The Fear of the Number 13
Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13. We have all heard of it, and many have heard rumors as to its origin, but do we really know the extend to which this superstition reaches worldwide, and for how long this fear has existed?
From the vikings, to the disciples, to the Knights Templar, to the Lunar Calendar, there are many theories of the origin of Triskaidekaphobia.
Triskaidekaphobia
The Fear of 13
The word triskaidekaphobia comes from greek: 'tris' meaning 'three', 'kai' meaning 'and', 'deka' meaning 'ten', and 'phobia' as we know meaning 'fear'. It is the fear of the number 13.A specific fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.
Related phobias include arithmophobia or numerophobia, which is the general fear of numbers, and hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia the fear of the number 666. Also, Tetraphobia, is fear of the number 4, a number considered quite unlucky in Korea, China, and Japan.
If you are interested in the names of (many) other phobias, visit the Phobia List.
The Guide to the 13 Superstition
13: The Story of the World's Most Popular Superstition
Amazon Price: $19.26 (as of 12/17/2009)
13 brings together forgotten history and unknown facts about unlucky 13 to create the compelling story of the rise of a single belief. It is also a book about superstition in general - why people believe what they believe and why they stop believing when they do. 13 draws on history and the range of contemporary superstitions; in so doing, it touches on the fate of myth-making in general.
Occurances and Examples of the 13 Superstition in Action
- In America, many tall buildings have no floor numbered as "13". Watch the elevator buttons as an indication of this.
- On some passenger aircraft there is no seating row numbered "13".
- In Formula One and many other racing categories, no vehicle carries the number 13.
- Microsoft will be skipping the name Office 13. Office 12 (a.k.a Microsoft Office 2007) will be followed by the next release whose working title is Microsoft Office 14.
- Hospitals and hotels routinely have no room number 13.
- On streets in Florence, Italy, and in much of France the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 and a half.
- In Scotland, there is no terminal 13 in any airport, instead there is a terminal 12B.
- On the Universal Studios sound stages in California, there is no sound stage numbered 13.
Possible Origins of this Worldwide Phobia
- The counting method of ancient man may be the source of the fear, in that man counted on ten fingers and two feet (presumably covered in an article of clothing, like a shoe). Anything beyond that countable dozen was "unknown" and therefore suspect. In English, we have distinct names for the numbers one through twelve.
- Or perhaps it came from the Last Supper a meal for which 13 people sat a the table. Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th to sit at the table.
- It may also be linked to that fact that a lunisolar calendar must have 13 months in some years, while the solar Gregorian calendar and lunar Islamic calendar always have 12 months in a year.
- There is also a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven. In walked the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki arranged for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow, killing him.
Thirteen: A Journey Into the Number
Thirteen: A Journey Into the Number
Amazon Price: (as of 12/17/2009)
From Amazon: An exploration of the mysterious power of the superstitions surrounding the number 13, still potent enough in our supposedly rational age that apartment buildings and hotels often lack a unit number 13, or even the entire 13th floor. Cott is clearly one who makes a point of dancing with danger and walking with studied insouciance under ladders--he joined Philadelphia's Friday the 13th Club on that very date--but his book is filled with trivia of decidedly unthreatening import (Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13th) that puts only true 13-phobes at risk. Cott records that the composer Arnold Schoenberg, fearful of dying at age 76 (get it?) on Friday the 13th, took to his bed, but died at 13 minutes to midnight.
Fear of Friday the 13th
paraskavedekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia
"It's been estimated that [U.S] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do," said Donald Dossey, founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina. Triskaidekaphobia Videos
J.H.T. reads Triskaidekaphobia
Sesame Street - 13 Hamburgers
Links
- From National Geographic News: Friday the 13th Phobia Rooted in Ancient History
- Fear of Friday the 13th has roots in a Viking myth, ancient Rome, and even the Last Supper.
- Urban Legends Reference Pages: A World of Luck (Friday the 13th)
- Why is Friday the 13th considered an unlucky day?
How about you...
It has been estimated that in America, $800 to $900 million dollars is lost in business revinue on Friday the 13th, because people shy away from things they would normally be doing like flying, purchasing a home, purchasing a car, etc.
The LUCKY Child 13
A surprising twist
With so much unluckiness about the number 13, it is surprising that the superstitious believe that children born on the 13th of any month shall be LUCKY in all of their ventures in life. Triskaidekaphobia Button
Triskaidekaphobia Button
I do NOT have triskaidekaphobia ! Also check out this guy's friggatriskaidekaphobia items.
