The Number 13: Superstitions and Rituals

Whilst researching my book Aromatherapy & Herbalism I came across so many old wives tales, rituals and superstitions. I would like to share the origins of why people think the number 13 is thought to be highly unlucky. People who fear, have superstitions or any rituals in connection with the NUMBER 13 are called Triskaidekaphobics. Fear of the number 13 can be traced back to medieval times

- 13 people were present at the last supper - Judas Iscariot was a traitor

- Calenders (Hebrew and Chinese) have to include 13 months in some years to synchronize solar and lunar cycles

- Witches' covens are associated with having the perfect number of members = 13

- In Norse Mythology, Odin invited eleven of his friends to a party which was gatecrashed by Loki (the god of evil and turmoil)

- Streets or housing estates in several countries skip house number 13 as the number is omitted completely

- Friday the 13th - we even have movies with this date as it is considered,for some, to be the most unlucky day and anything that can go wrong,will

- Hotels will not have a floor 13 and skip from floor 12 to floor 14 due to the universal superstition of bad luck

- More road accidents occur on Friday the 13th than on any other day of the year. Most people prefer to make alternative travel arrangements on the 13th

- Friday is the only day of the week named after a female deity, Freyja

- Scandanavians believed that the number 13 is unlucky due to the mythological 12 demigods being joined by a 13th evil one

- Never sit down at a function or table where there are 13 seats whoever gets up from the table first will die within a year

- In Matriarchal driven goddess societies, 13 is a revered number

- In a Patriarchal society, symbols etc., were demonized

- In business, no major deals are transacted on Friday 13th due to the fear behind this date

- There are 13 cycles in a solar year

- In a Tarot deck the number 13 is reversed and signifies death

The fear of the number 13 can be traced back to the last supper. It can be traced back to Egyptian times where the ladder on which your soul travels has 13 steps and then your soul reaches eternity. Hope you enjoy!