Unlucky 13
The number thirteen has been associated with bad luck for centuries, but do any of us really know why? Sure there are tons of theories based on folklore, mythology, ancient religions, and even numerology, but are any of them correct? We may never know exactly why the number thirteen is so unlucky, but we do know that just as often as it is seen to bring about bad luck, it is also associated with good luck.
Thirteen as an unlucky number definitely has a religious base, particularly in the Christian religion. One of the most popular explanations as to why thirteen is so unlucky is that there were thirteen disciples at the Last Supper as written in the Bible. Furthermore, of the thirteen people at the Last Supper, it was Judas Iscariot, the thirteenth person to sit at the table that betrayed Jesus Christ.
Norse mythology also presents thirteen as a very unlucky number. Loki, a Norse god, attended a party at Valhalla, the banquet of the gods, uninvited. There were twelve guests present at Valhalla when Loki arrived, he made it thirteen. Upon his arrival, he caused the death of Balder, the god of light, joy, and reconciliation, by throwing mistletoe at him. Loki was a very mean spirited god, and his behavior at the party was forever associated with the number thirteen.
A more numerological explanation for the association of thirteen and bad luck comes from mathematics itself. Thirteen may be considered to be unlucky simply because when you divide a group of thirteen people or objects, by two, three, four, or six parts, there is always one that is left over. This leftover object or person is usually considered unlucky.
Looking at human biology, the human menstrual period in an average woman occurs every twenty-eight days. This ends up being about thirteen times a year. In many ancient cultures, the number thirteen and women were closely associated, which can explain the vilification of the number. In ancient times, we must remember that the female was often associated with evil.
Friday the 13th is often referred to as an unlucky day. While there are many different hypotheses as to why this day is so unlucky, there is one intriguing explanation, which may hold some truth. The infamous Knights Templar were violently slaughtered en masse in a plan devised by Pope Clement V and King Phillip IV of France. The day that the slaughter occurred was Friday the 13th, which may have solidified the number thirteen in its unlucky status.
Whether the number thirteen is unlucky or not, the number has caused superstitions across the world, even in modern day. Many tall buildings do not have a thirteenth floor – they skip from floor 12 to floor 14. The same can be said for airplanes since many skip the thirteenth row. The number thirteen has sparked much debate as to whether it is truly unlucky or not. However, it is for you to decide, as many people also believe it to be very lucky.
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