These enati (eye stones) were first worn for protection in the East, but soon the custom of wearing these charms spread to almost all countries. Implicit faith was placed in their reputed magical power to guard the wearer from the dreaded influence of the evil eye. From the very earliest times the imagined influence of the evil eye has struck terror into the hearts of the weak minded, ignorant, and superstitious. The uncanny effect of the eye is produced by cutting through the parallel bands, or layers of the different colours which form the agate.