We’ve heard superstitions about the full moon, the new moon and probably everything in between.
When it comes to the heavens, people get freaked out. “Bustle” dug up some long held beliefs about solar eclipses and some are out in left field! Take note that women are the target of most of these superstitions.
- Don’t have wet hair during the eclipse or you’ll go insane. It’s a belief from India.
- Don’t eat or you’ll die. Fasting during an eclipse is a long popular belief said to save you from poisoned or impure food.
- Pregnant women must stay indoors. The superstition here is that a solar eclipse is dangerous to pregnant women and their unborn children due to the harmful UV rays. That would create deformities. Thanks Aztecs!
- Children could turn into mice. According to the Aztecs, lunar eclipses might turn gestating fetuses into mice. Best superstition ever!
- Women were forced indoors. Women who had their periods, according to Indian legend, were prone to bad luck during the eclipse. Sure…that is what caused the bad luck…