'Living human treasure' wants to teach others his craft
Mahmut Sür has been making glass evil eyes for 44 years. Registered as a 'living human treasure' by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Sür wants to train others to carry out his craft.
Duvar English
Mahmut Sür has been making evil eyes in İzmir's Nazarköy since his childhood. Producing evil eyes are an important means of income for the residents of Nazarköy, named after the beads that usually come in blue. In Turkish, evil eyes are called 'nazar beads,' 'nazar' being a misfortune brought upon by someone else's jealousy. Evil eyes are thought to protect the bearer by capturing the nazar and preventing it from hurting the person or object that carries it. Sür has been shaping glass in front of the fire for 44 years. Registered as a 'living human treasure' by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Sür wants to train others to carry out his craft. Sür is training five people in his workshop at the moment, and has trained 15 others over the years, five of whom were women, he says. Sür says that even when he's not working, he'll come into his shop to watch his apprentices and more importantly, the beads. "Glass is a passion, if you love it, it'll appear as though it's glancing at you and you'll start searching for its gaze," Sür said.