430 CE) critiqued popular belief in the evil eye as a pagan superstition in works such as The City of God, yet reframed it within a demonic framework, attributing such harms to the influence of Satan and fallen angels who exploited human envy to sow discord and illness.^[22] This perspective persisted in Byzantine and early medieval texts, where folk traditions integrated evil eye fears into Christian liturgy; for instance, exorcism rituals in the Euchologion (8th–10th centuries) invoked protection against "the evil eye and every demonic assault," blending scriptural warnings against envy (e.g., Proverbs 23:6) with apotropaic prayers to ward off supernatural malice.^[23] The spread of evil eye beliefs via trade routes facilitated their adaptation in Persian and Indian medieval literature. In Ferdowsi's Shahnameh (c. 1010 CE), a cornerstone of Persian epic poetry, characters frequently invoke protection against the "evil eye" (čašm-e bad) during moments of prosperity or vulnerability, reflecting Zoroastrian-influenced fears amplified by Islamic conquests and Silk Road exchanges.^[24] The concept persisted and evolved in Indian folklore through cross-cultural exchanges, where envious looks were seen as disrupting cosmic balance (dharma) and requiring rituals like salt sprinkling to restore harmony.

Beliefs and Manifestations

Symptoms and Effects

In traditional beliefs across various cultures, the evil eye is perceived to manifest through a range of sudden physical symptoms that appear without apparent medical explanation, such as headaches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, and drowsiness accompanied by yawning.^[25]^[26] These effects are often attributed to an envious glance directed at the victim, leading to broader misfortunes like persistent bad luck, economic losses, or the sudden decline of household items.^[25]^[27] In agrarian folklore, the curse is also believed to cause wilting or drying of plants, infertility in farmland, and illness or death in livestock, symbolizing a draining of vitality from envied prosperity.^[28]^[27] Particularly vulnerable groups, including infants, pregnant women, and those enjoying success or wealth, are seen as prime targets due to the envy they provoke.^[4]^[29] For newborns and young children, symptoms may include wrinkly skin, jaundice, poor feeding, stunted growth, or even epilepsy and death if untreated in traditional views, as reported in Ghanaian maternal beliefs.^[29] Pregnant women and the affluent face heightened risks, with the evil eye thought to threaten fertility, health, or financial stability through targeted envy of their status or possessions.^[30]^[4] Psychological manifestations attributed to the evil eye encompass anxiety, depression, insomnia, obsessive fears, and social estrangement, often leading to withdrawal from family or community interactions.^[25] In Islamic cultural contexts, these effects are viewed as stemming from the curse's disruption of emotional balance, exacerbating hate or doubt and contributing to familial conflicts.^[25] Such mental distress is frequently interpreted as a direct outcome of the malevolent gaze, intensifying feelings of unease without external cause. Folklore accounts illustrate the escalation of these effects from minor inconveniences, like temporary lethargy or small accidents, to severe outcomes such as chronic illness, profound misfortune, or death.^[31] In Mediterranean traditions, for instance, the evil eye might initially cause household mishaps or livestock ailments before progressing to debilitating sickness in family members.^[27] Similarly, in Saudi Arabian beliefs documented among faith healers, initial pains or fatigue can evolve into paralysis, seizures, or total family discord if the influence persists.^[25]

Causes and Transmission

The primary cause of the evil eye is believed to stem from envy or excessive admiration directed toward a person, their possessions, or achievements, often triggering harm to the recipient.^[6] In many cultural contexts, this arises when an individual perceives another's fortune as a threat to their own self-esteem, leading to the projection of negative energy.^[32] Scholarly analyses link this belief to societies with high wealth inequality, where envy toward visible prosperity motivates the affliction.^[33] Transmission occurs primarily through the gaze, where direct eye contact or prolonged staring from the envious person is thought to convey harmful forces.^[6] This mechanism is amplified by verbal expressions, such as unmitigated compliments or praise, which folklore holds as conduits for the curse without accompanying safeguards.^[34] In ethnographic studies of communities like the Gusii in Kenya, staring infused with jealousy transfers negative energy, potentially causing misfortune.^[35] Emotions like jealousy serve as a catalyst, with beliefs positing that intense feelings generate destructive power that emanates from the eyes as a form of projected energy.^[32] This emotional charge is seen as disrupting psychological equilibrium in the giver, manifesting outwardly through the gaze to harm the envied target.^[6] The intent behind the evil eye varies, ranging from deliberate malice—where the giver consciously aims to curse through envy—to accidental transmission, often unconscious and stemming from involuntary admiration.^[35] In folklore, such as among Bedouin tribes, a neighbor's envious glance at a family's livestock might unintentionally wither the animals, illustrating how everyday interactions can unwittingly inflict the curse.^[36]

