The Horseshoe
The horseshoe is made of iron, which is regarded as an infallible witch repellant. It is vaguely in the shape of the new moon, or horned crescent. This highly powerful symbol has also been viewed as being a female sexual symbol.

The best horseshoes have four nails on one side and three on the other. Horseshoes are made by blacksmiths who for centuries were believed to have special powers due to their work with fire and iron.

Horses also have a place in magic, having been a sacred beast in many cultures. A horseshoe is especially lucky it it has been found on the road, and in Britain, if it has been cast from a gray mare.

A small silver horseshoe on a charm bracelet is just as lucky as a full-size horseshoe which is usually nailed up over a doorway to ward off evil. Most people insist that the horseshoe points upwards so it forms a U shape, and the luck does not spill or run out.

The Four-leaf Clover
Four-leafed clovers draw most of their power from the mystical connotations of the number four which in numerology appears constantly as the symbol of balance, unity and completeness.

The number three has also had lucky connotations, especially in the Christian era, because of its association with the Holy Trinity. A usually three-leafed plant, which in itself is lucky and therefore useful in keeping out supernatural evil, would therefore have its power immensely increased through the addition of a fourth leaf.

The Number Thirteen
Today most people think the fear of number thirteen grew out of the fact that thirteen people sat down at the last supper. But in fact the superstition is much older. It is only in more recent times the number had unpleasant connotations. In the days of witch hunts, witches' covens were supposed to have thirteen members.

It is widely held that if you have a dinner party with thirteen guests, one of them will die within the year.

Salt
Salt is a powerful magical substance, so the spilling of salt is a dangerous omen. Salt has played a part in ceremonies and rituals since the most primitive times. It was often included in sacrifices designed to appease gods or spirits.

If you spill salt you must throw the spilt salt over your left shoulder in the eyes of the evil that follows you.