Price: 4.73
Early American 13s (or so the British said)
From a London Newspaper, 1776, quoted in Lippincotts Magazine, July 1876
Thirteen is a number peculiarly belonging to the rebels. A party of naval prisoners lately returned from Jersey say that the rations among the rebels are thirteen dried clams per day; that the titular Lord Stirling takes thirteen glasses of grog every morning, has thirteen enormous rum-bunches on his nose, and that (when duly impregnated) he always makes thirteen attempts before he can walk; that Mr. Washington has thirteen toes on his feet (the extra ones having grown since the Declaration of Independence,) and the same number of teeth in each jaw; that the Sachem Schuyler has a top-knot of thirteen stiff hairs, which erect themselves on the crown of his head when he grows mad; that Old Putnam had thirteen pounds of his posteriors bit off in an encounter with a Connecticut bear, ('twas then he lost the balance of his mind); that it takes thirteen Congress paper dollars to equal one penny sterling; that Polly Wayne was just thirteen hours in subduing Stony Point, and as many seconds in leaving it; that a well-organized rebel household has thirteen children, all of whom expect to be generals and members of the High and Mighty Congress of the "thirteen United States" when they attain thirteen years; that Mrs. Washington has a mottled tom-cat, (which she calls, in a complimentary way, 'Hamilton,') with thirteen yellow rings around his tail, and that his flaunting it suggested to the Congress the adoption of the same number of stripes for the rebel flag. A Dictionary of Superstitions
A Dictionary of Superstitions (Oxford Paperback Reference)
Amazon Price: $17.21 (as of 12/17/2009)
Did you know that it used to be the custom to fight at Scottish funerals until blood was drawn? If you've ever wanted the definitive answers on subjects such as black cats, magpies and spilt milk, look no further than this classic, critically acclaimed dictionary. Hundreds of superstitions and beliefs, including spells, cures, rituals, taboos, charms, and omens are covered, and illustrated by quotations that trace their development through the centuries. Subjects include advice on the signs to observe when getting married, the significance of animals, plants, stones, colours, food and drink, the elements and heavenly bodies, precautions to be taken after a death in the house, and many more. Superstitions are arranged alphabetically by subject, and fully cross referenced for easy browsing. In addition to providing quotations illustrating references to superstitions in everyday life , the dictionary also contains a wealth of information illustrating the history of popular superstition. For example, the lucky horseshoe was protection against witches in the sixteenth century, and touching wood may be a lingering memory of the veneration attached to the relics of the cross. Both informative and accessible, this dictionary is a browser's delight, and a fascinating work of reference for anyone with an interest in superstitions and their history.
Why is FRIDAY the 13th especially unlucky?
(paraskavedekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia)
- The Crucifixion took place on a Friday, linking the bad luck of 13 (from the last supper) to the misfortune of the next day, Friday.
- The association of Friday the thirteenth with the arrest of Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, on Friday, October 13, 1307 by King Philippe IV of France has oftem been referenced as the origin of paraskavedekatriaphobia (Dan Brown included this in The Da Vinci Code), however this is a modern-day story.
13 Items for Women
The Thirteen Club
An effort to end the superstition
In 1881, a group of rationalists joined together in forming The Thirteen Club. Their goal was to debunk the 13-at-table myth by dining once a month with 13 at each table, to show that no more of them died then in any other group. Though it took a year to recruit the first 13 members, by 1887 The Thirteen Club was 400-strong, with five U.S. Presidents as honorary members.A copy of Robert Green Ingersoll's toast at the December 13, 1886 dinner is available online. It ends with:
"We have had enough mediocrity, enough policy, enough superstition, enough prejudice, enough provincialism, and the time has come for the American citizen to say: "Hereafter I will be represented by men who are worthy, not only of the great Republic, but of the Nineteenth Century."
13 Items for Guys
More Bizzare 13 Facts
- There are traditionally thirteen steps leading up to a gallows.
- In Tarot decks, the 13th card of the Major Arcana is Death. While Death is rarely interpreted literally, it is possible that this furthered the perception of 13 as an unlucky number.
- On the 13th day of the Persian new year (Norouz), people consider staying at home unlucky, and go outside for a picnic in order to ward off the bad luck.
- The Code of Hammurabi, a collection of laws, created circa 1760 BC, does not contain a thirteenth law.
The Guestbook
Are you afraid of 13? or Friday the 13th?
Have you no fear at all?
-
Reply
- Laniann Laniann Nov 15, 2009 @ 7:22 am
- No, I'm not afraid of Friday the 13th. I never really think about it when the day comes up just carry on as usual.
-
Reply
- Joseph Fatal Joseph Fatal Nov 13, 2009 @ 1:22 pm
- It is religious. It is the fear of departing the love ones. Reminds us of Jesus last supper with his twelve disciples. It was on that friday before his crucifixtion that he surrounded himself with his twelve disciples for his last supper with them. It was very scary for him, and for his disciples. And further more it was his bad luck.