Protective Measures

Amulets and Symbols

The Nazar amulet, prevalent in Turkish and Greek traditions, consists of a blue glass bead shaped like an eye, designed to deflect the evil eye curse back to its sender by mimicking and absorbing the malevolent gaze.^[37] This protective object traces its origins to ancient Mesopotamian and Mediterranean cultures, with archaeological evidence of similar eye-shaped talismans dating to 3300 BCE in Syria, and it evolved through influences from the Ottoman Empire and earlier Turkic beliefs associating blue with the protective sky deity Tengri.^[37] In Turkish culture, the Nazar boncuğu serves both as a functional ward against envy-induced harm and an ornamental item, often hung in homes, vehicles, or worn as jewelry, reflecting a widespread belief that 84% of surveyed individuals acknowledge the evil eye's existence and 72% employ such amulets as countermeasures.^[10] The Hamsa hand, an open-palm amulet featuring an eye at its center, functions as a protective symbol in Jewish, Islamic, and North African cultures, intended to repel the evil eye by invoking divine safeguarding and blinding malevolent forces.^[38] In Islamic traditions, it is known as the Hand of Fatima, commemorating the patience and strength of the Prophet Muhammad's daughter, while in Jewish contexts, it represents the Hand of Miriam, sister of Moses, and is used to counteract the ayin hara or evil eye through the embedded eye motif.^[39] The design's five fingers symbolize the five pillars of Islam or the Hebrew letter shin for divine protection, and it is commonly crafted for display on walls or as wearable jewelry to provide ongoing defense against misfortune.^[40] Other notable symbols include the Italian cornicello, a twisted horn-shaped amulet made from red coral or gold, believed to ward off the malocchio or evil eye by embodying fertility and potency to overpower envious glances.^[41] Rooted in ancient Roman and pre-Christian lunar symbolism, the cornicello persists in southern Italian folk practices as a potent talisman against curses.^[41]^[42] In Roman antiquity, the fascinus—a phallic charm often rendered in bronze or copper alloys—served to fascinate and neutralize the oculus malus, the evil eye, by visually overwhelming it, as depicted in mosaics showing phalli directing ejaculatory streams toward the eye.^[43] These amulets were affixed to buildings, worn as pendants, or used as wind chimes across the empire to guard against supernatural envy. In Indian traditions, black kohl (surma or kajal) markings applied to children's faces or eyes act as a subtle symbol to avert the evil eye, drawing admiration away from the child by creating an asymmetrical, unappealing appearance that absorbs negative energy.^[44] This practice, rooted in South Asian cultural beliefs, is particularly common for infants to prevent harm from excessive praise or jealousy.^[44] Amulets against the evil eye frequently incorporate blue as a warding color, symbolizing the sky's protective vastness and rarity in natural eye hues, which enhances their power to reflect curses.^[37] Materials such as glass predominate in Turkish Nazar production, with handmade beads crafted in regions like Izmir and Gorece using traditional techniques involving cobalt for the signature blue tint, a method persisting from Ottoman-era glassblowing centers.^[10] In Italy, cornicelli are historically fashioned from red coral sourced from Mediterranean waters or molded in gold and silver, valued for their durability and symbolic vitality, while metals like bronze enable the intricate detailing of Roman fascini. Natural elements, including red thread—tied around wrists or objects to bind and redirect malevolent intent—complement these in Jewish and North African variants, often woven into Hamsa designs for layered protection.^[41]

