Glass amulet

Made:
1914-1918 in unknown place
Glass amulet, against the Evil Eye Glass amulet, against the Evil Eye

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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Glass amulet, against the Evil Eye
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Glass amulet, against the Evil Eye
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Glass eye bead amulet, known as a nazar, for protection against the Evil Eye, worn by a soldier in Palestine during the First World War, 1914-1918.

The ‘evil eye’ is a supernatural belief that is culturally very widespread and which has a long history. In essence it is the belief that someone – perhaps a real individual or a perceived supernatural power – can cause physical harm, misfortune or plain bad luck through a malicious glance or glare. Alongside this belief has been the creation of amulets that are worn or carried as protection against it. Such amulets exist in a variety of forms but the common characteristic is they incorporate an eye shaped design. This can be realistic or highly stylised. Glass eye beads, also called nazars are one of the commonest forms of evil eye amulet. They are particularly found around the Mediterranean, Central Asia and the Middle East. This example is said to have been carried by a soldier stationed in Palestine during the First World War, 1914-1918.

The amulet was bought for the Wellcome collection in 1930 from Edward Lovett’s (1852-1933) collection of mostly British amulets and charms. Lovett was a collector who documented different medical traditions and beliefs.

Details

Category:
Ethnography and Folk Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A79971
Materials:
glass and fibre
type:
protective amulets
credit:
Lovett, E.