Nazarköy: The Evil Eye Bead Village Near İzmir

Glassmakers still make handmade evil eye beads the traditional way in two villages near İzmir: Nazarköy and Görece. Nazarköy lies in the Kemalpaşa district, and Görece in the Menderes district. In both, masters melt colored glass over a pine-wood fire and shape each bead by hand. Nazarköy is the better known, because it took its name from the craft.

Where is Nazarköy?

Nazarköy is a village in the Kemalpaşa district, inland from İzmir. Its old name was Kurudere, because it sits on a creek bed. Later, bead making became so central to village life that the Council of Ministers renamed it Nazarköy, the village of the nazar (the evil eye; the blue bead protects against it), in March 2007. Görece, the second bead village, lies south of the city in the Menderes district. Its beads have carried a registered name since 2005, and only beads made in Görece may use it.

How are nazar beads made in Nazarköy?

In Nazarköy, the village craftsmen build their own round or oval kilns. They burn only pine wood in them, and glass of different colors melts on shelves called pans. First, the master lifts the molten glass out on an iron rod. Then the master shapes it on a piece of rail iron and adds the colored glass that forms the eye. Because every bead takes shape by hand, no two are quite alike.

Which kinds of beads do the masters make?

The masters of Nazarköy make many shapes, each with its own name. The karagöz, or black eye, is the classic round bead. Besides it, you find walnut, cylinder, egg, plate and heart-shaped beads. Some are small enough for a baby’s collar, while others are wide plates for a front door. For what the bead means, read our guide to the evil eye in Turkey; it also explains why a broken one is good news.

Where did the craft come from?

The craft came to İzmir with glassmakers from Egypt. They made anklets and bead bracelets at the Arap Han in the old Kemeraltı market. Local craftsmen learned from them and developed the beads for their own use. Later, once colored glass arrived, they began to place the eye on the bead to ward off the evil eye. Today, you can walk through Kemeraltı Bazaar, where the story of the bead began.

Can you visit the Nazarköy workshops?

Yes. In Nazarköy, masters still train apprentices in their workshops. So on a visit, you can watch a bead take shape at the furnace and then buy it straight from the maker. The heat is intense, so keep a step back from the kiln and let the master work. A visit also fits easily into a day around İzmir.

• Buy from the maker. A small handmade bead from the workshop means more than a large souvenir piece.
• Ask before you film. The masters are at work, so ask before you film or photograph them.

Would you like to see the evil eye beads made by hand? The furnaces of Nazarköy are a drive from İzmir; send us your day and we will visit the masters. Start with our craft workshops or a tailor-made trip. For a day in the city itself, see our İzmir city tour.