Rituals and Gestures

Various rituals and gestures have been employed across cultures to diagnose the presence of the evil eye, often involving symbolic actions believed to reveal or draw out negative energy. In Greek traditions, one common diagnostic method includes spitting three times, either over the shoulder or during specific ceremonies like weddings, to ward off or detect the malevolent influence before it takes hold.^[45] Similarly, in Mexican folk practices, the "limpia con huevo" or egg cleansing ritual is performed by rubbing a raw egg over the body to absorb suspected negative energy, followed by cracking it into water to interpret signs such as bubbles or shapes indicating the curse's presence.^[46] Protective gestures typically involve hand signs made discreetly to deflect or break the harmful gaze without direct confrontation. The Italian "mano cornuto," or horned hand, formed by extending the index and pinky fingers while tucking the others into the palm, is used to mimic horns and repel the evil eye, a practice rooted in ancient superstitions against envy.^[47] In Greek culture, the "fig sign" (kataskia), where the thumb is inserted between the index and middle fingers to form a fist-like gesture, serves a similar purpose by invoking an obscene distraction to repel malevolent forces.^[48] Turkish traditions include subtle finger snaps or hand movements accompanying phrases like "nazar değmesin" (may the evil eye not touch) to interrupt the transmission of envy-based harm.^[49] Curing ceremonies often combine verbal invocations with physical or herbal elements to expel the affliction. Recitation of protective prayers, such as Islamic ruqyah involving verses from the Quran blown over the affected person, is a structured ritual to neutralize the evil eye's effects through divine intervention.^[50] In Latin American practices, burning rue (ruda) to produce smoke that is fanned over the individual helps cleanse the aura and release bound negative energy, sometimes integrated with other herbal fumigations.^[51] Another method involves intentionally breaking a protective amulet, such as an evil eye bead, once it has absorbed the curse, symbolizing the release of trapped malevolence and necessitating replacement.^[52] These practices are frequently incorporated into daily life as preventives, particularly in contexts involving praise or admiration that might invite envy. In Muslim cultures, uttering "Mashallah" (what God has willed) after compliments acknowledges divine favor and averts the evil eye by humbling the moment.^[53] Such verbal rituals are routine, recited habitually to maintain spiritual safeguards without formal ceremony.

Cultural Variations

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Traditions

In the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions, beliefs in the evil eye are deeply embedded in cultural practices, often manifesting as involuntary harm caused by envy or admiration, with specific terminology and protective measures varying by locale. These traditions emphasize ocular symbols and rituals to avert misfortune, reflecting a blend of ancient folklore and religious influences.^[54] In Greek culture, the evil eye is known as mati or kako mati, referring to the malevolent gaze that induces vaskania, a state of affliction particularly impacting vulnerable groups like sailors facing perilous seas and farmers whose crops might wither inexplicably. Symptoms include sudden fevers, migraines, and unexplained fatigue, often diagnosed through xematiasma, a ritual where olive oil dropped into water sinks if the evil eye is present. Protections commonly involve hanging blue glass beads shaped like eyes (mati charms) in homes, boats, and fields to absorb and deflect the gaze, alongside garlic cloves suspended from doorways or worn as necklaces for their apotropaic properties against envy-induced harm. These practices persist in contemporary Greece, blending with Orthodox Christian prayers during rituals performed on Holy Thursday.^[55]^[54]^[56] The concept of nazar prevails in Turkish and Arabic traditions, where it denotes a harmful stare rooted in jealousy, integrated into Islamic folklore through Quranic recitations and phrases like "Mashallah" to invoke divine protection after compliments. In Turkey, nazar boncuğu—blue bead amulets depicting an eye—are ubiquitous, hung in homes, on vehicles, and even on newborns to ward off misfortune, with surveys indicating over 80% belief among educated populations. Arabic variants, termed ayn or hasad, similarly employ amulets and faith healing in regions like Saudi Arabia, where healers use ruqya (Quranic verses) alongside herbal remedies and charms to diagnose and expel the evil eye, causing symptoms from headaches to anxiety. These beads and rituals symbolize goodwill and are often combined with Islamic talismans like muska.^[57]^[58]^[25] Italian folklore features malocchio, the evil eye cast through envious looks, leading to illness or bad luck, especially in southern communities where family healers known as guaritori or malocchio curers diagnose it by dropping olive oil into a bowl of water—if the drops disperse or form shapes, affliction is confirmed. Curing involves incantations, prayers to saints, and gestures like making the sign of the horns, often performed by elderly women within families to restore balance without formal clergy. This practice draws from pre-Christian roots but aligns with Catholic rituals, emphasizing communal vigilance against unintended curses.^[59]^[60] Among Sephardic Jewish communities, ayin hara represents the destructive power of the evil eye, prompting protections like amulets inscribed with Hebrew verses or symbols, including the Star of David (Magen David) as a talismanic seal to shield against envy. Garlic necklaces combined with blue beads are traditionally used to safeguard children and new mothers, placed under pillows or at thresholds, while the Hamsa hand motif—often featuring an eye—serves as a widespread amulet in Sephardic households from the Mediterranean to the Middle East. These measures underscore a cultural emphasis on discretion to avoid attracting harmful attention.^[56]^[61]

