Snooping Around

Probably one of the most international bad luck omen ever known. According to superstition, bad luck will “rain” on you if you open an umbrella indoors. But where does this idea come from? Well, I’m here for give answers to all my Snoopers. The origins of the umbrella superstition are not totally agreed upon, but most of the historic researchers say it can be traced back to the early Egyptians. Obviously, we’re talking about ancient populations,  so your current idea of “umbrella” needs to be changed a little bit. In the ancient times, the parasol was the main kind of shade-maker and it was made  in various shapes. In some instances it is depicted as a flagellum, a fan of palm-leaves or coloured feathers fixed on a long handle. Gardiner Wilkinson, in his work on Egypt, has an engraving of an Ethiopian princess travelling through Upper Egypt in a chariot (photo on the right); a kind of umbrella fastened to a stout pole rises in the center, bearing a close affinity to what...