Superstition is all around us in today’s world, whether it’s the fear of walking under a ladder or encountering a black cat late at night. Many of these quirks and common practices that people follow unquestioningly are steeped in history, dating back hundreds and sometimes thousands of years to ancient times. So what are the origins of some common superstitions and their historical roots?
1. Conniving Crows
Immortalized in today’s culture and cinema as the bringers of bad omens, the sight of crows has sent eerie chills down people’s spines for thousands of years. In Ancient Greece, the crow became linked to Apollo, the god of prophecy, among other things.
According to one Greek myth, crows are black because Apollo commanded the originally white bird, Corvus, to fetch him water for a sacrifice. Instead, the bird stopped on its way to eat figs, delaying his return. When he eventually made it back, Corvus presented Apollo with a snake and blamed it for his delay. The furious Apollo turned Corvus black and cursed it with a harsh, cawing voice. Another legend ties the crow’s color to Apollo’s betrayal by the goddess Coronis.