Asian and South Asian Practices

In South Asia, particularly India, the concept of the evil eye, known as nazar or drishti, is deeply ingrained in cultural practices aimed at safeguarding vulnerable individuals, especially children, from envious gazes believed to cause misfortune or illness. A common protective measure involves applying a black dot, or kaala teeka, using kajal (soot-based eyeliner) on the foreheads of infants and young children to deflect harmful attention and make them appear less attractive to the evil eye.^[62] This practice stems from the belief that the stark contrast of the black mark disrupts the malevolent stare, a tradition passed down through generations in Hindu households.^[63] To remove or neutralize the effects of nazar, rituals often incorporate natural elements symbolizing purification and warding. One prevalent method entails circling a lemon pierced with seven dried red chilies around the affected person's head seven times in a clockwise direction, followed by burning the items at a threshold or crossroads to symbolically transfer and dispel the negativity.^[64] This fiery ritual is thought to absorb the curse, with the lemon representing sourness of envy and the chilies embodying heat to incinerate it, a custom observed across urban and rural Indian communities.^[65] Similar garlands of lemons and chilies are hung at home entrances as ongoing prophylactics against intrusive energies.^[66] In East Asian contexts, the evil eye manifests more subtly through concepts of disruptive energies rather than direct gazes, with protections integrated into broader cosmological systems. In Chinese culture, malevolent influences that imbalance harmony are often countered by feng shui arrangements and reflective tools like the bagua mirror, an octagonal device placed above doorways to deflect sha qi (negative energy) back toward its source.^[67] Red strings, tied around wrists or hung in homes, serve as simple talismans to bind good fortune and repel envy-induced harm, drawing from Taoist principles of balancing yin and yang.^[68] Japanese folklore features a less prominent notion of harmful influences from spirits, with protections relying on Shinto rituals, including purification ceremonies (oharai) and amulets (omamori) from shrines, which invoke kami (spirits) to shield against ethereal threats.^[69] Southeast Asian practices, such as those in Thailand, blend animistic beliefs with Buddhist elements to address the evil eye, termed tā pīṣ̄āc (demon eye), where envious looks from humans or spirits (phi) are believed to invite misfortune like sudden illness or crop failure.^[70] Spirit houses (san phra phum), elevated shrines placed near homes or businesses, function as dedicated abodes for guardian spirits, furnished with daily offerings of incense, flowers, and food to appease potentially jealous entities and prevent malevolent interference.^[71] These structures, consecrated through Brahmanic or monastic rituals, ensure harmony by honoring local phi and diverting any envious energies toward the offerings instead of the inhabitants.^[72]

