Have you ever heard someone say “Saved by the bell” ? Did you ever think “Why do we say that?”
This saying has an interesting history, a bit scary and morbid but really awesome.
Saved by the bell originates from an expression related to being buried alive in 1800’s. Imagine you suddenly fall into a coma and mistakenly pronounced dead and interred, you could, if you later revived, ring a bell that was attached to the coffin and be saved.
Being buried alive is a real phobia called, Taphophobia. Just as real as the fear, the device was patented in America and England. These were known as ‘safety coffins’ and designs were registered in the 19th century and up to as late as 1955;
So next time, you use the expression ‘ Saved by the bell” think of all the people, possibly your ancestors who were literally saved by the bell while being buried alive.
DID YOU KNOW?
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