History of the calendar Archives - Living With The Moon

Winter solstice: A celebration of the returning light

by Jutta | Oct 29, 2024 | History of the calendar, LWTM Factoids, Moon Science

The Winter Solstice – A Celebration of the returning Light

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the annual sun cycle and occurs on the 21st or 22nd of December. Nowadays, this turning point in the year often passes by unnoticed. With electric lighting and heating, the length of daylight no longer shapes our lives in the way it once did. When darkness falls, we simply switch on a light. But a few thousand years ago, long before electricity, the winter solstice had a profound impact on people, their work, and their celebrations.

Archaeological sites such as Newgrange in Ireland and Stonehenge in the UK bear witness to how important the ever-changing sunrises and sunsets were to our ancestors. The winter solstice marked a moment of both great meaning and great relief—a celebration before the coldest, harshest days of winter arrived.

A Time of Feasting and Community

By mid-winter, most cattle had been slaughtered, as feeding them through the cold season was difficult. This meant the solstice period was one of the few times of the year when meat was plentiful. Barley harvested earlier would have fully fermented into beer, and the vessels needed emptying before the brew spoiled. Any remaining fruits and vegetables that hadn’t already been cooked, fermented, or preserved became part of the feasts.

During the few hours of daylight, people completed essential work. But once the sun dipped below the horizon, the festivities began. This is why many pagan celebrations took place in the early evening—the working day was done, and the darkness provided the perfect backdrop for candlelight, firelight, storytelling, and togetherness.

Christmas and the Rebirth of the Light

Christmas is one of the many winter festivals whose timing and symbolism are rooted in these ancient celebrations. In many European countries, the main Christmas celebration traditionally takes place on Christmas Eve, the 24th of December, true to the old custom of celebrating after sunset. The UK and US celebrate on the following day, the 25th, but in our house, we celebrate both!

The Christmas tree—an evergreen symbol of eternal life—looks especially magical when lit for the first time in the evening darkness. Christmas itself, the “reigniting of the little light,” echoes the ancient festival of the rebirth of the sun, when people marked the return of longer days and the promise of renewal.

The winter solstice reminds us that even in the darkest time of the year, light returns. It is a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate the enduring cycles of nature—just as our ancestors once did.

Moon Gods and Goddesses Part 5 – The Lunar Trinity: Artemis, Selene and Hecate

by Jutta | Oct 28, 2024 | History of the calendar, LWTM Factoids

Note: If you want to read the series from the beginning, follow this link.

This time, we are traveling from Mesopotamia to Ancient Greece to examine the lunar trinity of Artemis, Selene, and Hecate.

Artemis, Selene, and Hecate are all goddesses from Ancient Greek mythology. Each is associated with different aspects of the moon and feminine power. Although they all relate to the moon, their personalities and duties are quite different.

Artemis, Goddess of the hunt and protector of women and children

She was a youthful and fierce goddess. Artemis, the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo, was often portrayed as a fearless, young, and independent woman with a bow and a stag.

She could be dangerous and a fearless defender of women and children, which is ironic, as all her life she remained a chaste maiden. Women in antiquity worshipped this goddess and called upon her for all kinds of women’s troubles, from infertility to unwanted pregnancies, or when children were conceived and born out of wedlock. Artemis never judged and protected them all.

Many temples all over Greece were built in her honor. But her main temple was situated in Ephesus (modern-day Turkey) and was so impressive that it counted as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The building work started around 550B.C. under the watchful eye of the Cretan architect Chersiphon. The main construction phase (with various interruptions) took over 200 years! But no wonder, as this vast temple was 115 meters long and 55 meters wide (roughly 377 by 180 feet). It had 127 columns, each standing about 18 meters (60 feet) tall.

The temple at Ephesus was a hub for ancient pilgrims, similar to Lourdes today and no doubt good for the local economy. Renowned artists of the time would see it as an honor to add to its glory and worked mostly for free. Only the materials were paid for by wealthy donors, one of them was the fabulously wealthy King Croesus.

