The Truth Behind 10 Common Superstitions

There are a number of different stories floating around about the origin of the "broken mirror = seven years bad luck" superstition. 

Some people will tell you that it's because your average medieval middle-class worker would have to save up for around seven years to be able to afford a new one. Others believe that it comes from the ancient idea that a distorted or broken image of the self is an omen of death.

Many people think that the superstition dates back to Roman times, due to the fact that they believed your health changed in seven year cycles. There was also a divination technique that involved dipping a mirror into water and observing the reflection. If it was clear, the person would live, if it was distorted, they would die.

However, the actually "smashing a mirror" bit probably isn't Roman. Even though there were some glass mirrors in Ancient Rome, most would have been made out of highly-polished bronze, silver or tin - all of which were much less likely to break.