Ancient man could count to twelve using his fingers and his two feet. Beyond that was the unknown. Kind of like in the movie "Clan of the Cave Bear" when Ayla showed the elder how to count above five. She reached into the unknown and scared everyone. Or not.
I'm not sure I believe it, but there was one story going about that the number of disciples and Jesus at the Last Supper added up to thirteen...and that was one dinner party that didn't end up well for Christians.
I like the counting theory. I read that 13 was always a special number, good or bad, and that it was the Romans equated it to "death, destruction, and misfortune" And the book (Curious Customs by Tad Tuleja) went on to say also the link to the witches coven having 13 members, and also included the last supper one, saying Judas was number 13. So i definatly think that it points to more Christian origin to being unlucky. Did you know that the Irish consider green unlucky?
my birthdays on the 13th i run into 13 all the time, nothing bad has ever happend, and also never anything good, that i could associate with having anything to do with the number 13 its just another number to me just happens to be my birth day number thats all our ancestors liked numbers it seems aztecs, myans, greeks, chinese, what have you, time/evolution/numbers now wired into the brains of mankind, over the millenium hmm
13 was a somewhat sacred number for some old world beliefs, so i think it was probaly just a propaganda hate thing
Friday the 13th marked the day in 1307, when the king of France ordered the Knights Templar to be executed.
13 was categorized as more of a bad luck number because of pop culture (do we remember the Friday the 13th movies?) but also of the 12 deciples + Jesus making 13. But in many parts of Europe, at least Southern Europe where my family is from, 13 is considered good luck.
