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For the traditionalist, the"wheel of the year," has no mythos attached
to the changing seasons - the Gods are not perpetually dating, etc. There is a rhyme and reason for things, and they are honored
in their own sacred way when the winds bring rain in March and April, the last harvest in October, or when the first
frost comes in the end of November or in December with the Twelve Nights of the darkest part of the winter - no need for dramatic
rituals, for the changing leaves after the first harvest in August are dramatic enough. For me, the holiday itself is the
ritual - from cleaning, cooking, preparing the table, visiting family, to the ritual to honor the holiday are intertwined.
For you see, I do not live my magical life seperately - I live it, breathe it, feel it every moment of everyday.
The
Calendar was divised into two sets of halves - meaning, four "hinges." The land itself was divided into four fifths (yes,
there are four fifths, the "fifth" is actually the center, and is part of all four, but seperate.)
And there is evidence
in lore also: The construction of Bricriu's Hall seems to have a calendar symbolism:
- It took seven Ulster Champions
to carry every lath
- Thirty Cheif Artificers were employed in constructing and arranging the building.
-
The Hall itself contained the couches of twelve heroes (and some sources say kings).
- It was built in one year.
But,
I must stress that this is speculation - it looks to have calendar symbolism, but this is a matter of interpretation - it
may just be a wild coincidence in literature.
And the Medieval calendars mixed Astrology and the agricultural cycle,
into a "wheel of the year" in which the year was in a circular style, and the earliest dates to 1180; in the Astrological
Calendar and Martyrology of Swadia (of Stuart Wurtemberische Landesbibliothek). And in the medieval times the themes remained
classical, drawing on Greek and Roman artwork, and further north the themes mixed with local art forms and icons.
There
are many parts to the medieval calendars which still felt the influence of Roman calendars up to the 16th century - such as
the Kalends, which is the first day of the month. To find the Kalends, count how many days are left in the month, and to that
number add two. I.e. if today is June. 27th, the next kalends would be July 4th, as there are two days left in June,
add two, thus the sum would equal nine, thus the 4th of July.
The Gerona Tapestry has it's "wheel of the year" in
1100 is another example, but this was implied due to it's circular pattern, and directly in 1180. This circular pattern is
called the planisphere,which expresses the concept of time in cycles, and not a linear line until 1582 with the advent of
the Gregorian Calendar.
And these calendars, some dating to 975 A.D., contains the symbols of Astrology such as the
zodiac symbols, the four elements, the four winds, icons of the sun and moon (sometimes in their "chariots."), animals such
as birds and stags, snakes, etc., the four seasons, dusk, dawn, day, night, etc.
The medieval calendars showed considerable
knowledge of the zodiac itself, and incorporated it and the other converted non-christian symbols onto their church walls
where peseants would've seen them, and perhaps understood them (that is a speculation, but it's hard to say, as they may have
just seen the calendars, but didn't understand what they were for, or they may have well understood the language of symbolism,
as most illiterate people knew well).
And the Gregorian calendrical shift from the Roman to the modern shifted the
months by aprox. ten days. Meaning, it'd be August 2nd today, and you'd wake up tomorrow to August 12, or 13. And some didn't
adopt this calendar until much later, up to the 18th century! And this was when the Pope noticed it, and recent calculations
speculate that "Samhain/Samonios" might have been in September! So the next time you ask for time off at work, or complain
because you can't get the "sabbat" off, consider the shift in time that occured - such as the speculation that "Samhain" might
not be when you think it is.
In the Coligny Calendar, the months were divided into "MAT" meaning "good" and "ANM"
meaning "not good." This calendar was found in pieces at Bourge, and it dates to 100 B.C. It was divided into sixteen columns
on a sheet of copper, and those columns were further subdivided into four months and Barry Cunliffe says, "... except the
fifth and ninth month columns each constain two lunar months and one intercalary month needed to adjust the system to the
realites of actual time." The total time was 354 days, with alternating between 29 or 30. The entire year was divided into
a "light half" and a "dark half" but also the individual months as well - it had a "light half" as well as a "dark half" and
some speculate it's in relation to the lunar phases, such as the waxing and waning moon; as well as the speculation that the
mistletoe cutting of the druids on the "sixth day of the moon" was akin to the new moon as found in the Jewish calendar, which
some speculate there was intimate contact with the Jews before their migrations, but that is to be debated. This is divided
by the "Anenoux" or "returning night" part of the month, and there are indications for such festivals as Giamonos, and Samonos.
And it shows the Roman and Greek influences, and it even uses Roman numerals. It seems to be an attempt at combining the lunar
and solar years, and as with the Roman calendar, this is prone to shifts and slips from the seasons. Instead of "leap years"
they had an extra month ever 2 or so years.
And in the Medieval Calendars:
In January:
It was thought of as "Janus" in medieval calendars, with a two-faced man warming his feet by the fire, resting himself, his
beasts, and his tools before the growing season. Ianuaria is a native deity in the area of France closely associated with
Janus - as well as being a goddess of music; and in other places I've seen the goat of Capricorn.
In February:
It was the final rest, the cleaning of the tools, re-sharpening, and a fire was set to "starve out" the winter. Usually at
this time, the households clean and prepare for ploughing and pruning in the coming growing season.
In March:
Fishing icons appear, pruning, ploughing, and sowing the short growing season crops. This time is sometimes seen in other
places to show some representations of spring itself, and also Flora, in some places was the personification of spring, and
she is sometimes associated with April, in others it is March.
In April: It was symbolized by the
Green tree, but with no fruit. A man appears as the "King of Spring," and in other places there was a "Queen of Spring," shown
with buds not yet bloomed.
In May: Regeneration symbols appear, a woman holding foliage, a knight,
or warrior in older scenes, a symbol of the military spirit, or a courtier, the figures wear green, or walk in the countryside.
During this time the military was active, and training - so thus the "warrior of May" is the most frequent symbol in some
places.
In June: Hay making, the high point of the year. Also it shows the harvest about to begin,
the fields are painted as full.
In July: Sheep shearing, trade, commerce, and the first harvests
have been seen carved in stone - showing a saw-toothed scythe in the harvesting.
In August: A figure
holding wheat, sometimes a woman, other times a man. Scenes of farmers working in the fields with scythes or sickles; or flailing
the wheat, and also threshing the wheat; with bundles tied in the background, leftover hay is usually given to the livestock.
Usually some of the fields are already harvested, whereas in July representations it shows them just beginning.
In
September: Scenes depicting sowing of seeds, of the longer growing-season crops such as cereals, study of astrology,
brewing of wine, grape harvests, putting the wine into barrels. This is the end of the harvest. Also this is the brew holiday,
as many representations show barrels, vessels and the brew process.
In October: There are scenes of
hunting, feeding the livestock, pigs feasting on acorns or hazelnuts, cows coming in from the fields, sowing in a couple of
representations, and the soil being prepared for the next growing season.
In November: Alot of scenes
of hunting, especially the boar or stag hunt, killing excess livestock, a feast of meats.
In December:
A feast in winter's rest, no work in the fields at this time, gathering and chopping of firewood, also scenes of "Twelve Nights."
The low point of the year, and the year's end.
I celebrate a complex calendar, with ten major holidays. I will post information on that soon,
when my schedule permits.
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