Stuff You Should Know Short Stuff: Curse of Broken Mirrors
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Oct 22, 2025 Ever wondered why breaking a mirror is thought to bring seven years of bad luck? This podcast dives into the origins of this superstition, tracing it back to Narcissus and Roman beliefs about vanity. Discover why a shattered mirror is thought to damage the soul and the fascinating connection to Roman life cycles. Plus, learn about quirky customs for ridding yourself of bad luck and cultural variations in glass-breaking beliefs. Even the practice of covering mirrors after death is explored, revealing intriguing fears and rituals surrounding reflections.
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Mirrors As Soul Mirrors
- Ancient cultures linked reflections to the soul, making mirrors spiritually significant.
- Breaking a mirror thus suggested damage to the soul and explained beliefs in ensuing misfortune.
Romans, Vanity, And Early Mirrors
- Romans invented polished-metal mirrors and embraced reflections despite older Greek wariness rooted in Narcissus.
- Early mirrors were costly polished metal objects like shields, tying vanity to new technology.
Why Seven Years?
- The specific 'seven years' of bad luck traces to Roman ideas of seven-year life cycles.
- Another origin theory ties the span to a mirror's cost equaling seven years' wages of a servant.