Description
The “evil eye” is rich with cultural anecdotes and traditions, mystical lore, and modern concepts. This book takes a deep dive into the origins of the evil eye, from ancient Egyptian practices to those found in ancient Greece and Rome. Most of the people are unaware that the world’s major monotheistic religions are replete with references to the evil eye. What did Jesus say about it in his Sermon on the Mount? The prophet Muhammad warned against the dangers of the eye, but what treatment did he provide to offset misfortune? Why and how does the evil eye appear in rabbinic literature and other Jewish texts? The Evil Eye answers these (and other) timeless questions at the same time as taking readers on a literary journey that may be at once informative, enlightening, and, at times, disturbing.
The book:
- Defines the evil eye and traces its roots into antiquity and across an odd breadth of cultures and traditions.
- Shows readers how to diagnose the evil eye, how to cure it, in addition to cast it on others.
- Explores using amulets and talismans bearing the “evil eye,” including its remarkable prevalence in popular jewelry designs.
- Includes the history and use of more than a few talismans such as the Hamsa; the Italian cornicello and mano figa; the azabache stone; the Kabbalah red string; mirror pendants; jumble beads; the Assyrian evil eye; and plenty of others
