#1 The Number 13

The number 13 has gradually gained notoriety throughout human history. How did it, though, come to have such a poor reputation? Over the span of millennia, “unlucky 13” has a history that can be traced through numerous civilizations. The Sumerians, for instance, believed that the number 13 was unlucky.

The most “perfect” number at the time they created their numeral system was thought to be 12. But the 13 was unlucky because of that. Because it came after 12, 13 was perceived as deficient, unusual, and possibly even unlucky. Judas, the traitor, who arrived at the Last Supper as the 13th guest, represents this notion that persisted and made it into the New Testament.