African and American Indigenous Beliefs

In sub-Saharan African traditions, particularly among the Zulu and Yoruba peoples, the evil eye is conceptualized as a malevolent force stemming from envy or ancestral displeasure, often manifesting as unexplained ailments or misfortune. Among the Zulu, known as amehlo amabi (bad eyes), it is believed to transmit harm through envious gazes, sometimes linked to ancestral curses that disrupt harmony within the community, with traditional healers called sangomas diagnosing and countering it through divination and herbal rituals to restore balance.^[73] Similarly, in Yoruba cosmology, the evil eye is tied to spiritual forces like jinn or ancestral ire (misfortune), where envy from others invokes harm, and healers such as babalawos use Ifá divination and protective charms to mitigate these curses, emphasizing communal reconciliation.^[74] North African Berber (Amazigh) communities recognize the evil eye as aïn, a pervasive threat from envious glances that can cause illness, infertility, or death, particularly during vulnerable life stages like pregnancy or puberty. To counter it, women traditionally apply facial and bodily tattoos with protective motifs—such as squares to deflect curses, vertical lines from lip to chin symbolizing womanhood and warding off spirits, or animal figures like scorpions representing resilience—using natural dyes in communal rites passed down by female elders, serving both as talismans and markers of tribal identity.^[75] These practices, predating Islamic influences, underscore a shamanistic worldview where tattoos act as permanent shields against supernatural harm, though the custom has declined due to cultural shifts.^[75] In Mesoamerican indigenous traditions, exemplified by the Aztecs, mal de ojo (evil eye) primarily afflicts children through the unintended or envious stare of adults, leading to symptoms like fever, crying, lethargy, or vomiting, interpreted as a supernatural imbalance in the child's vital energies rooted in pre-Columbian beliefs about humoral and spiritual vulnerabilities. Treatment involves curanderos (healers) performing a limpia (cleansing ritual), sweeping the child's body with bundles of herbs such as rosemary, rue, or basil, often combined with eggs or lemons to absorb the malice, followed by prayers or offerings to restore harmony, a practice that echoes ancient Aztec emphases on ritual purification without mechanical etiologies.^[76]^[77] Andean indigenous beliefs, influenced by Inca cosmology, view mal ojo as a pre-Columbian affliction caused by envious gazes or witchcraft, disrupting the soul's connection to nature spirits (apus and wak'as), especially in infants who exhibit paleness, weakness, loss of appetite, or emotional distress as signs of spiritual detachment. Healers known as yachaks or curanderos address it through shamanistic rituals, including limpias with eggs, guinea pigs, nettles, or Brugmansia to diagnose and expel the negativity, alongside invocations at sacred sites and herbal infusions from Solanaceae plants, aiming to reintegrate the individual into cosmological balance—a tradition persisting in communities like those in Ecuador where over 60% affirm its reality.^[78] Among Native American groups, Navajo traditions associate ghost sickness—a condition akin to evil eye effects—with exposure to malevolent spirits or envious influences, causing anxiety, hallucinations, or physical weakness, treated via Evilway chants in the Ghostway ceremony to exorcise ghosts and restore harmony through sandpaintings, songs, and herbal smokes. In Cherokee contexts, envy sickness manifests as harm from jealous gazes, often targeting children and resulting in unexplained illness, countered by communal healers who employ sweat lodge cleansings to purge the malice, begging forgiveness from spirits and using herbal steams for purification in line with broader Southeastern Woodland practices.^[79] These rituals highlight a shared indigenous emphasis on communal shamanism to neutralize envy-driven supernatural threats.

Religious and Symbolic Interpretations

In Abrahamic Religions

In Islam, the concept of the evil eye, known as al-ʿayn, is acknowledged as a real phenomenon capable of causing harm through envious or malevolent gazes, with scriptural and prophetic guidance emphasizing protection through recitation and natural remedies. The Quran references it in Surah Al-Qalam (68:51-52), where disbelievers nearly "overwhelm" the Prophet Muhammad with their glances upon hearing the divine message, interpreted by scholars as an attempt to cast an evil eye that was thwarted by Allah's protection; these verses are often recited as a ruqyah (incantation) to ward off its effects.^[80] The Prophet Muhammad affirmed its reality in authentic hadiths, stating that if anything could precede divine decree, it would be the evil eye, and recommended ruqyah—reciting specific Quranic verses and supplications—for treatment, as seen in cases where he instructed companions to apply it to afflicted individuals.^[81] Additionally, he prescribed black cumin (Nigella sativa) seeds as a curative for various ailments, advising their use in mixtures for ingestion or application to restore health.^[81] Within Judaism, the evil eye, termed ayin hara, is discussed in rabbinic literature as a destructive force stemming from envy or arrogance, with protective measures rooted in humility and ritual. The Talmud in Berakhot 55b warns against the ayin hara by associating it with the "evil eye" that afflicts those with haughty spirits, deriving from the students of Balaam, and advises averting it through modest behavior and blessings like "no evil eye" (ken ayin hara) when praising others.^[82] Kabbalistic traditions, particularly in Lurianic thought, interpret the evil eye as an imbalance in the sefirot—the divine emanations—where harsh judgments from the left side (e.g., gevurah) overpower mercy from the right (chesed), disrupting cosmic harmony and allowing demonic forces to penetrate the vulnerable malkhut (kingdom) sefirah; remedies like the blue tekhelet thread restore equilibrium by channeling protective divine energies.^[83] In Christianity, early patristic writings caution against the evil eye, often termed fascinatio or harmful envy, viewing it as a moral and demonic peril that corrupts the soul through covetous gazes. Basil of Caesarea, in his fourth-century Homily on Envy, describes envious eyes as "infected by evil," capable of inflicting spiritual and physical harm akin to the evil eye, urging believers to combat it through repentance and divine grace to prevent fascination's destructive influence. By the medieval period, Christian demonology integrated the evil eye into grimoires and theological treatises, associating it with demonic pacts and sorcery where envious spirits or witches invoked it to cause misfortune, blending folk beliefs with warnings against idolatry and emphasizing exorcism and prayer as countermeasures.^[84] Across Abrahamic traditions, interfaith overlaps appear in shared protective amulets like the hamsa—a hand-shaped talisman warding off the evil eye—adapted with religious motifs such as the Star of David in Judaism, Fatima's hand in Islam, and occasional Marian iconography in Christianity, symbolizing divine protection and unity against envy in Mediterranean communities.^[39]