Every year, there was a pompous ceremony to thank her for guiding the Greeks to victory over the Persians at Marathon (490 B.C.) The temple’s first incarnation sadly did not last too long as it was burned down in 356 BC by a man named Herostratus, who sought fame for the act of arson.

After being rebuilt, it was more impressive than ever. Its glory lasted until 262 A.D. when the temple was ultimately destroyed by the Goths. Today Ephesus is still a tourist attraction and a hugely important archaeological site. It is a shame that only a single standing column is all that remains of this once glorious temple.

Artemis symbolizes purity, nature, freedom, and feminine strength.

Selene, Goddess of the Full Moon, light and time

Selene is the personification of the moon itself. She is often depicted as a beautiful woman in her prime, driving a chariot across the sky, much like her brother, Helios, who is connected to the sun. Her beauty and luminous presence symbolize the brightness of the moon at night.

The God Pan was besotted with her, but Selene only had eyes for the mortal Endymion, a beautiful young man. But the Gods did not approve and sent Endymion to die. But he was allowed to choose his own death, and he chose eternal sleep to preserve his impeccable beauty. Selene’s love did not die with him, and she regularly visits him and gazes at his beautiful face.

Another version describes that Selene and Endymion had 50 children, counting the full moons between the Olympic Games. Officially started in 776 B.C. and most likely copied from the Minoan Bull Jumping competitions, which also took place every 50 Full Moons, Selene’s Minoan counterpart was called Pasiphae, Queen of Crete and mother of the Minotaur.

In any case, Selene is best known as the goddess of love, romance, and sexuality. Women who lost lovers and yearned to win them back would call upon Selene’s help as they did with anything else connected to love, sex, and fertility. Selene was also called to help sufferers of epilepsy, addiction, and other ‘moon-related’ ailments.

Selene symbolizes Light, Romance, Eternal Love, Infatuation, and Sexuality

Hecate, goddess of witchcraft and magic

Hecate was a powerful, mysterious goddess who ruled over magic, spells, and the boundaries between the worlds. She is often depicted holding torches or keys, symbolizing her role as a guide through darkness and her connection to the underworld. Hecate is closely tied to the darker aspects of the moon and is a protector of witches and those practicing magic. She is also associated with crossroads and transitions, both literal and metaphorical.

Despite the general bad press, Hecate was a healer, and her priestesses were skilled herbalists. This tradition lingered until the Middle Ages when ‘herb women’ were the local healthcare facilitators. The Catholic Church got rid of them and burned many innocent healers at the stake, calling them ‘witches’. The church leader’s main accusation: No woman or person, as there were also a few male healers involved, should have the power to heal; only God can do this.

Hecate symbolizes Sorcery, Magic, Healing, and Wisdom

Why is a trinity so often associated with Gods?

Many religions celebrate the Number 3, seen as a spiritual number representing balance, harmony, and the cycle of life (birth/life/death or past/present/future).

In the Celtic tradition, their triple know (triquetra symbol) is associated with the interplay of earth, water, and sky, as well as the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. The alchemists show 3 as the number of transformation, purification, and enlightenment.

The 3 sides of the moon :

Nowadays we often refer to these 3 goddesses as Maiden- Woman -Crone.

The young, independent maiden Artemis represents the Waxing Moon

The beautiful Selene represents the Full Moon and

The old crone Hecate represents the Waning Moon followed by a short period of no moon – the New Moon.

But this is actually a rather new way of describing them, dating only back to the 1940s when the writer Robert Graves mentioned this theory. The Ancient Greeks did not categorize them in this way. But they did connect all three deities to the moon, and in their world, Artemis rules the earth, Selene the heaven, and Hecate the underworld.

Next time we will visit Isis, the Egyptian goddess of magic, healing, and fertility.

