NAtasha; Hopefully I can help a bit. Submariners after a successfull mission would tie a broom to the mast on their vessel to signify they had swept the seas clean of the enemy. It is still traditional when building a house or some other such building to place a few coins under the corner stone. This is in lieu of a human sacrifice to ensure that the building and those therein will prosper. Keep in mind that what is tradition for one person may be reguarded as superstition by another. Kindest reguards, NEil