Download MONTHS, DAYS AND TIME The Anglo-Saxons, like most societies

MONTHS, DAYS AND TIME
The Anglo-Saxons, like most societies, knew that from midsummer day
onwards, the sun rises slightly further south on the horizon each day, and that
it takes 365 days before it returns to its most northerly position and repeats its
cycle. This is called a year, or gear in Old English.
They also knew that in a year, the
moon went through twelve complete
phases, mysteriously changing shape
each night until a ‘new moon’
appeared. Each month, or monath in
old English, lasts about 29 days.
Annoyingly, there were always a few
days left after twelve months
(12x29=348) before the year was
finished. The solution was to insert an
extra month ‘æfterra līða’ every two
or three years.
The Roman calendar had been
constantly stretched and squeezed to
fit the year until no single month
actually matched the phases of the
moon. This was the system that the
Christian missionaries brought to
England from Rome in the 600’s. By
the end of the Anglo-Saxon period, the
Roman system was triumphant
everywhere, and we still use it today.
Ianuarius
æfterra gēola
Februarius
solmōnað
Martius
Aprelis
hrēðmōnað
hlȳda*
ēastermōnað
Maius
ðrīemilcemōnað
Iunius
Augustus
ǣrra līða
midsumermōnað*
līða
æfterra līða
wēodmōnað
September
hāligmōnað
October
winterfyllēð
November
blōtmōnað
December
ǣrra gēola
Iulius
* alternative names
There is some disagreement about the meanings of the Anglo-Saxon monthnames. Gēola is the same word as ‘Yule’, and may also have something to do
with the ‘wheel’ of the year. Sol is something of a puzzle. Easter is linked with
the word ‘east’, where the sun rises on the spring equinox. Hrēð and hlȳda may
be gods or goddesses. Ðrīemilcemōnað may suggest that cows could be milked
three times a day during this month, while līða may be an archaic word for
month. Hālig means ‘holy’, and winterfyllēð could be the first winter moon.
Blōtmōnað means ‘bloodmonth’, and may recall the month of sacrifices, or
winter slaughtering of animals.
Ða Engliscan Gesiðas (The English Companions) is a Company Limited by Guarantee. No. 4134039.
Reg. Office: Bottom Lane farm, Bottom House, Near LEEK, Staffordshire, ST13 7QL. Designs © MW Love 2010
The English probably copied the idea of dividing the seasons into weeks from the
Romans. They used the names of gods who were more familiar to them than the Roman
ones, and we still use these names today. They are among the few clues we have to the
gods of the Anglo-Saxons.
mōnandæg
The first day of the week was dedicated to the moon.
tīwesdæg
The Romans dedicated the second day of the week to Mars, the god of
war. Tīwa was the English god most similar to him.
wōdnesdæg
The next day was dedicated to Mercury in the Roman system, but the
English chose to replace him with their chief god, Woden.
ðunresdæg
Thursday is named after Thunor, famous for his magic hammer, and for
causing thunder and lightning. He replaced Jupiter, who had some of the
same qualities.
frigedæg
The next day was dedicated to Venus, the goddess of love, in the Roman
week. The equivalent goddess for the English was Freia.
saeternesdæg
Saturn was the Roman god who oversaw death and the passing of
time. There was no equivalent English god, so Saturn was retained.
sunnandæg / hæligdæg
The last day was dedicated to the sun. The first Christians saw Christ as
sun-like is some ways, so Sunday became the natural choice for his
holy day.
Dividing the day into sunrise, morning, noon, afternoon and so on was enough for most
people, but monks and priests needed more accurate ways of telling the time to
regulate the different services held throughout the day in monasteries.
Daytime was divided into twelve ‘tide’ or hours, but just as the length of a day varies
according to the season, so the hours could vary in length! Monks used various systems
(eg gradated candles, sand-timers, sun-dials, dripping water) to calculate the correct
time for different services, and rang bells accordingly.
Ða Engliscan Gesiðas (The English Companions) is a Company Limited by Guarantee. No. 4134039.
Reg. Office: Bottom Lane farm, Bottom House, Near LEEK, Staffordshire, ST13 7QL. Designs © MW Love 2010