Friday the 13th Myth: Broken Mirrors Bring Bad Luck

It’s that time of the year again…the 13th day of the month fell on a Friday. Today is usually filled with everyday household items becoming culprits of bad luck  — break a mirror and you are stuck with seven years of bad luck, says this well known superstition.

Ever wondered how this superstition came about? Or what really lies behind it? Here’s what we found out:

The first mirror-makers were the ancient Romans, who believed that glass reflected a person’s soul. They also believed that life renewed itself every seven years, so breaking a mirror—and, thus, your soul—meant seven long years of misery. But a more likely cause for any ill health following a shattering is mercury, which was used in mirrors until the 1800s. Mercury is a neurotoxin that affects the nervous system that can lead to madness. It can also damage the nerves and the kidneys, cause gingivitis and affect the development of infants and children.

Thankfully, mercury is no longer used to make mirrors, rendering this myth moot.

And it seems you’re in luck! A beautiful vintage mirror is currently up for auction, bidding is only until 9:45pm ET today. BID NOW, debunk that myth and have a wonderful Friday the 13th!