Mirror, Mirror, Tell the People

One of the significant objects throughout human history, the ayna has always been regarded as a mesmerizing tool due to its reflective property. The ayna reflects the shape and appearance of objects by means of light reflection. In antiquity, it was an object crafted by polishing and refining metals such as bronze or copper and was considered a high-value item. Those unable to obtain one resorted to using the reflective property of water. With the introduction of glass in mirror production, its prevalence in daily life increased and it became more accessible and affordable.

The growing use of the ayna contributed to an increasing emphasis placed on appearance among people. The practice of viewing oneself as one would view another helped solidify personal preferences. Through the ayna, people combined their gaze upon their faces, bodies, clothing, and adornments with a kind of ritual of “adornment.” Self-adornment also brought about detailed examinations. It is believed that this contributed to the growth of studies in physiology, cosmetics, hairdressing, and tailoring.

The primary function of the ayna is reflection. It has fulfilled this role without interruption until today. The element of reflection has contributed to the accumulation of meanings in scientific, artistic, verbal, and mythological forms, as well as to the establishment of conceptual and theoretical frameworks and patterns of meaning. Alongside the ayna, various practices and rituals emerged; in some communities it was accepted as a cultural object and led to the establishment of a cultural mode of action. The word “ayna” derives from the Persian “ayine,” and its earliest examples originated from polished iron known as “âyen.” The Turkish Language Association (Türk Dil Kurumu) defines it as “a polished and coated glass that reflects the image of light-reflecting entities: gözgü, mirat.”

The ayna has a deep and long history in human civilization. Although the exact time of its emergence as an object remains uncertain, the polished obsidian stone found during excavations at Çatalhöyük is considered one of the earliest examples of the ayna. Its history can be traced back to the 7th millennium BCE. Selenite plaques dating to around 4500 BCE, discovered in Egypt, are among the most important findings related to the ayna, symbolically associated with Queen Nakija’s Babylonian stela.

The history of the ayna among the Turks extends back to the Metal Age. Aynas found in burial mounds from Central Asia to the present day were made of iron, steel, and bronze. The ayna has occupied a place in world cultural history as a symbol, sembol, and object across numerous fields—from mythology to psychology, philosophy to literature, physics to theology. While this may be viewed as a consequence of humanity’s need to see and be seen, the ayna has always generated more than mere acts of showing and reflecting; it has contributed to the expansion of the world of meaning.

In Sufi thought, the ayna has been accorded great significance. Particularly in Sufi sources and literature, the ayna is a frequently used element and metaphor. It is said that a person is like a mirror; the clearer the mirror of the soul—the essential inner element—the more accurately it reflects truth. The ayna also embodies an act of “contemplation” centered on seeing and showing. Because the individual comprehends both self and the external world through the reflection visible on the surface, and because that surface reflection influences what lies beyond it, the ayna has always been regarded with great importance.

The ayna has been integrated into various cultures in different ways. It has been regarded as a portal to other dimensions, a magical and mystical object, and leaving an ayna uncovered has often been considered inauspicious. In Anatolia specifically, it has been observed that customs and popular beliefs arose around the idea that looking into an ayna at night or breaking it brings bad luck, and that covering the ayna at night is advisable.

In moral and etiquette manuals, the ayna has been viewed as an instrument of cleanliness. From a religious perspective, using an ayna, a comb, and pleasant fragrances is considered recommended. The greatest example is our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, who carried an ayna with him even when going to war, demonstrating care for cleanliness and order. Süleyman Çelebi, the author of the Mawlid, who wrote “I found my essence as a mirror of my essence,” and Sheikh Galip, who stated “The mirror of divine unity is the essence of the body,” illustrate how the ayna has acquired diverse symbolic meanings.

The ayna, as an element of manifestation, focuses on the phenomena arising from its reflective capacity. Along with the many elements it reflects, the ayna carries various meaning capsules. One side of the ayna may be good, another bad; one side beautiful, another ugly. Due to its reflective nature, the ayna can lead to narcissism. As a form of obsession, narcissism is a disorder characterized by excessive self-admiration and the perception of everyone else as bad or ugly. In his work Water and Dreams, Gaston Bachelard asserts that there is no other object as seductive as the human face. He notes that a person standing before a mirror moves according to questions such as: “For whom are you looking at yourself? Who are you confronting when you look at yourself? Are you aware of your power or beauty?”

For Bachelard, the ayna is an illuminating object and an easy dream object. He discusses the advantages of using water as a reflective medium. Bachelard observes that water naturalizes the face and imbues it with innocence, and describes how Narcissus, at the edge of a spring, became entranced by the continuous flow of his own beauty. In contrast, a glass mirror offers a static, fixed image. Thus, the artificial image of glass and the fluid reflections of water produce distinct effects. With all these influences, the ayna continues to exist today, still serving us in some corner of our lives.