Texte d'Origine :
There are three primary schools of thought regarding Celtic calendarical practice (in celtic calendar or a.s. celt calendar). One of the most commonly accepted beliefs holds that the year was divided into thirteen months with an extra day or so the end of the year used to adjust the calendar. This theory states that the months correspond to the vowels of the Ogmah or Celtic tree alphabet. Robert Graves is the major proponent of this school. The evidence he gives is more poetic than archaeological. His interpretation of an ancient poem, The Song of Amergin, appears to be the basis for this calendar.


Dec. 24 Jan. 21 I am a stag of seven tines Beith the Birch
Jan. 22 Feb. 18 I am a wide flood on a plain Luis the Rowan
Feb. 19 Mar. 18 I am a wind on the deep waters Nuinn the Ash
Mar. 19 Apr. 15 I am a shining tear of the sun Fearn the Alder
Apr. 16 May 13 I am a hawk on a cliff Saille the Willow
May 14 Jun. 10 I am a fair amongst flowers Huath the Hawthorn
Jun. 11 Jul. 8 I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke Duir the Oak
Jul. 9 Aug. 5 I am a battle-waging spear Teinn the Holly
Aug. 6 Sep. 2 I am a salmon in a pool Coll the Hazel
Sep. 3 Sep. 30 I am a hill of poetry Muinn the Vine
Oct. 1 Oct. 28 I am a ruthless boar Gort the Ivy
Oct. 29 Nov. 25 I am a threatening noise from the sea Ngetal the Reed
Nov. 26 Dec. 22 I am a wave of the sea Ruis the Elder
Dec. 23 Who but I knows the secret of the unhewn dolmen?

Most archaeologist and historians accept another calendar. This ca lender is represented by the surviving fragments of a great bronze plate, the Coligny Calendar, which originally measured 5 feet by 3-1/2 feet. This plate, found in eastern France, was engraved in the Gaulish language (similar to Welsh) in Roman-style letters and numerals. It depicts a system of time keeping by lunar months, showing 62 consecutive months with 2 extra months inserted to match the solar timetable. They appear to have worked with a 19-year time cycle that equaled 235 lunar months and had an error of only half a day.

The third school of thought is an amalgam of both of the others. The proponents of this last theory believe that the first calendar pre-dates the Coligny discovery. They lend credence to Mr. Graves interpretation of the poem The Song of Amergin and believe that the Roman influence caused the celts to modify and record their system as represented on the Coligny Calendar. Of course they could just be polite archaeologists.

From Caesar we know the Celts counted by nights and not days and in reckoning birthdays and new moon and new year their unit of reckoning is the night followed by the day. This concept survives in the English term "fortnight," meaning fourteen nights, or two weeks. Pliny ascribes this form of time measuring specifically to the Druids, "... for it is by the moon that they measure their months and years and also their ages (saeculi) of thirty years." Ancient Celtic philosophy believed that existence arose from the interplay between darkness and light, night and day, cold and warmth, death and life, and that the passage of years was the alternation of dark periods (winter, beginning November 1) and light periods (summer, starting May 1). The Druidic view was that the earth was in darkness at its beginning, that night preceded day and winter preceded summer a view in striking accord with the story of creation in Genesis and even with the Big Bang theory. Thus, Nov. 1 was New Year s Day for the Celts, their year being divided into four major cycles. The onset of each cycle was observed with suitable rituals that included feasting and sacrifice. According to several sources the Celtic year had eight primary festivals four coincided with the celestial divisions dictated by the movement of the earth the other four, detailed below, had special religious significance. Several celebrations of a more local nature were scattered between each of the major celebrations. The lesser holidays primarily commemorated battle victories or honored local heroes. Some survive as saint s days or other traditional celebrations. Below is a list of the major festivals and their dates on the roman calendar:

Major Festivals of the Celtic CalendarSamhuinn or Samhain 1 November

Samhain (pronounced sow-en) meaning "Summer s End," is celebrated on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. A solemn occasion. As darkness overwhelmed the world, the days grew short, and the earth became barren and cold and the veil between the mortal and the supernatural was temporarily drawn aside. Samhain is the beginning of the Celtic new year. This is the time when the rising of Pleiades, heralds the triumph of night over day. Now it is the time of the little sun and the portion of the year which is ruled by the realms of the moon.