-
Reply
- Pukeko Pukeko Oct 15, 2009 @ 1:51 pm
- What a fun topic. Funny thing is that I am quite a superstitious person, but 13 doesn't get to me. Some really interesting facts here. I had heard many, but I didn't know about house numbers 12.5 or the steps to the gallows. Squid angel blessed.
-
Reply
- tandemonimom tandemonimom Feb 19, 2009 @ 3:43 pm
- GREAT topic for a lens! Here's one I've heard that you don't have listed: it goes back to the Exodus. The 10th plague (the death of the firstborn of Egypt) and subsequent exodus of the Hebrews took place on the 14th of the month. But the Hebrews counted the 14th of the month starting at sundown the previous day, so for the Eyptians it was still the 13th. This theory isn't original with me; I've read it a couple of places so I thought I'd throw it in the mix!
-
Reply
- Oosquid Oosquid Feb 13, 2009 @ 5:23 pm
- "Hello Boss, I can't make it in to work today, I'm suffering from friggatriskaidekaphobia" What an interesting lens. 5 stars a favoritized.
-
Reply
- flighty02 flighty02 Oct 20, 2008 @ 9:09 am
- Very Interesting lens and a good read. Personally I am not superstitious about it but I know somebody that will only get out of bed to go to the bathroom when it is Friday 13th! 5*****
-
Reply
- kab kab Oct 1, 2008 @ 8:40 am
- Aaron - I feel for you man. I really do. But there comes a point when you have to make your own luck. Try to reject the attitude of fate has done this to you and adopt an attitude of improvement. Actually children born on the 13th of any monthy are said to be LUCKY in all of their ventures in life. Go out and start a lucky 'venture'.
-
Reply
- Aaron1376 Aaron1376 Oct 1, 2008 @ 2:34 am
- I was born on October 13th 1976, my 13th birthday was on Friday October 13th. Do I have bad luck YES! I never knew my real Mother she died I got to meet her once at 22 years old, just found out I wil not be given financial aid for college so any reason for having pride now is out the door. I have spent almost everybirthday since I was 17 alone no party because no body remembers.My brother's birthday is on the 14th of Febuary and he's the girl getter I havent had a girlfriend is so long or long to the point where family members think I'm gay nope the Sodimiser in Germany took care of that.All I can do these days is look in the mirror now days and wonder WHY did God make someone like me or where is this God so can tell him a few choice words.Do I think there is bad luck under my birthday DAMN RIGHT I DO!
-
Reply
- Margo_Arrowsmith Margo_Arrowsmith Aug 7, 2008 @ 11:36 am
- Very well done lens! 5*'s I will say that the superstition is older than Jesus, so that reason is unlikely.
I read once, something along the lines of your 12 month reason. There are 13 months in a woman's year and thus it is really about the fear of women, something that is way older than Jesus.
Well done!
-
Reply
- EelKat EelKat Jun 14, 2008 @ 2:40 pm
- LOL! What a great lens! I was born on the 13th and my grandmother was terrified of 13, so she told everybody my birthday was on the 12th instead. She'd always get me a big colorful book for my birthday and she'd write in HUGE letters across the first page: *Happy Birthday Wendy, Love Grammy, August 12th* LOL! There was no reason for her to add the date at the end like that, except that she wanted me to change my birthday to the 12th.
She wasn't the only relative that thought like this, so I grew up with a lot of fear of 13 around me, and as a result, by the time I was a teenager I had made the # 13 my *trademark*. I started collecting things with 13s on them, and I painted 13s all over my denim jacket, and had a sweat shirt with a big 13 on it. It was great, cause so many people wouldn't get near me when I wore it. LOL! I was amazed that some many people were scared of a silly number!
-
Reply
- mulberry mulberry Jun 14, 2008 @ 11:34 am
- Wow, I had no idea there was a name for this!
-
Reply
- spirituality spirituality Jun 13, 2008 @ 1:58 pm
- Good subject, and timely :)
-
Reply
- Christene Christene Jun 13, 2008 @ 12:15 pm
- I just lensrolled this to my "5" lens. :)
Explore related pages
Festive Birds- Robins, turkeys, geese etc all play a part in our Christmas Festivities, whether...
Friday the 13th- Okay, this lens is not about the slasher movies, so let's get that out of th...
Looking to get lucky? Stephanie Plum- Stephanie Plum has a way of attracting danger, lunatics, oddballs, bad luck . ....
House, M.D.- House, M.D. is about a doctor named Gregory House (nicknamed House) who is one o...
Superstitions Revealed -Where Did They Come From?- Lady Luck - fickle and never around when you most need her. Humans have tried to...
Art * Vinyl * Culture * Life- Lowbrow Art? Vinyl Toys? Art Culture? Not all artwork and toys pack the sa...