In Eastern and Indigenous Faiths

In Hinduism, the concept of the evil eye, known as drishti dosha, is often linked to astrological influences from malefic planets such as Ketu, which can amplify negative energies and invite misfortune through envious gazes.^[85] Remedies typically involve performing specific puja rituals to appease planetary forces and reciting protective mantras, alongside wearing cat's eye gemstones (lehsunia), a variety of chrysoberyl believed to ward off the evil eye, black magic, and diseases while safeguarding wealth.^[86] In Tibetan Buddhism, harmful intent manifested through gazes is viewed as a disruptive force that can invite malevolent spirits or negative karma. Protections emphasize the use of sacred mantras, such as those invoking dharani for purification, and thangka paintings featuring wrathful deities like Mahakala or Yamantaka, whose fierce forms are designed to intimidate and repel evil influences, thereby restoring spiritual harmony.^[87] In Sikhism, beliefs in the evil eye, sometimes called nazar, involve protection through recitations from the Guru Granth Sahib, such as specific shabads (hymns) believed to shield against envious harm, reflecting a emphasis on divine grace over superstition.^[88] Among indigenous traditions, Australian Aboriginal beliefs incorporate bone pointing by kurdaitcha (avenging sorcerers) as a potent curse akin to the evil eye, where directing a pointed bone or feather at a victim inflicts illness, bad luck, or death through focused malevolent intent, often without physical contact.^[89] In Polynesian cultures, the evil eye is believed to lead to misfortune by affecting mana—a vital supernatural force—resulting in diminished personal power, with protections involving communal chants or taboos to preserve this essence.^[90] Shamanistic practices in Siberian and Native American systems similarly attribute imbalance to spirit-possessed eyes; among Siberian Tatars, a person's eyes reveal possession by evil spirits during folk diagnostics like chicken tests, while shamans perform rituals to expel them and restore equilibrium.^[91] In broader Native American shamanism, evil spirit possession via malevolent gazes disrupts holistic balance, treated through ceremonial cleansings that address both physical and spiritual disharmony.^[92]

Modern Perspectives

Psychological and Scientific Views

From a psychological perspective, beliefs in the evil eye are often explained through the nocebo effect, where negative expectations of harm from envious gazes induce real physiological symptoms such as stress, anxiety, or illness via suggestion and heightened autonomic arousal.^[93] Envy serves as a key social emotion trigger, motivating the perceived malevolent glare; self-psychological analyses describe it as a projection of the envier's internal distress onto others, fostering interpersonal tension in close-knit groups.^[94] Quantitative studies link stronger endorsement of evil eye beliefs to elevated interpersonal envy and avoidant attitudes, particularly in collectivist cultures where social harmony is prioritized.^[95] Anthropologically, evil eye beliefs function as a mechanism for social control, discouraging overt displays of wealth or success to mitigate jealousy-driven conflicts in unequal societies.^[4] Cross-cultural surveys, such as those from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample encompassing 186 preindustrial societies, indicate prevalence in about 36% of cases, with higher rates in agro-pastoral economies where visible assets heighten envy risks.^[4] Recent global surveys indicate adherence to beliefs in witchcraft and harmful supernatural forces, including the evil eye, at around 43% among over 140,000 respondents from 95 countries as of 2022, serving to promote modesty and resource sharing as adaptive strategies in resource-scarce environments.^[96] Scientifically, no empirical evidence supports supernatural transmission of harm via the evil eye; observed effects are attributable to psychosomatic responses, where belief-induced stress manifests as physical symptoms like fatigue or misfortune attribution.^[97] Confirmation bias reinforces these beliefs, as individuals selectively recall coincidences aligning with the curse while ignoring counterexamples, such as failed predictions of harm.^[97] Protective rituals may provide placebo benefits through reduced anxiety but carry risks, including lead poisoning from traditional amulets.^[97] Recent research up to 2025 includes EEG studies showing that individuals with strong superstitious beliefs, including those in malevolent forces like the evil eye, exhibit reduced beta band power at rest, correlating with lower inhibitory control and heightened suggestibility to paranormal cues.^[98] In public health contexts, such beliefs influence vaccination hesitancy; for instance, superstitious attributions to misfortune have been shown to elevate perceived vaccine barriers and reduce uptake intentions, as seen in studies on influenza immunization.^[99]