In the three days preceding the Samhain, the God of Light Lugh, dies at the hand of his Tanist, who is himself as the Lord of mis-rule. Lugh then passes through the veil between the worlds on Samhain. The Tanist is a stingy and harsh King who while shining brightly in the skies gives no warmth to the land. He cannot warm the north wind which is the breath of the Crone, Cailleach Bheare. This is indicative of the cyclic harmony of seasonal dominance which teaches us that neither Life nor Death can ever hold permanent sway.

Death was never far from our ancestors, and there was not the fear of it that permeates the society we live in. Yet while death itself wasn t feared, it was held important to die with honor. Through dying well, people had the promise of living on in this world through their clan and at Fleadh nan Mairbh (Feast of the Dead). It is at this time the ancestors were honored and the dead were remembered.

This feast took place on Samhain Eve. In many ways it is very similar to the Mexican "Day of the Dead.

This is one of two times in the year when the veil between this world and Otherworld, the Shield of Skathach, is at it s thinnest. For this reason it was a time of divination. This day was considered to be a day that did not exist. Because of this the Spirits of the Dead and those yet to be born of the clan walked freely amongst the living. Food and entertainment were provided in their honour. In this way the clan remained in unity with its past, present and future. The common modern practice of carving pumpkins in the States, and turnips in the old countries stem from the days when our ancestors were active head hunters. They believed that the spirit resided in the head. They also believed that if they controlled the head of a foe they had killed in battle, and displayed the head at Samhain, then that foe could do them no further ill during this time when they could again walk in this realm. This practice was modified in the times after the rise of Christianity. It was however remolded into the practice of carving vegetables with the same intent. That being to keep away harm intending spirits.

Samhain was a time of fairs and festivities. As with all the fire festivals, fires were lit on the hilltops at Samhain. This festival was one of the two when all hearth fires were extinguished and re-lit from the communal bonfires. The cattle were driven back from the mountains where they had been sent for the summer. At this time of their return they were driven between two bonfires to purify and protect them. People and cattle both had now returned from the hills and glens to their winter quarters and were engaged in actively re-tying the social bonds. Just prior to this, the stores that had been put up had been assessed. Part of this assessment was how many could be fed during the cold months ahead. Rather than have whole herds starve to death in the winter, the herds were culled and the weakest harvested and the meat was preserved. The taking of life was done in a sacred way, and the utilitarian killing of the excess livestock had a sacrificial nature. Another area were the religious philosophy is addressed was in the bonds of kinship which were renewed in the clan spirit that was invoked at this time of year. Traditionally Samhain begins the time of storytelling by the fires of the hearth, as there isn t much to do outside during this time of the little sun.

