Superstition is all around us in today’s world, whether it’s the fear of walking under a ladder or encountering a black cat late at night. Many of these quirks and common practices that people follow unquestioningly are steeped in history, dating back hundreds and sometimes thousands of years to ancient times. So what are the origins of some common superstitions and their historical roots?
1. Conniving Crows
Immortalized in today’s culture and cinema as the bringers of bad omens, the sight of crows has sent eerie chills down people’s spines for thousands of years. In Ancient Greece, the crow became linked to Apollo, the god of prophecy, among other things.
According to one Greek myth, crows are black because Apollo commanded the originally white bird, Corvus, to fetch him water for a sacrifice. Instead, the bird stopped on its way to eat figs, delaying his return. When he eventually made it back, Corvus presented Apollo with a snake and blamed it for his delay. The furious Apollo turned Corvus black and cursed it with a harsh, cawing voice. Another legend ties the crow’s color to Apollo’s betrayal by the goddess Coronis.
Consequently, in Greek times – similar to today – people associated crows with bad luck, and their cawing even meant someone would die in the near future.
2. Black Cats and Bad Luck
Though not quite ancient, the black cat’s association with evil and bad luck stretches back hundreds of years to the Middle Ages. Cats were not always so maligned. In ancient Egypt, for example, they were highly esteemed creatures and considered divine.
Not so, however, for the Catholic Church. As early as the 13th century, people viewed these furry creatures as in league with Satan. Around the same time as mass witch hunts, a semi-war on cats ensued, leading to a massive decline of cats across Europe. Black cats, in particular, became targets, and the belief that crossing paths with one brought bad luck was set in place. This rampant fear and superstition of these felids as allies of evil and bad luck lingers today.
3. Knocking on Wood
Knocking, tapping, or touching wood could have its origins from so-called pagan societies, such as the Celts. These people believed that spirits and gods embodied natural things, such as trees. Knocking on tree trunks, therefore, may have called upon these entities for protection, good luck, or a way of saying thanks for some blessing.
Other theories exist about the meaning of this long-standing tradition. Christians came to tie knocking on wood to the cross used to crucify Jesus. Regardless of its history, people still “touch” or “knock” on wood to avoid bad luck or jinxes. It also has multiple variations across the globe, with those in Italy spurning wood entirely and touching iron instead, for example.
4. Spilling or Throwing Salt
If you spill salt, you are in for some bad luck, but worry not; if you just take a pinch and throw it over your left shoulder, your problem is solved. This seemingly undeniable logic of tossing salt for luck is well-known and practiced widely, particularly among TV chefs.
Exactly why we do this, however, is a little murky. Unlike today, when salt is relatively cheap and plentiful, that wasn’t the case in ancient societies. Spilling salt was tantamount to throwing away hard-earned cash, possibly leading to its association with bad luck. But salt also held strong religious and spiritual power as a means of purification, for example.
Religious use of salt dates back hundreds and thousands of years in ancient Greek and Roman practices, Judaism, and others. Discarding salt could, therefore, bring about the fury of the gods. In Christian belief, tossing a small pinch of salt over the shoulder is said to blind the devil if he’s lurking behind you. Luckily, he always hangs about on the left, regardless of how many times he’s blinded. Similarly, Buddhists have long tossed salt over the same shoulder during funeral rituals to ward off evil.
5. Breaking a Mirror
Caution and care around mirrors stretches all the way back to ancient Rome. Mirrors were commonplace in the Roman world, made from materials such as polished metal – with silver particularly favored for some time – and later glass.
Breaking one came laden with bad luck as the Romans believed that the gods peered into the souls of mortals through mirrors. Damaging this looking glass was thus considered an affront to the deities. As many will know, this act brings the precise number of seven years of bad luck. Likewise, this belief is thanks to the Romans as it’s linked to their understanding that the body renews itself every seven years, allowing bad luck to shed.
6. The Evil Eye
Perhaps one of the most widespread objects associated with multiple superstitions is the evil eye, or more specifically, the amulet that comes in many shapes and fashions. Known as a nazar, these amulets – most likely seen in a striking blue stone with an eye painted in the middle – have a long connection with power to ward off evil, envy, and curses that will bring bad luck.
This practice – or at least the association with eye-shaped amulets as protective devices – dates back thousands of years and appears in numerous religions and cultures across the world. Though often purchased as a trendy fashion item today, for many, these amulets still hold a mystical power.
7. Hiding out at Halloween
The act of “guising,” or dressing up, at Halloween may be rooted in centuries-old superstition and the fear of evil. In Scotland, during a Celtic festival to bring in the end of harvest called Samhain, people believed that evil spirits and ghosts roamed the lands. So they would make offerings of food and dress up to disguise themselves, avoiding any unwanted supernatural encounters.
Today, of course, this widely practiced and celebrated time of the year is now far removed from this practice, in spirit at least. But perhaps unwittingly, modern-day fancily dressed guisers are keeping alive a long-standing tradition that is itself rooted in superstition.
Read More: Fingers Crossed! How Your Superstitions May Benefit You
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
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Sean Mowbray is a freelance writer based in Scotland. He covers the environment, archaeology, and general science topics. His work has also appeared in outlets such as Mongabay, New Scientist, Hakai Magazine, Ancient History Magazine, and others.