Influence in Contemporary Culture and Media

The concept of the evil eye continues to permeate contemporary media, often serving as a plot device to evoke supernatural dread or cultural tension. The 1963 Italian film The Evil Eye (original title: La ragazza che sapeva troppo), directed by Mario Bava, is regarded as a foundational work in the giallo genre and centers on a young woman who witnesses a murder potentially linked to the curse, blending mystery with superstitious folklore.^[100] More recently, the 2020 horror film Evil Eye, produced by Blumhouse Television for Amazon Prime Video, dramatizes the superstition through an Indian-American family's ordeal with a malevolent gaze, highlighting intergenerational trauma and immigrant experiences.^[101] In music, Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand's 2013 single "Evil Eye" from the album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action employs the motif in a pulsating track with horror-inspired visuals, portraying envy as a seductive yet destructive force.^[102] In fashion and commerce, the evil eye has evolved into a commercialized emblem of bohemian chic, particularly through nazar (blue bead) jewelry that symbolizes warding off negativity. This trend surged in the 2020s, with luxury brands like Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and Chanel incorporating the motif into collections, driven by over 1.5 million Instagram posts under #evileye as of 2022.^[103] As of 2025, the hashtag exceeds 1.6 million posts, reflecting sustained popularity.^[104] Celebrities have amplified its popularity; for instance, Rihanna, Gigi Hadid, Blake Lively, and Meghan Markle have been photographed wearing evil eye pendants and bracelets, transforming the amulet into a status symbol of subtle protection and style.^[105] These items are widely available, from traditional markets in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar—where handmade glass nazars are crafted daily—to global e-commerce sites like Etsy, which lists thousands of variations blending cultural authenticity with modern designs.^[106] Within contemporary society, the evil eye persists as an urban superstition, especially among immigrant communities navigating envy in multicultural settings. In cities like Phoenix and Detroit, families from Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Latin American backgrounds maintain rituals such as displaying hamsa hands or reciting blessings like "mashallah" to shield newborns and homes from jealous gazes, viewing the curse as a tangible threat to prosperity.^[107] On social media, this belief manifests in memes and cautionary posts that equate online jealousy—such as envious comments on success or relationships—with invoking the evil eye, prompting users to employ the 👁️ emoji as a digital talisman against digital malice.^[108] Couples and influencers often withhold personal milestones from public view to avoid attracting negativity, reflecting a broader anxiety about oversharing in the digital age.^[109] Symbolically, the evil eye has shifted from a source of primal fear to one of empowerment, particularly through reinterpretations of protective amulets like the hamsa hand. In modern contexts, the hamsa—depicting an open palm with an eye—embodies female strength and unity, warding off not only envy but also societal harms, as seen in feminist narratives that frame it as a shield against objectification and harassment.^[110] This evolution underscores the motif's adaptability, turning ancient dread into a badge of resilience in everyday life.

