Feature: What Is the Evil Eye and What Makes It So Evil?

Library > Community Presentations

Presenter: Zeena Saifi

Delivered: Dubai on December 14, 2019

The idea of the evil eye is extremely common around the Middle East region, but it actually doesn’t originate from here. It is a widespread belief that transcends multiple different cultures, with each having its own way to repel that evil.

Sources & Future References

• Moralia by Plutarch

• Aethiopica by Heliodorus of Emesa

• The Evil Eye: The Classic Account of an Ancient Superstition by Frederick Elworthy

• The strange power of the ‘evil eye’ - BBC Culture

• The Timeless Myth of Medusa, a Rape Victim Turned Into a Monster

• The Meaning Behind the Evil Eye Symbol You See Everywhere

• Beware the Evil Eye. Or Buy One, Just for Kicks - The New York Times

Note: All community presentations are prepared & presented by non-experts on the subject. They are sharing information in the hopes of spurring interest in that subject.

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About Afikra Community Presentations

Delivered and prepared by afikra Community members, the presentation’s goal is to showcase the presenter’s curiosity and research and share some knowledge on a ‎topic related to the Arab world’s histories and cultures. The presentation is the ‎culmination of the afikra coaching process to help identify a topic, find research, and develop the ‎presentation. afikra presentations come in two forms, a long question-driven afikra Feature, and a short afikra FWD with the purpose of sharing something interesting.