The Number Thirteen

The Number Thirteen

The Egyptians were the first to develop a superstition for the number thirteen, but for them the number brought good luck. They believed that there were twelve steps on the ladder to eternal life and knowledge and to take the thirteenth step meant going through death into everlasting life. Thirteen, for the Egyptians, was associated with immortality.

It was in Roman times that the number thirteen became associated with ill omens, particularly those bringing death and destruction.

For Christians, the number thirteen also brought bad luck. The superstition stems from the Last Supper where Judas Iscariot became the thirteenth guest to sit at the table and would later betray Jesus, leading to his crucifixion. Still to this day it is considered very bad luck for thirteen people to sit down for dinner together. It is believed that one of the dinner guests will die within the year.

Norse mythology also has a superstition surrounding thirteen at a dinner table and the bad luck that ensues. In fact, it is believed that the Christian story of the Last Supper may find its origin in this particular myth. Apparently twelve deities sat down for a meal at a gods' feast only to have Loki, the god of mischief and disorder, come along and crash the party. He rose the number to thirteen, causing one of the gods to die during the meal.

The number was adopted by witches for their covens, which always number thirteen.

Still, to this day, the superstition lives on.

Most hotel chains have no room number thirteen and many skyscrapers are without a thirteenth floor.
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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by BellaMoonStar on April 19, 2009 at 2:03pm

I have always liked the number 13 .. Has been lucky for me :)

Permalink Reply by cacklingcat on September 21, 2009 at 1:44am

Thats my berthday yay 13

Permalink Reply by Thordis on November 3, 2009 at 10:34am

Hmmm are you referring to the Flyting of Loki aka Lokasenna, because there were no Gods who died at that gathering. In fact, no one died at all and there were already at least 13 Gods present when Loki entered. In addition, he never joined the feast and his "flyting" or ritual exchange of insults, began due to being excluded. Any good copy of the Poetic Edda will contain the Lokasenna where this can be verified.

In Frith,
Thordis

Permalink Reply by Beth Mulcahy on June 15, 2012 at 11:20am

While I have always heard mention that 13 was supposedly bad luck, I have always used it as my lucky number (but then I was born on the 13th). When I talked to others, a lot of people I know who are born on the day of 13th say that it is their lucky number and that they have the best luck on days that fall on the 13th. I guess being born on that day negates any bad luck associated with that number. ^_~

Permalink Reply by Jimmy Wolf Smith on June 15, 2012 at 5:12pm