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| House of the Evil Eye, Antakya, Turkey |
The scorpion, aka the akrep (Turkish) or aqrab (Arabic), is a lot like the snake. It has a dual meaning.
An akrep can be a symbolic embodiment of evil or sexuality. (I'll let you extrapolate what a woman might mean when she claims to be "stung by a scorpion".) Yet the akrep is also protective design embroidered into the hem of a women's dress, or worn as an amulet to keep general evil at bay.
I suppose it's like fighting fire with fire. For example, in the mosaic at right, the evil eye is being attacked by all sorts of things associated with badness - snake, dog, pitchfork, centipede, jackal (I think), crow, and of course, the scorpion. Even the little demon is pointing a strategic part toward the eye. KAI CY means "and you", so the message is : If you put your evil eye on me, I'm sending the evil back out after you.
Remember in the depictions of Mithras, there's a scorpion grabbing the sacrificial bull by his - Well, I guess evil and sexually are intertwined in both of these examples. Let's try another.
Sufi mystics like to use the akrep as a symbol of their mastery over evil. Some Sufis even claim immunity, treating bite victims and performing ritual-like scorpion handling demonstrations.
Yeah...Some people may treat scorpions like pets, but I'm still not keeping any around. Where's my lavender?
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"Stung by a scorpion" is one of the more poetic euphemisms I've heard! As always, very interesting!
ReplyDeleteIt's so interesting how evil and sex/sexuality are intertwined! What's wrong with a bit of nookie!!! LOL! And scorpions, like snakes, just are! Poor things - although I'll be screaming and running very fast in the opposite direction if I ever encounter these lovelies! Take care
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It's funny because yesterday there were killer scorpions in the James Bond movie and an episode of American Dad I watched. Synchronicity!
ReplyDeleteInteresting! I'm late dropping by on the laughter blogfest. I loved your joke... too funny! Nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteinteresting!
ReplyDeleteI am a Scorpio, is that why I am evil? (Wink, wink)
ReplyDeleteReceived the package, bald man on the corner, phone rings twice and say "thank you, crazy lady."
Thank you and I loved it!!!
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
does lavender keep scorpions away??? Must be why I love it so much! :D
ReplyDeleteYour posts are always so fascinating. Have I told you this before? Consider yourself told. :D ((hugs))
Great post! I'd rather have lavender than scorpions too :-)
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