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Moon Gods and Goddesses Part 4: Babylon- masters of the heaven and the stars

by Jutta | Sep 15, 2024 | History of the calendar

Note: If you want to read the series from the beginning follow this link.

Following on from Ishtar, Goddess of Venus we explore the Babylonian pantheon of Gods, the masters of the sky, astronomy, and astrology.

I find this civilization particularly fascinating, as the Babylonians are the forefathers of modern astrology and lived to the tune of a lunisolar calendar. The LWTM Lifestyle Calendar is modeled on the Ancient Babylonian Calendar.

Deities in Babylon

The ancient Babylonians had a rich and complex pantheon of gods and goddesses that played significant roles in their religious beliefs, rituals, and daily lives. These deities represented various aspects of the natural world, human experiences, and cosmic forces, and were worshiped in temples and through elaborate ceremonies to seek their favor, protection, and blessings.

Here are some of the most prominent deities in the Babylonian pantheon:

Marduk: the patron deity of the city of Babylon and the chief god of the Babylonian religion. Marduk was associated with leadership, justice, victory, and wisdom. According to Babylonian mythology, Marduk defeated the primordial goddess Tiamat, symbolizing chaos, in a great battle to create stability and order.

Ishtar, the goddess of love, fertility, and war. We looked at her in depth in the previous installment. She was known for her beauty, sex, and passion, but also as a fierce goddess of war.

Shamash, the god of the sun and justice, was revered for bringing light to the world, dispelling darkness, and upholding principles of righteousness and order. Shamash was often depicted as a radiant figure holding a solar disc, symbolizing his role as a source of light, warmth, and divine judgment.

Ea, also known as Enki, was the god of wisdom, magic, and freshwater in Babylonian mythology. He was associated with knowledge, creation, and the arts. He was also connected with playing a crucial role in shaping the world. His role was guiding humanity towards enlightenment and understanding.

Nabu, the god of writing, wisdom, and scribes, was revered as a patron of scholars and intellectuals in Babylonian society. Nabu was often depicted with a stylus and a clay tablet, symbolizing his association with writing, education, and the dissemination of knowledge.

Nergal, the god of war, destruction, and the underworld. He was a formidable deity associated with Mars and feared for his fierce and destructive nature. Nergal was believed to preside over matters of conflict, death, and the afterlife, and was sometimes associated with pestilence and disease.

These are just a few examples of the diverse and powerful gods and goddesses worshiped by the ancient Babylonians, each playing a unique role in their religious cosmology and cultural practices. The worship of these deities was integral to Babylonian society, providing a framework for understanding the world, interpreting natural phenomena, and seeking divine guidance and protection.

Everyday life in Babylon

Babylon is to this day known for its impressive architecture, including the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was first mentioned in 2217 B.C., but only achieved status as an important cultural and religious center under King Hammurabi (1792 to 1750 BC). He is best known for the Code of Hammurabi, one of the oldest laws written in cuneiform, an old form of writing.

Babylon was a big commercial center and strategically located along important trade routes, which undoubtedly contributed to its wealth and prosperity. People in Babylon generally lived a peaceful, happy life, engaging in occupations such as farming, trading, crafting, and serving at the royal court. Families were important social units, and education and the arts were valued in Babylonian society.

After 1600 B.C. Babylon’s power declined, and in 689 BC, under the rule of the Assyrian King Sennacherib, Babylon was besieged and almost destroyed. However, the Assyrians managed to re-conquer Babylon, and the city was later rebuilt and continued to thrive under Assyrian rule.

Around 600 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar II established Babylon again as one of the foremost centers of the Ancient World. He was famous for his building projects like the ziggurats (temple towers), palaces, city walls, and, of course, the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon. This marvel of engineering was considered the most beautiful garden and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Unfortunately, this bliss did not last too long, and Babylon underwent periods of destruction again. In 539 BC, the Neo-Babylonian Empire fell to the Persian Empire. King Cyrus, the Great, and his forces invaded Babylon, and the city surrendered without a major battle, having learned from the previous experience with the Assyrians. The Persians allowed the inhabitants of Babylon to continue their religious practices and even granted them some degree of autonomy.

