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10/10/05 Spilling Salt Bad Luck


Minis On The Edge

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Salt was man's first food seasoning, and it so dramatically altered his eating habits that it is not at all surprising that the action of spilling the precious ingrediant became tantamount to bad luck. Following such an accident as spilling salt, what was done to nullify the bad luck? This became a practice by what ancient people?

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a common practice of the Greeks.

It was a common practice growing up in a household of Scots & Swiss. Spilling salt didn't happen often so I remember when someone towwed a pinch over their shoulder (but no one in our family crawled under the table except me with my dollhouse!)

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Throwing a pinch of salt over the left shoulder became a practice in of the Ancient Sumerians, the Egyptians, the Assyrans and later the Greeks. For Romans, Salt was so highly prized as a seasoning for food and a medication for wounds that they coined expressions utilizing the word, which has become part of our language.

One Roman writer Petronius, in the Satyricon, originated the term "Not worth his salt" as opprobrium for Roman soldiers, who were given special allowances for salt rations. called salarium (Salt Money) and is the origin of our word "salary" :p .

In Leonardo Da Vinci's painting "The last sipper, it depict Judas after he spilled the table salt (foreshadowing the tragedy of Jesus betrayal that was to follow).

Great Work everyone!!

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