From : Lost Civilization

Alban Arthuan or Winter Solstice 21December

Imbolic or Oimelc 1 February

The next festival on the Celtic calendar took place on Feb. 1st or 2nd and was called Imbolc. It centered around the fertility goddess Brigit and was concerned with the fertility of livestock and other pastoral matters. Brighid is invited into the house on the eve of this holiday. Candles were blessed. Auguries were often taken at this time. This was the season when lambs were born. From from Samhain to Imbolc was considered the winter. As there were few daylight hours during the season of cold work outdoors, the family spent their time round the fire which was the source of their light, heat and warming food. It was also the gathering point for the seannachaidh (story teller) who, with the fire of inspiration, would tell the stories of the people. The sacred fire is strongly associated with Bride. Her name translates as 'fiery arrow'. One of her aspects is the Goddess of poetry and it is She who is the 'flame of inspiration'. Another term given to Bride is 'the flame in the heart of all women'. This relates to the absolute authority of the woman in the house. Imbolc was a fire festival only for the household. During Imbolc, particular attention was paid to the hearth fire. Throughout the day it was kept specially fueled with specific woods, to welcome Her arrival. In the evening a rowan rod was placed in the heart of the fire. The following morning, before it was opened up, the fire was checked for the signs of a blessing from Her. The mark in question was a shape that looked like the foot print of a goose or swan. If a mark was found there was an extremely fortunate time ahead for the family. The associations between Bride and the goose or swan is also found in some of the incantations in the Carmina Gadelica by Alexander Carmichael. The Language of the Goddess by Dr. Maria Gimbutas goes a long way toward helping understand the meaning of the Bird Foot Goddess.

Alban Eiler or Vernal Equinox 21 March

Beltane or May Day 1 May

This holiday was called Beltaine, probably because of the name Belenus, the god of light. At this time, all household fires were extinguished and great bonfires were kindled on hilltops. From these sacred fires all household fires were relit, thus gaining the blessings of the gods. People and cattle jumped across the bonfires in a symbolic ritual of purification and protection from evil; getting the cattle to jump over the fires must have been a difficult matter, even though cows are capable of clearing five- or six-foot fences. Might this ancient practice have been the origin of the nursery rhyme about the cow jumping over the moon? It is ironic but true that many so-called "children s" nursery rhymes were based on some very "Grimm" realities. The following is a poem translated out of the Gaelic by the Dal Riadh Celtic Trust and said to be written by Finn himself:

May, clad in cloth of gold,
Cometh this way;
The fluting of the blackbirds
Heralds the day.
The dust coloured cuckoo
Cries welcome O Queen!
For winter has vanished,
The thickets are green.
Soon the trampling of cattle
where river runs low!
The long hair of the heather,
The canna like snow.
Wild waters are sleeping,
Foam of blossom is here;
Peace, save the panic
In the heart of the deer.
The wild bee is busy,
The ant honey spills,
The wandering kine
Are abroad on the hills.
The harp of the forest
Sounds low, sounds sweet;
Soft bloom on the heights;
On the loch, haze of heat.
The waterfall dreams;
Snipe, corncakes, drum
By the pool where the talk
Of the rushes is come.
The swallow is swooping;
Song swings from each brae;
Rich harvest of mast falls;
The swamp shimmers gay.
Happy the heart of man,
Eager each maid;
Lovely the forest,
The wild plane, the green glade.
Truly winter is gone,
Come the time of delight,
The summer truce joyous,
May, blossom-white.
In the heart of the meadows
The lapwings are quiet;
A winding stream
Makes drowsy riot.
Race horses, sail, run,
Rejoice and be bold!
See, the shaft of the sun
Makes the water-flag gold.
Loud, clear, the blackcap;
The lark trills his voice
Hail May of delicate colours
tis May-Day - rejoice!

Amonst the folk lore of this holiday is that which survives to this day, young women will wash their face in the dew of Beltaine morning to preserve their youth.
May dew was indeed considered to be holy water. This day was one which saw visits to the holy well. A visitor would walk three times around the well, then they would throw in a silver coin, after which while thinking of their wish they would drink from the well using their hands. When those things were done, they would then tie a bit of colored cloth or a piece of clothing to a branch of a nearby tree. The above had to be done in complete silence as well as when the sun wasn t in sight. The final part of the procedure had the visiting person well out of sight of the well before sunrise. In many places, a May Queen was elected. She was crowned by an elder lady of notoriety, after the new queen and her court had arrived at a predetermined place. Some believe that in the older times, it was the May Queen who lead the hymns to the rising sun, as all the people congregated on the appropriate hill at Beltaine. She is also believe to have led some of the marches in the older times.