Signs, omens and superstitions

"Signs, omens and superstitions" by Astra Cielo is a compendium of folklore and popular beliefs written in the early 20th century. It surveys everyday superstitions, omens, festivals, charms, and divinations across cultures, often noting their origins and the logic behind them. Organized as an accessible reference, it will appeal to readers curious about how people have tried to court luck, avert harm, and explain the inexplicable.

The opening of the work explains that superstition grows from ignorance, fear, and attempts to influence nature, persists by contagion and habit, and will here be recorded without condemnation. It then launches into a brisk catalog: wedding customs (from rice and orange blossoms to pins and shoes), rings and their powers, calendars of lucky and unlucky days with holiday lore (New Year, Easter, Hallowe’en, Christmas), and everyday luck practices (the sign of the cross, knocking on wood). Further sections outline omens and rites for christenings and children, the symbolism and uses of eggs, charms and amulets (from coral and amber to horseshoes and “lucky” coins), and beliefs about fairies and witches. Body-related signs (sneezing, spitting, moles, itching palms, stumbling), personal and clothing omens, encounters with the unlucky or fortunate, death-room practices, the evil eye, and household signs (from kettles and soot to mirrors) round out this detailed introductory sweep.