winter solstice

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Steve Gray S
Steve Gray Dec 2, 2005 12:08:07
Replying to Creyr

To establish the solstices in ancient times would have required observation over several days both before and after in order to work out a mid-point. The number of days needed would depend on how accurately they could observe the setting point, but in the absence of lenses, line-of-sight measurements would probably require two or three days each side at the least, because the sun's annual excursion does indeed appear to "stand still".

I think it's reasonable to speculate that the point at which the exit of the solstice could be confirmed might have been a cause for great celebrations.

Does anyone know whether Yule was actually celebrated at this later time (e.g. 25th) in the pre-Christian era, rather than the Neopagan tradition of the 21st/22nd? I would have thought it likely that the early Christians would have hijacked the actual day of Yule rather than three days afterwards when everyone would have been totally sozzled from celebrating Yule. ;o)

P PeterH
PeterH Dec 2, 2005 12:33:36
Replying to Steve Gray

Not sure if you can be that precise. The whole of January and December was the super-month of "Giuli" ie Yule in the Anglo-Saxon calendar. New Year was celebrated on the 25th December by Anglo-Saxon Christians and that is presumed to be a continuation from the pre-Christian calendar.

Seems to me that the winter solstice was the turning point and it began the new year as the days began to lengthen. Moot point as to how accurately the actual solstice was measured and a few days out may have had no significance at all to the celebrants. The early Christians were much more concerned about calculating the date of Easter. That took over the spring festival of Eostre, but significantly the phase of the moon was all important - as it still is of course. But why? Echo of an old moon ritual is still with us perhaps.