What is it about mirrors that can fascinate and frighten us?
They have been around for thousands of years in one form or another, and over time so many folktales and superstitions have been developed around them. Going back to ancient times mirrors were used to scry, this was a mystics way of seeing distant places, people and the future. The Romans believed that to break a mirror would bring bad luck for 7 years. There were also beliefs that the reflection bore the soul of the individual and by studying the person’s reflection could gain insight into their true nature. It is possible that this belief gave rise to vampires not having a reflection as they would have no soul. In the Jewish faith, it is important to cover all mirrors in a house where someone has died. If they are not covered the deceased may enter a mirror and become trapped, unable to move on. Monks would place tiny mirrors on a small slender stick which they could slide up beside their nose so they could see spirits in the reflection using their peripheral vision. Then we move into newer urban legends like standing in front of a mirror and calling for Bloody Mary three times.