Eventually, Alexander the Great conquered Babylon and wanted to make it his new capital city. But he died shortly afterward, his conquest and the city fell into further decline, and it was largely abandoned during the 2^nd century AD.

Masters of the heaven and the stars

Apart from its rich culture and historical monuments, the Babylonians will always be remembered as the masters of the heavens. The lunisolar calendar is a calendar system that combines lunar and solar cycles is believed to have been created by the Sumerians, but it was refined and honed by the Babylonians.

The Sumerians lived in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500-1900 BC and are credited with some of the earliest known achievements regarding astronomy and the development of a calendar. They initially used a lunar calendar based solely on the phases of the moon, but also observed the movements of the sun. This led them to divide the year into 12 lunar months, which totaled around 354 days. To reconcile the lunar months with the solar year, they added a 13th moon cycle.

This crude calendar was further developed by Babylonian astronomers, who developed sophisticated observations and mathematical systems that allowed them to track the movements of the moon, the Sun, and the stars. They developed a more complex lunisolar calendar that incorporated intercalary months to align the lunar months with the solar year. The Babylonian calendar was used for religious and administrative purposes and influenced later calendar systems in the region.

Their contributions to astronomy and timekeeping laid the foundation for the development of subsequent calendar systems in different civilizations around the world. The Minoans would have undoubtedly traded with these cultures and exchanged valuable knowledge, such as sophisticated astronomy and calendar systems.

Today, only a few people are aware that we owe much to the Babylonian astronomers and astrologers who developed the concepts of astrological houses, star signs, and the zodiac. They divided the ring of animals (the zodiac) into 12 segments of 30 degrees. This system is still in use today, and modern astrology would be quite different without it.

Next time, we look into the Ancient Greek lunar Trinity – Artemis, Selene, and Hecate

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Moon Gods and Goddesses Part 2 – The Minoan civilization

by Jutta | May 30, 2024 | History of the calendar, HOLISTIC LIVING, LWTM Factoids, Moon Science

Note: If you want to read the series from the beginning follow this link.

Part 2: The Minoan civilization

Although Çatalhöyük and the early Minoan civilization were geographically and timewise different, both cultures demonstrate a preoccupation with fertility and the sacred feminine. Both civilizations show religious iconography, reflecting common themes and concerns of Neolithic societies. The main Minoan civilization arrived several millennia after Çatalhöyük, but the fertility symbolism is very similar. Over time the Minoans developed as an egalitarian society instead of keeping to the matriarchic model. Artifacts depicting women in prominent roles and signs of gender equality in religious rituals suggest a more balanced society where women enjoyed much higher status and freedoms than in the rest of Greece, particularly Athens. The only other Greek society which showed some female rights were the Spartans. Women were encouraged to engage in sports and be outdoors, rather than housebound and subservient, as customary in the rest of Ancient Greece.

Masters of the Sea

The Minoans were renowned for their advanced culture, sophisticated art, and maritime prowess. They lived on the island of Crete in the Aegean Sea during the Bronze Age (circa 3000 BCE to 1100 BCE). The palaces of Knossos, Phaistos, and Malia, served as political, administrative, economic, and religious centers. These palaces were characterized by intricate architecture, including multi-story buildings, grand staircases, and colorful frescoes. Their culture was rather advanced because the Minoans were adept sailors and traders, dominating maritime trade routes in the eastern Mediterranean. They traded precious metals, ivory, and spices with their produced ceramics, art, and textiles. Minoan art is characterized by vibrant frescoes, intricate pottery, and sculptures depicting natural scenes, religious rituals, and mythological figures. Their religion most likely included nature worship, with particular emphasis on goddesses, fertility rites, and rituals performed in sacred spaces like caves and mountaintops. Their main goddess was the Mother Goddess associated with fertility and the cycle of life. She is frequently depicted with raised arms, holding snakes, birds, or other symbols of regeneration and abundance. We don’t know if the Snake Goddess is another incarnation of the Earth Mother or a separate deity. She is one of the most iconic figures of Minoan religion. The serpents that she holds in each hand, symbolize her power over nature and fertility. She is often portrayed wearing a tiered skirt and a headdress.

