Across numerous cultural traditions, spilling salt is considered an ominous sign that invites misfortune unless immediately countered by a specific gesture: throwing a pinch of the spilled salt over one’s left shoulder using the right hand. This act is believed to prevent the manifestation of bad luck through several intertwined symbolic and spiritual interpretations.

One interpretation holds that the devil himself waits behind the left shoulder, ready to seize on moments of carelessness or spiritual vulnerability. By tossing salt—an ancient purifying and protective substance—over the shoulder, one blinds or repels the lurking evil presence. Other interpretations frame the gesture as an offering or restitution for the waste of a once-valuable substance. The gesture is highly specific: the salt must be thrown over the left shoulder (where evil is believed to linger) and with the right hand (traditionally associated with action and righteousness). Failing to act promptly is thought to allow the bad luck to take root.