Tossing Salt

Spilling and Tossing Salt

Kevin Matheny

Spilling salt is know around the world as a bad omen. To get rid of the bad luck, many believe to throw a pinch of salt over their left shoulder. Spilling salt is bad luck because many believe that Judas spilled salt during the last supper. Another belief goes back to when salt was extremely expensive. Since it was so expensive spilling it meant that you would have future bad luck. A German proverb said that "whoever spills salt arouses enmity." Folklore even linked it to unlucky omens in order to prevent wasteful behavior. Basically in history it has always been bad to spill salt. Apparently, spilling salt is associated with treachery and lies. If you throw salt over your left shoulder it is supposed to blind the devil that is waiting there. The the legend is that the devil is always standing behind you, and throwing salt in his eye distracts him from causing trouble.