Before we left for Turkey, I knew carpets and Turkish Delight would be popular commodities we’d find in Istanbul. We definitely saw lokum shops everywhere, and by the end of our trip we were expert at dodging the carpet salesmen. But we also found dark blue glass circles with lighter blue and white “eyes” everywhere. Above doors, on buildings, inside establishments.
It wasn’t very long before we learned it was the symbol of the evil eye. People were quick to say things like, “The evil eye keeps the bad spirits away. But I don’t believe in it.”
Alper, one of the front desk personnel at our hotel, explained many people put an evil eye up when they move into a new home, start a new business, etc. He was among the “I don’t put any stock in it” set.
“It’s superstition, a myth, but it also can’t hurt to have one just in case, eh?”
I think that was the prevalent attitude. Because for all those who claimed not to believe in the powers of the evil eye to ward off bad spirits (and I’d say 80% of those we asked about it fell in that group), we sure did find the “charms” (for lack of a better word) all over.
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
Loading ...
Wow… Evil Eye charms all over the place… 🙂
Our Evil Eye Facebook page followers would get a kick out of these pictures… 🙂
Evil Eye Jewelry by AlfredAndVincent.com
Cool. I’m gonna check out your page. I’m kicking myself I didn’t buy this one evil eye necklace I saw while I was there. Maybe you’ll have something I might like so I can still get one!
Different cultures have evolved their customs and superstitions so differently yet they are all the same. Interesting photos. Amazingly you could travel this country and not even be aware what they are.
Thanks
there was a stylized one that i *loved* at the apartment I stayed at. we tried to find it everywhere to no avail! 🙁
Evil eye beliefs stretch so far that there are even people that believe an angry stare, an envious glance can put an evil eye curse in place. No sorcery necessary.
It’s very interesting, isn’t it, Karen? Thanks for the comment!
Many peoples thing Evil are superstition and are NOT is to real, a problem can see in a regular view have evil. Many thing can play games, is NOT too, anything opposite a God or nature or wrong come from evil, like abortion, who are kill are from evil and against GOD, or kill any one is sin, that simple, but remember evil can take any form, human include and we have a million and million of evil in form of human live free with another. Who instigate peoples fight and kill herself with any excuse are evil, no human, also many not believe in God also because are evil and try convince another doing a some. Play with board Ouija are some thing, play with evil and later paid a price.