ANCHORED IN SUPERSTITION

Ahoy, Matey! Learn About These Ten Quirky Ancient Sailors Superstitions!

Image: Clément Falize

Ahoy, landlubbers! Sailors of yore were a superstitious bunch, believing in omens and all sorts of rituals to keep them safe on the treacherous seas. But who can blame them? It was a dangerous profession to be a sailor in their times.

From bananas to anchor tattoos, here are 10 eerie maritime superstitions that were once part of the unwritten laws of the sea.

Image: Giorgio Trovato

"Why forbid a good source of fiber and vitamins during a long journey at sea?" you might rightly wonder. While at first glance the taboo doesn’t seem to make much sense, it has been argued that the main reasons were the fruit’s tendency to rot quickly and bring with it all sorts of bugs and critters, particularly the lethal Brazilian wandering spider. Eventually, the real reason got buried beneath the superstition, and the fruit became synonymous with calamity.

Image: Vidar Nordli-Mathisen

Whistling was forbidden on board as it was believed to summon fierce winds. The superstition likely stemmed from the sound mimicking the howling of a gale, striking fear into sailors' hearts. So, should you ever find yourself at sea, resist the temptation to whistle - lest you be blamed for inviting misfortune onboard!

Image: Terry Vlisidis

Spilling wine on the deck was seen as a good omen, believed to appease the sea gods and ensure a safe voyage. Similarly, when a ship is launched for the very first time, a bottle of champagne is smashed on the bow to bring her good fortune. Nevertheless, unless you are the captain, refrain from pouring wine on the deck without asking first - or you might end up scrubbing it!

Image: udit saptarshi

Tossing a coin overboard before setting sail was thought to appease the gods and guarantee a prosperous journey. This tradition persisted across cultures, from ancient Greece to Viking Scandinavia. On the contrary, dropping a stone from a departing vessel was considered a bad omen, as it seemingly had the opposite effect, ensuring the ship would never return.

Image: Chris Barbalis

"Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning."

This age-old adage served as an ancient way of predicting the weather, with a red sky at night signaling fair weather on the horizon, and a red dawn announcing stormy or treacherous weather. Sailors trusted this rhyme to heart, and according to modern meteorologists, there is an inkling of truth in it. A red sky often means that there is a lot of water vapor in the atmosphere, and since in mid-latitude regions storms tend to move from west to east, the rhyme was an easy mnemotechnic device to broadly estimate weather patterns.

Image: 2H Media

Although Fridays actually seem like one of the best days of the week to go sailing, this is surprisingly an enduring nautical superstition. Old sailors believed that Fridays were unlucky for embarking on a seafaring journey (especially on the 13th). This superstition likely originated from the Christian belief that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, instilling fear in sailors.

Image: benjamin lehman

Sailors adorned themselves with tattoos not only for personal expression but also for protection at sea. Designs like anchors and nautical stars were believed to ward off evil spirits and ensure a safe return home. These two designs actually served very specific purposes, as an anchor was said to ensure a sailor would not get lost at sea should he fall overboard, and a nautical star allegedly helped sailors find their way home.

Image: Fer Nando

The sight of an albatross trailing a ship was seen as a symbol of good fortune. Believed to be the souls of dead sailors, the birds were revered among seafaring adventurers, and killing one was said to bring great misfortune upon a ship. This superstition was likely popularized by Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," which warned sailors against harming these majestic birds.

Image: Kalen Emsley

Historically, women were considered bad luck on ships, believed to anger the sea gods and stir up tempests. During the Age of Sail, women who wanted to heed the call of the sea were forced to disguise themselves as men, but in spite of the difficulties some even became feared pirates, like Mary Read and Anne Bonny, who sailed under the command of the infamous Captain Jack Rackham. This misogynistic superstition persisted for centuries, despite the invaluable contributions of female sailors to the art of sailing.

Image: Kevin Keith

To this day, when passing the equator, sailors often engage in all sorts of rituals and celebrations in the name of King Neptune. This quirky tradition actually goes back almost 400 years, beginning in the British Navy, and becoming popular even in civilian or scientific crews. The ancient ritual is said to ensure safe passage into the Southern Hemisphere, and even Charles Darwin witnessed it during his voyages!

Snack travel

Where in the world is my lunch? 10 foods named after places!

Image: angela pham

We all love hamburgers, and wieners, but have you ever stopped and wondered how some of your favorite foods got their names? Many of the dishes we enjoy today are named after the places they came from or through some historical twist of fate. We’ll call these "food toponyms" because they tell us about the food itself, and the regions, cities, and people that helped shape its history. Let’s take a flavorful trip around the globe, exploring how 10 famous foods got their geographic names!

Image: engin akyurt

You might think of hamburgers as the ultimate American meal, and the immediate picture is that of a juicy meal sizzling on the grill. But their name comes from the German city of Hamburg.

The term hamburger originally referred to a "hamburger steak," which was a minced beef dish that sailors from Hamburg loved. When German immigrants arrived in America in the 19th century, they brought this treat with them.