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[PDF] Encyclopedia of Astrological Remedies - Panchanga.lv
Cat's Eye is one variety of Chrysoberyl stone. It protects wealth therefore ... malefic planets, black magic, evil eye and diseases. By worshipping ...
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[PDF] ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ASTROLOGICAL REMEDIES - WordPress.com
malefic planets, black magic, evil eye and diseases. By worshipping Parad ... (Eight Faced Rudraksha + Cat's Eye + Gomed + Neeli). By wearing this ...<|separator|>
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Wrathful Face - Art, Buddhism & Thangka Painting Courses by ...
“We show the same form as the evil so the evil can feel fear. The protective deities take a wrathful form in order to scare evil.” – Khenpo Konchok Namdak.
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Psychic and Mystical Experiences of the Aborigines
He can inflict bad luck or injury by look alone (“evil eye”). Kadaicha men lead avenging expeditions involving pointing the bone. The victim is stunned or ...
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Mana (Oceanic cultures) - Wikipedia
In Melanesian and Polynesian cultures, mana is a supernatural force that permeates the universe. Anyone or anything can have mana. They believed it to be a ...
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Elements of Shamanism in the Folk Medicine of the Siberian Tatars
It was believed that by the eyes of a person, a chicken could be seen if evil spirits possessed him. One of the important abilities of kuremce was the ability ...
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Discovering Evil Personal Encounters of a Non-Believer
Dec 6, 2022 · In individuals, evil or bad spirit possession sometimes manifests in physical, emotional, and spiritual forms with symptom such as an inability ...
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The Evil Eye as a Psychosocial Phenomenon: Nocebo and Placebo ...
This article interprets the evil eye through the lens of nocebo and placebo mechanisms. The nocebo effect demonstrates how negative expectations produce ...
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Envious gazes and evil eye beads: A self-psychological perspective ...
Feb 13, 2024 · It is generally believed that the evil eye is motivated by one of the most challenging emotions, envy. The discussion of envy has a long history ...
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Belief In The Evil Eye - YorkSpace
Apr 10, 2025 · This research examines the psychological underpinnings of Evil Eye belief and its associations with attitudes, emotions, and interpersonal envy.<|separator|>
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The Evil Eye | Office for Science and Society - McGill University
Feb 4, 2022 · The Evil Eye is a look directed at some unfortunate person, resulting in bad luck or harm. The poor soul who has been gazed upon must resort to unusual means ...
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Paranormal believers show reduced resting EEG beta band ... - Nature
Feb 24, 2023 · The present study shows that paranormal belief is related to the reduced power of the alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands, and reduced inhibitory control.
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[PDF] Do superstitious beliefs affect influenza vaccine uptake ... - DR-NTU
Conclusion: The findings imply that beliefs in superstitions can have mixed effects on vaccine uptake and intention through shaping beliefs of the disease and ...Missing: eye | Show results with:eye
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Contextually balanced engagement: Navigating paradoxes of ...
Apr 10, 2024 · ... evil eye (buri nazar). According to rural customs, the black thread ... Its [HER] impact is beyond full immunisation. Our impact ...
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The Evil Eye (1963) - IMDb
Rating 6.9/10 (6,182) The Evil Eye: Directed by Mario Bava. With John Saxon, Letícia Román, Valentina Cortese, Titti Tomaino. A mystery novel-loving American tourist witnesses a ...
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Franz Ferdinand - Evil Eye (Official Video) - YouTube
Sep 8, 2013 · Franz Ferdinand - "Evil Eye" from 'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action' released 2013 on Domino Record Co.
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The 'buri nazar' bauble: Who made evil eye jewellery chic?
Jan 29, 2022 · But luxury powerhouses like Givenchy, Alexander McQueen and Chanel see the merits of this trend too. The hashtag #evileye has more than 1.5 ...
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Evil eye jewellery casts its timeless spell, finding fans in Rihanna ...
Sep 29, 2025 · ... celebrities like Rihanna, Gigi Hadid, Blake Lively and Meghan Markle.
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https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/feb/28/bags-bathmats-why-fashion-loves-evil-eye-symbol
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Evil eye: cultural emblem or fashion fad? - The Michigan Daily
Feb 16, 2022 · The evil eye is a widely held belief. It is a malicious gaze cast by an envious person, preventing one from good health and fortune by sending negativity their ...Missing: indigenous | Show results with:indigenous
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Why the Evil Eye Emoji Is Everywhere on Social Media - VICE
Jul 26, 2022 · Amrita Dhar was inspired by her friend to start using the evil eye emoji on social media posts, comments, and captions.<|separator|>
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Tempting the Evil Eye - Tablet Magazine
Jan 24, 2022 · Tempting the Evil Eye. I grew up believing it was dangerous to share good news, but today, social media pushes us to do just that. by. Randi ...Missing: jealousy | Show results with:jealousy
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Unity through Symbolism: The Hamsa | Jewish Women's Archive
Oct 19, 2022 · The Hamsa, or the Hand of Fatima, is a symbolic hand which represents protection in both Jewish and Islamic cultures.