13 (Thirteen)! This unfortunate number is unfortunately considered as one of the most unluckiest number unanimously (by at least a clean majority) across continents. May be Italy is an exception but for the rest of the world, 13 is perhaps the unluckiest number to be created. I sometimes wonder,why did they create 13 if it was unlucky in the first place.
Perhaps it became unlucky after they created it. But in the era of Kings and Lords when they could make February lose some days, then why not lose 13 too.
I am so glad that they did not decide to drop the 13th in Feb instead of the 29th. I was born on the 13th of February. Though I tend to believe that it is a lucky number for me, but I have not felt it to be a wee bit luckier than all the other days of the year. But I guess since I was born on the 13th I must have reinstated the belief of the number being unlucky :) for a devil was born
The fear of the number 13 is called Triskaidekaphobia while the fear of Friday the 13th is paraskevidekatriaphobia . Since I am so closely associated with the number 13, I was a little curious about the origins and I did some digging.
JUDAS the 13th Disciple
This is one of the most common beliefs in the Christian world. It is believed that the disciple who sat on the 13th chair at the Last Supper was none other than Judas. But I am not entirely convinced about the seating arrangement here since the count could have been from either ends. If it was a circle as opposed to the famous depiction by Leonardo Da Vinci, then the 13th could have been any chair.
The Knights Templar
This secret not so secret anymore) sect made more famous by Dan Brown in the Da Vinci Code, were executed supposedly on the 13th of October 1307 on a Friday. So again this is considered to be the reason why it is unlucky. Unfortunately the Knights from the Templar considered the number to be lucky....only if they knew!
VIKINGS and LOKI
But it seems that this belief went back to the Vikings too. Loki was supposed to be the 13th god who barged some meeting of gods (supper again...note the coincidence) and also engineered the murder of Baldr (another Norse mythological god).
Scotland ( a country influenced by Norse Mythology) does not seem to have a terminal numbered 13 at their Airports. Its numbered 12B.
Adam and Eve
There is also a belief doing the rounds that Eve gave Adam the apple on a Friday. I thought they didn't care about days or nights since they were in bliss (paradise) till they ate the apple. So I am sure that this belief is more of afterthought created to emphasize the unluckiness of poor 13 since Friday is allegedly, a close cousin of the 13th when it comes to unluckiness.
Modern Times
I remember watching a program on Discovery where the paramedics claimed that they tend to have more accident cases on a Full Moon Day than any other day. Somewhere else I read that hospitals emergency rooms are swapped more on Friday the 13th than normal Fridays. I really feel sorry for the all those hospital and emergency staff when the next Full Moon Friday the 13th comes up.
The Airline industry is perhaps the most fearful of the number 13. Most renowned airliners including Lufthansa, Continental Airlines, Alitalia and others do not have the 13th seat on their flights. They just skip it. I call that fooling the already fooled customers.
It seems that Formula One (F1) also as a custom do not use number 13 on their cars in recent times.
13 and United States
For some reason in the US, Basketball, Baseball and American Football has been blessed with the number 13's luckiness. Many greats from these respective games have made it to the Hall of Fame and won major tournaments.
- American flag to this day has thirteen horizontal stripes derived from the original 13 States.
- Great Seal of the United States there are 13 olive leaves (with 13 olives), 13 arrows, and 13 stars. These form a triangle over the eagle with the number 13 on each point.
- The number of guns in a gun salute to U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps Major Generals, and Navy and Coast Guard Rear Admirals Upper Half
This blog is being launched on the 13th of May 2008 and will contain 13 random posts every month. This is not an exercise in Myth busting. But more of a dedication and mark of respect to the unluckiest number on the planet.
What is your take on the number 13? Do try and share an incident related to this number below (comments).
Links & References:
For the religiously inclined and one with loads of time you can read the following links for more information:
http://philologos.org/bpr/files/n018.htm
For all those Bush Bashers: http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/hardtruth/george_bushjr_13.htm
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