The superstition that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck is a widely recognized belief, but its roots extend far beyond a simple fear of misfortune. This notion, connecting shattered glass with impending doom, is layered with historical, cultural, and symbolic meanings.

The historical origins of this superstition can be traced back to ancient civilizations. Romans, Greeks, as well as those from ancient China, Africa, and India, believed that mirrors possessed the power to capture a person’s soul. When an individual gazed into a mirror, their soul was, in essence, transferred into their reflected image. Consequently, any damage inflicted upon the mirror was perceived as damage to the soul itself. This belief established a direct link between the physical integrity of the mirror and the well-being of the individual.

In 1777, English antiquarian John Brand documented the superstition in his work, Observations on the popular antiquities of Great Britain. He wrote that breaking a looking glass was considered an unlucky accident, noting that mirrors were historically used by magicians for divination, suggesting a connection to witchcraft and perceived diabolical operations.

The specific misfortune associated with breaking a mirror has evolved over time. In Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s 1842 poem, ‘The Lady of Shalott,’ a cracked mirror signified a generalized curse and misery, with the Lady exclaiming, “The curse has come upon me.” Later in the 19th century, the superstition shifted to foretelling a death in the family or the loss of a friend. The specific duration of seven years of bad luck first appeared in print during this period.

The origin of the seven-year period is uncertain, but a possible explanation lies in Roman beliefs about the human body’s natural renewal process. The Romans believed that the body completely regenerated itself every seven years. This cyclical renewal might have been seen as an opportunity for the soul to start anew, suggesting that seven years were needed for the soul to recover from the damage caused by the broken mirror.

While the fear of a broken mirror’s curse persists today, many contemporary interpretations are more lighthearted. In the past, our ancestors practiced various rituals to counteract the impending misfortune. Some believed grinding the shattered pieces into dust would release the trapped soul. Others buried the shards under a tree during the next full moon. Enslaved Africans in America reportedly believed placing the fragments in a southerly flowing river would wash away the bad luck. Despite the evolution of these practices, the core belief in the connection between mirrors and misfortune remains, albeit often as a cultural curiosity rather than a deeply held fear.