The moon and the bulls

Bulls held significant symbolic importance in Minoan religion, possibly representing strength, virility, and fertility. Bull-leaping, a dangerous ritual sport depicted in Minoan art, may have had religious significance. The surviving frescos show bull leaping, a sport performed by male and female athletes and believed to be a forerunner for the later held Olympic games. The horns of consecration are other powerful symbols, showing the female side. The bull was associated with the moon and the horns represented the waxing and the waning moon. The sacred horns were always part of any fertility rituals or religious ceremonies honoring the Mother Earth goddess. The Minoans already understood the influence the moon has on life on Earth and that the average female fertility cycle goes hand in hand with the 28-day lunar cycle. It is now presumed that the Minotaur in the Labyrinth is a reference to the Minoan bull jumping games and bull worship. The labyrinth is the palace at Knoxos itself. It contained over 2000 chambers and any foreign visitor would have got lost in its grounds.

The Minoan Calendar

Not many calendar records exist to be certain. However, historians generally believe that the Minoans followed a lunisolar calendar, similar to the Hellenic calendar. The year started with the first New Moon after the winter or summer solstice. Because the lunar and the solar year don’t go hand in hand, a 13th moon cycle was occasionally introduced to even out the seasons. Here is another article that explains more about this fascinating culture. The cow jumped over the moon

Next time we travel to Mesopotamia and learn more about the Ishtar, the Goddess of Venus

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The law of cosmic forces

by Jutta | Dec 1, 2023 | History of the calendar, HOLISTIC LIVING, LWTM Factoids, Moon Science

Nature follows the law of cosmic forces. It is slow, predictable, and dependable. When you sow corn in spring, you get corn in autumn and not wheat or barley.

Day follows night and night follows day. These cyclical patterns can be relied upon and calculated. We may not know its definite purpose, but we can trust it.

Watching the nightly sky

The rotational path of the planets, and their relation to each other have been the same for millions and billions of years.

We know that ancient astronomers as far back as 10,000 B.C. and most likely before observed the night sky regularly, tracking the positions and movements of celestial bodies over time. They noted the wandering motion of certain objects against the background of fixed stars. The term “planet” itself comes from the Greek word for “wanderer.”

At first, these observations were made with the naked eye. Later handheld devices called astrolabes recorded time and established the exact positions of celestial objects.

Armillary spheres are models of celestial spheres, featuring rings. First used by Chinese astronomers around 400 B.C. they demonstrated the positions and motions of celestial objects and enabled detailed calculations.

Different cultures tracked different celestial bodies

Stonehenge: The Druids mainly tracked the cycle of the sun, especially the solstices, and the cycle of the moon. The Full Moon nights were important dates used for gatherings and celebrations.

Mayan Observatories: like El Caracol in Chichen Itza tracked the movements of the planets, particularly important was Venus. This tradition was shared with the Minoans, if coincidental or not is not clear.

Babylonian Astronomy: used clay tablets and recorded their findings in cuneiform scripts. This enabled them to make detailed observations and keep records of tracked positions. These records could be used to predict their future movements. Babylonian astronomers observed the circle of the animals, now known as the twelve constellations and houses.

Greek Astronomy: Ptolemy’s geocentric model, while later replaced by the heliocentric model, accurately predicted planetary positions using a complex system of epicycles. Meton recorded that 19-solar years equal 235 lunations, the backbone of the lunisolar calendar.

