The symbol of the eye has had a special meaning for mankind since ancient times, for example the ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus. Thanks to Christian art, the symbol of the eye became widespread during the Renaissance in the form of the so-called Eye of God. The famous depiction of the all-seeing and all-knowing eye of God can be found on the US one-dollar bill. But this symbol can also be seen in our country, for example on the Holy Trinity Column on Lesser Town Square.

The blue eye is supposed to protect its owner from evil forces, malice or bewitchment. People believe that the talisman has the power to ward off these forces. Occasionally, the amulet itself breaks into pieces when repelling evil forces. Then it must be thrown away because it is said to leak accumulated evil energy. The blue eye is most often found in the form of various amulets, pendants, or small beads. These are small things that can be carried around all the time. They are usually made of blown glass or wooden beads. But you will also see larger representations of the blue eye in Greece, for example as tiles in homes, chandeliers or decorations hanging on doors. So whether you believe in the power of the amulet or not, a small blue eye bead like this is a lovely souvenir from your holiday to give to all your loved ones. And if by chance the bead breaks... you can never be sure if it was a glass defect or if the blue eye just protected you from evil energy.

People believe in the power of the blue eye not only in Greece, but also in Bulgaria, Egypt, Cyprus, etc. But it is very widespread especially in Turkey. There it is called "nazar" or even "nazar boncuÄŸu" ("nazar" comes from the Arabic word for "look" and "boncuÄŸu" from the Turkish word for "bead").