Origin of Common Superstitions Spilling Salt

About the origin of the superstition that you shuold throw a pinch of salt over your shoulder after spilling it, religious history.

SPILLING SALT

If you fall victim to this dilemma, simply take a pinch of salt and toss it over your left shoulder, "right into the Devil's face."

Origin. Salt was once a rare and costly commodity. As such, it was economic waste to spill any. Also, salt is a purifier, a preservative, and it symbolizes the good and lasting qualities of life. It was mixed into the foods used in the religious ceremonies of both the Greeks and Romans. One source of this superstition is Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the Last Supper--the betrayer Judas has accidentally spilled salt onto the table.