Different symbolisms are attributed to the number 13.
When it comes to finding the etymological origin of the word thirteen we have to go back to Latin because that language is found in that language, more precisely in the term tredĕcim.
Thirteen (a word that is represented in numbers through the union of 1 with 3 ) is the figure belonging to the group of natural numbers that follows twelve ( 12 ) and is before fourteen ( 14 ). Thirteen is also recognized as the prime number that occurs after eleven ( 11 ) and appears before seventeen ( 17 ).
The number 13 in culture and religion
Throughout history and in different cultures , this value has been associated with bad luck or with sacred issues . For example, for the Mayans , it was a figure considered sacred because it represented the thirteen lunar phases .
Likewise, in Judaism this number is also considered a bad omen since there were thirteen spirits related to evil. And the same thing happens in a Norse belief where this number is the one that identifies an evil deity called Loki who was the one who caused the death of the favorite god Balder.
On the other hand, many Western countries consider that thirteen attracts bad energies. There is even triskaidekaphobia , a disorder characterized by experiencing a reckless fear of this number. It is said that the superstition arises from the fact that, during the Last Supper , thirteen individuals sat at the table and one of them died.
For example, in Formula 1 the number thirteen is not used (just like in airplanes ). The same with some soccer teams . There are also streets that omit portal 13 and hotels that avoid using the 13th floor so as not to inconvenience their potential guests. In Madrid , on the other hand, there is no bus line 13.
Sign indicating the number 13.
Bad luck and terror
It should be noted that in Latin America and Spain , Tuesday the 13th is considered a bad omen, the same thing that happens in Anglo-Saxon nations with Friday the 13th .
Such is the negativity contained in this last date that has precisely given its name to one of the most important horror sagas of all time: Friday the 13th. It was in the 80s when the first of the twelve films that have appeared appeared. formed the group. The origin of the story it tells is the accidental death in 1957 of a boy named Jason in the lake at a camp called Crystal Lake.
A victim is that from then until today does not seem to rest in peace because all those who are in said place will die little by little in strange and savage circumstances that cause a black legend to begin to circulate around that enclave.
The number 13 in tarot and witchcraft
In the tarot , the number 13 is interpreted as death and in its occult sense represents change (the death of something and the birth of something else).
Finally, it must be said that thirteen is the preferred value of witches and the one that prevails, therefore, in covens (the place where witches hold their meetings and rituals).
As with witches, it is necessary to emphasize the fact that the number 13 is not always seen with negativity. Thus, for example, this figure is linked to Freya, a German goddess who is identified with love.