What is a Turkish nazar?

The Turkish nazar is an amulet that involves the use of concentric circular shapes in black, blue and white, forming the crude image of an eye. This talisman is believed to ward off a force of evil known as the evil eye.

While it may seem counterintuitive to use an eye-shaped talisman to ward off an eye, or evil gaze, this is a popular talisman that has been made for hundreds of years. These amulets are typically made of glass, but nazar boncuks, or evil eye beads, have gained popularity and are now made with cheaper materials such as plastic.