In Italy, many people do this, but in reality only very few truly know the origins of this gesture, the reason it is performed and its symbolic meaning. Why wine, of all things? And why touch just behind the ear?

In this article we reveal everything: where this Italian folk tradition comes from, what it represents and why it has survived to this day. It will only take a few minutes to discover something truly curious that you may not have known.

Why do people wet their finger in spilled wine and touch behind their ear: origin and meaning of the gesture

As one can easily imagine, wetting a finger in spilled wine and then touching behind the ear is a superstitious gesture, that is, a ritual performed to ward off bad luck.

Let’s now look at the symbolic meaning of this ritual, which consists of two distinct yet complementary actions: dipping the finger into the wine that has spilled from the glass and passing the wet finger behind the ear.

Why you dip your finger in spilled wine

In the past, wine was not simply a drink, but a true symbol of wealth, prosperity and abundance. In farming families it represented the result of an entire year’s work and had not only economic value, but also cultural and ritual significance. For this reason, spilling wine was not considered a mere accident, but rather a negative sign, like an omen of loss, and therefore a possible warning of bad luck or adverse events to come.

The gesture of dipping a finger into the spilled wine arose precisely in this context: it served to “re-establish contact” with the lost substance, almost as a way of acknowledging what had happened and symbolically reclaiming it. In this way, the loss was not ignored but addressed through a small ritual whose purpose was to interrupt the negative omen.

This simple act therefore represented an initial form of protection against bad luck, a symbolic attempt to restore the state that existed before the mishap and to neutralize ill fortune.

Why you touch behind your ear with a finger wet with wine

But the superstitious ritual does not end with the first gesture. Dipping your finger into the spilled wine is only the first phase: it is followed by a second one, closely connected and complementary, which consists of touching behind your ear with the same finger, lightly wetting that part of the body.

In folk tradition, the area behind the ear holds a particular symbolic meaning. It is considered a “key” part of the human body because it is close to the head, home of thought and of listening/reception, and to the soul. Precisely because of this proximity, it is seen as a sensitive and receptive area.

Touching this part of the body is therefore not random: it means deliberately bringing the wine, a symbol of prosperity, abundance and vitality, to one of the most noble, sensitive, strategic and central points of the human being. In this way, what was accidentally lost is “reintegrated” on a symbolic level, by bringing it closer to one of the parts of the body most closely connected to the mind and the spirit, thereby protecting the person from the negative effects of the loss that has just occurred.

According to popular belief, bringing the wine close to the head and the human soul allowed the negative effects of its spilling from the glass to be neutralized, restoring balance to the unfavorable omen. The gesture thus takes on a compensatory value: what was lost materially is recovered on a symbolic level, reestablishing harmony and good fortune.

In this way, the ritual is completed and acquires its full meaning: two gestures rich in symbolic value, capable of transforming a small everyday accident into a superstitious act of defense and protection.

What is the meaning of dipping a finger in spilled wine and then touching behind the ear?

To conclude, let us reiterate that the gesture of dipping a finger in wine and touching behind the ear is an Italian superstitious ritual that serves to:

neutralize the bad luck associated with the loss of the wine, symbolically reintegrating and recovering it through one of the parts of the body considered most receptive and closest to the human soul.

Obviously, this gesture originated in farming families and then spread, passed down from generation to generation, to other contexts as well. Today, it has become an almost playful habit or a common superstition, often performed automatically, even by those who don’t truly believe in its effectiveness.

But whether you are superstitious or not, one thing is certain: now you know why this gesture is performed and what symbolic meaning it holds. And the next time wine spills from a glass, what will you do?