But something so delicious couldn’t stop there: Over time, it evolved into the sandwich we know and love today, losing the steak and gaining a bun. Despite the evolution of the treat itself, the name stuck. Today, it’s hard to imagine a barbecue without them, right?

Image: Philippe Murray-Pietsch

If they are the same word, they are probably related, don’t you think? But is thisone of those times when language is trying to play a trick on us? Actually no, the bird you feast on every Thanksgiving is named after Turkey the country.

As the story goes, back in the 1500s, European merchants traded guinea fowls, which they imported through Turkish traders. Because of who imported them, the birds were known as "Turkey fowl" or simply "turkey."

So, where is the mistake? When European settlers in America encountered the wild bird we now call a turkey, they mistook it for the same bird. They eventually saw the differences, but the name had already stuck!

Image: David Trinks

To the eye, scallions don’t say much. Scallions, these simple green onions, are in fact really tasty. But we’re not here for the taste, we’re here for the story behind them!

The term scallion comes from the ancient port city of Ascalon, now part of modern Israel. The Greeks and Romans named these flavorful little onions after the city where they believed they originated.

Today, they are no longer exclusively tied to this region in the Mediterranean, but the name stayed with the vegetable. And even if they are not the first choice for amateurs, they are a great addition to some meals.

Image: Andrik Langfield

Have you ever been to Vienna? Do you wish you could travel there for a much-deserved holiday? Try a wiener and you’ll be enjoying a piece of the city. Wiener is actually short for "wienerwurst," composed of two words that translate to "Viennese sausage" in German.

The name comes from Vienna, the capital of Austria, where this type of sausage was very popular. However, when the wiener made its way to the country, it evolved into our praised hot dog. And of course, each state, and each city, found new ways to make their own version of it!

Image: Martin Moore

Cantaloupes today are one the juiciest summer snacks, but did you know they were first linked to royalty? Or at least that’s one theory.

This fruit gets its name from the town of Cantalupo, near Rome, where Pope Paul V reportedly cultivated the fruit in his papal estate.

However, this is not the only story behind it: Some say the name could also come from the French village of Cantaloup in Languedoc, which had its own connection to the fruit.

Regardless of which story we choose to believe, cantaloupes were a European sensation when they first appeared. Today, no summer goes by without thousands enjoying a delicious piece of cantaloupe!

Image: LikeMeat

Maybe you didn’t believe us the first time, but in America, each city you visit has its own version of a hot dog. And Coney dogs are just one of those!

Coney dogs are beloved in places like Detroit, but their name is pure New York. Specifically, they’re named after Coney Island, the famous amusement park destination.

However, the hot dog slathered in chili sauce is thought to have originated with Greek immigrants who settled in Michigan in the early 20th century. Why the name "Coney"? Most likely, they named their creation after the popular hot dogs sold at Coney Island as a way to attract customers.

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

We know these are not everyone’s favorites: Some love them, and some hate them. But nobody can deny that tiny as they are, they are packed with flavor. Which team are you on?

In any case, sardines made it to this list because they are named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. This fish was once found in abundance in the waters surrounding the island, making it a natural hub for sardine fishing. The name sardine soon became synonymous with these small, oily fish, no matter where they were caught.

Today, you’ll find canned sardines from all over the world, but the name keeps the link to their Mediterranean roots.

Image: shraga kopstein

Our next stop is an ancient place: Greece. Not to be mistaken with grapes, although they are sold as raisins too, currants are seedless fruits that grow on shrubs. Now, what is their connection to Greece?

Well, the name comes from the phrase raysons of Coraunte which translates to "raisins of Corinth." Corinth was a port city in Greece, where they were exported from.

As with many other foods, and thanks to many advances, currants now come from many places, and one of them is California.

From California to your house, but it takes you straight to Greece. Quite an adventure!

Image: Alexander Kovacs

Just reading the title is enough: Few things are so mouthwatering as buffalo wings. They had to be included in the article!

Buffalo wings are named not after the animal, but after the city of Buffalo, New York. They were first made in the 1960s at the Anchor Bar, where the owner cooked up some chicken wings in a tangy hot sauce. Tressa Bellisimo was her name and we love her!

The spicy snack became an instant hit. They were so popular that they were featured in a story in the New Yorker many years after they were created. By that time, the wings were already spreading across the country. The dish has since become a staple of American cuisine, especially during football season. Despite their widespread popularity, the wings always carry the name of the city where they were born and they do so proudly!

Image: Kristijan Arsov

Baloney has a birthplace, and that is Bologna, in Italy. The popular deli meat traces its roots to mortadella, a finely ground pork sausage with chunks of fat, first made in the Italian city.

When mortadella crossed the ocean and made it to America, it was re-invented in more ways than one, each more American than the other. The ingredients became a mix of chicken, turkey, beef, or pork, often the extra bits.

What about calling something "baloney" to mean nonsense? Well, the credit goes to Alfred E. Smith, New York’s 42nd governor, who used it to criticize President Franklin Roosevelt’s administration. Just like the treat, the phrase stuck!