Nazar amulet

🏷  Semitic hidden ruler pun · symbol   —   by Gerry · Aug 2020 · 201 words

The Nazar amulet is an eye-shaped amulet to ward of the “evil eye”, its name derived from נצר nṣr natsar for “watching” & “guarding”. But for the spooks, it is really a pun with נאזר n-ˀzr nezar for “veiling oneself”. Since the evil eye represents “investigated evidence” & “nullified disguise”, the Nazar amulet represents the rulers’ protection against such a threat: putting on a mask.

For a discussion of the mostly Arabic term ˀzr for “veil”, see the Nazir entry.

Hebrew nṣr = watch, guard

נצר nṣr : to watch, guard, keep, to put on the safety catch (in a weapon); observed; kept secret; kept close, blockaded — Hebrew (Klein)

Arabic, Persian, Hebrew ˀzr = veil, cover, belt; n-ˀzr = wrap oneself

ازار ˀzˀr izār : a veil of fine linen or muslin, which, in the East, flows from the ladies heads below the middle of the leg; any thing, in general, which covers the naked body; trowsers, breeches, drawers; the skirts of a tent — Persian (Johnson)

אזור ˀzwr : girdle; zone, region; It is prob. related to Arab. ’izā́r (= loincloth, wrapper, covering). — Hebrew (Klein)

נאזר nˀzr : girded; Niph. part. of אזר (= to gird). — Hebrew (Klein)

נאזר nˀzr : was girded (Niph.) — Hebrew (Klein)

🏷  Semitic hidden ruler pun · symbol