[ **[[Witchcraft]]** ] --- # The evil eye [[2025-0322. The concept of the 'evil eye' appears to be an almost universal belief.|The concept of the 'evil eye' appears to be an almost universal belief.]][^1] [[2025-0322. Belief in the 'evil eye' probably spread alongside the evolution of complex peasant-urban cultures.|Belief in the 'evil eye' probably spread alongside the evolution of complex peasant-urban cultures.]][^2] --- ## Remedies ### In the Near East [[“In the Near East today, eye imitations made of glass are worn as amulets against the evil eye.”|'In the Near East today, eye imitations made of glass are worn as amulets against the evil eye.']][^3] --- ## History ### Ancient Mesopotamia Although the evil eye is connected with [[Witchcraft|witchcraft]] in ancient Mesopotamia, “witches are rarely accused of looking at their victims”.[^4] > \[…] whereas witchcraft most often resulted in conflicts with family and neighbors, serious illness, or even death,13 the effects of the evil eye seem to be somewhat different. In TCL 16, 89 and BL, no. 3, they are described as accidents, situations which might happen to anyone at any time: it rains too little, the cheese-making goes wrong, a tool breaks, clothes are torn, and the like.[^5] The small number of references to the evil eye (amongst an otherwise enormous number of incantations and ritual texts) might suggest that belief in the evil eye wasn’t all that widespread in ancient Mesopotamia.[^6] On the other hand, it is also possible that it *was* widespread—but just not that big a deal. > Although the evil eye, like witchcraft, was the work of human beings, its effects were generally thought to be of a more harmless character. It belonged to everyday annoyances but was not really dangerous since, usually, it did not affect the health of the person. This may be the reason for the absence of rituals against the evil eye. It was simply not serious enough to demand a place among the important incantation series \[…].[^7] --- #### Remedies > The seed of the azallû-plant : medication (against) the evil eye : that it should not approach a man, rub on in juniper oil.[^8] [^1]: Marie-Louise Thomsen, ‘[[Thomsen. 'The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia', 1992.|The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia]]’, *Journal of Near Eastern Studies*, vol. 51, no. 1 (1992), p. 19. [^2]: Marie-Louise Thomsen, ‘[[Thomsen. 'The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia', 1992.|The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia]]’, *Journal of Near Eastern Studies*, vol. 51, no. 1 (1992), p. 20. [^3]: Marie-Louise Thomsen, ‘[[Thomsen. 'The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia', 1992.|The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia]]’, *Journal of Near Eastern Studies*, vol. 51, no. 1 (1992), p. 26. [^4]: Marie-Louise Thomsen, ‘[[Thomsen. 'The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia', 1992.|The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia]]’, *Journal of Near Eastern Studies*, vol. 51, no. 1 (1992), p. 28. [^5]: Marie-Louise Thomsen, ‘[[Thomsen. 'The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia', 1992.|The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia]]’, *Journal of Near Eastern Studies*, vol. 51, no. 1 (1992), p. 22. [^6]: Marie-Louise Thomsen, ‘[[Thomsen. 'The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia', 1992.|The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia]]’, *Journal of Near Eastern Studies*, vol. 51, no. 1 (1992), p. 28. [^7]: Marie-Louise Thomsen, ‘[[Thomsen. 'The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia', 1992.|The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia]]’, *Journal of Near Eastern Studies*, vol. 51, no. 1 (1992), p. 28. [^8]: Marie-Louise Thomsen, ‘[[Thomsen. 'The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia', 1992.|The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia]]’, *Journal of Near Eastern Studies*, vol. 51, no. 1 (1992), p. 27.