Friday the 13th research a bit late

Here's something appropriate for yesterday that I only found today.  Better late than never.

University of Cincinnati: Friday the 13th and Other Bad-Luck Beliefs Actually Do Us Some Good
It's here – Friday the 13th. There will be another in December. A UC culture expert provides pointers as to why such superstitions prove so powerful and how they can actually serve a good purpose.
By: M.B. Reilly
Date: 9/9/2013 7:30:00 AM

In Western cultures, Friday was traditionally considered a day of bad luck, dating as far back as the 14th century, if not earlier – likely due to religious associations with the crucifixion.

And the number 13 has long been considered unlucky as well. According to University of Cincinnati popular culture expert Rebecca Borah, associate professor, English and comparative literature in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, 13 was considered unlucky by both pre-Christian and, later, Christian societies.

She stated, “The pre-Christian societies often noted the number 12 as representing completeness due to lunar cycles. So, 13 was a stepchild of a number. Later, a Christian overlay was added since the 13th apostle was Judas Iscariot.”

She added that it was in the early 1900s when we can find evidence where the two superstitions merged, and Friday the 13th emerged as a day of “especially bad karma.”

I might just recycle this story in December.

Speaking of recycling, the most read entry yesterday was Paraskevidekatriaphobia and Happy Apophis Day!  Like Jason Vorhees, that post never seems to die.