The Ancient Greeks were also the first to observe Retrograde Motions. As the name suggests, planets seem to go periodically backwards in the sky. ‘Mercury retrograde’ is now fashionable on instagram, but clearly not a new concept. All planets enter retrograde phases, some short (Mercury takes 21 days and the next retrograde phase is 13th December to 2nd January 2024). Other long (Pluto is 5.5 months.) In 2024 Pluto turns retrograde on the 2nd May, lasting until the 12th October.

Chinese Astronomy: Chinese astronomers kept meticulous records of celestial events, including planetary movements, comets, and supernovae. They also found methods for predicting planetary positions such as conjunctions and oppositions of planets, nowadays still in use in astrological charts.

What we can learn from the law of cosmic forces

The weather may be unpredictable, but the path of the universe is not! There is not one day on earth when the sun all of a sudden won’t shine (even when covered by clouds) or the gravitational pull is disabled and objects won’t fall to the ground.

Humans have free will and with it have achieved a lot. But with free will also comes unpredictability. We often try to reinvent the wheel, but let’s face it a wheel is perfect and does not need improving.

If you look at the overriding law of nature – it is balance! The Waxing and the Waning Moon has the same length of time, as does the New and the Full Moon. The length of days varies during the year, but the northern hemisphere gets the same amount of long days as does the southern hemisphere.

The planets and stars form patterns, creating stability and balance. Ultimately what humans really crave is balance and predicatbility. Therefore connecting to these ever-repeating cycles keeps us safe and guides us in what to expect.

This is why I created the LWTM Lifestyle calendar, a way of predicting the months and year ahead!

Working with these rhythms creates a sense of balance and stability and this can’t be over-emphasised in these unpredictable, erratic times.

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Once in a blue moon

by Jutta | Jul 31, 2023 | History of the calendar, LWTM Factoids, Moon Science

Have you ever heard the phrase – once in a blue moon. I should think so. So I delved a little deeper to find out what it really means and where it comes from. There are actually 2 varying versions of what we mean by a ‘Blue Moon’.

1. Four full moons in a season

The first definition refers to a fourth full moon in a season. The year has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Normally, each season has 3 full moons. So that brings the yearly total to 12 full moons. The same reason is why the year has 12 calendar months.

The Ancient Roman year had 12 moon cycles and then a period of rest (roughly what we now call January and February).
The new year started again in March. This coincided with the start of the new military marching season, ruled by Mars, the God of war. To keep the year in sync with the seasons, another moon cycle was occasionally added, bringing the total number of full moons to 13. This meant that one season had 4 full moons instead of 3, and the 4th full moon was called ”a blue moon’. When Julius Caesar adopted the solar calendar model, he created 12 calendar months per year. (Calendar comes from the Latin word for register) and abolished the13th month.

Although the sun calendar replaced the former lunar model for official duties and taxes, many pagan rituals were still celebrated in accordance with the moon cycle. When Emperor Constantin adopted Christianity as the ‘official Roman religion’, anything pagan got a bad press. The Catholic church rallied against the ancient pagan practices, and the number 13 became the ‘number of witches’. It was hailed as the unlucky number, especially if the combination fell on a Friday (the day of worship for Friga, the pagan fertility goddess). This lore is still alive in fairy stories. Do you remember the 12 good fairy godmothers in Sleeping Beauty, and the 13th came to dinner and spoiled it all!

To give you an idea of how often this happens, the last ‘Blue Moon’ according to this definition occurred on 22nd August 2021. So on average, a Blue Moon happens every 2-3 years, hence the saying ‘ once in a blue moon’, meaning an event that is very rare.

2. Two full moons in a calendar month

Another way of describing a ‘blue moon’ came later. Normally, a calendar month has one New Moon and one Full Moon, but occasionally 2 of each can occur in the same month. From the 19th century onwards, it became popular to call the second Full Moon in a given calendar month ‘a blue moon’. Although still rare, this event occurs more randomly than the first definition. This month, on August 31st, a Blue Moon will be visible to us. According to old tradition, make a wish and watch it come true!

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Winter solstice: A celebration of the returning light