(^166) A Wiccan Bible
The Celtic Calendar (Theory 2—Most Accurate)
This theory is most commonly accepted among scholars but is almost entirely miss-
ing from the Pagan community. Here we see a calendar reconstructed from large bronze
plate called the Coligny Calendar. Measuring 5 feet by 3 1/2 feet, the Coligny calendar
was discovered in France. Its language is clearly Gaulish, but its letters and numbers have
obvious Roman influences. The lunar cycles were counted in 19-year increments for a
total of 235 lunar cycles with two extra months inserted for every 62 standard cycles. It
was precise enough to yield only a 12-hour error after the full cycle of 19 years.
The problem with this calendar is that it is anything but user friendly. Maybe the
term would be ‘user surly.’ A 5-foot bronze plate is not exactly a Palm Pilot. For this
reason, I do not believe it was the calendar of the common (pagan) folk. Instead, I
believe although the Coligny Calendar is a valid representation of the way the ancient
Celts measured time, it was probably only the very well educated that used it or a simi-
lar system.
The Celtic Tree Calendar (Theory 3—The Middle Ground)
The third and least accepted idea is that theory one and theory two were more or
less both right. This theory is that the older of the two calendars was the Tree Calendar
and that the Coligny Calendar represents a Romanized view of the Celtic year. Those
folk educated enough to use the Coligny Calendar or those like it would do so to deter-
mine the application of the Tree Calendar while using those days Ruis (December 21)
and Beth (December 24) to make it fit. I believe this hybrid theory is the best way for
Wiccans to view the Celtic year, as our modern Gregorian Calendar most represents
the ancient Roman Calendar.
The Astrological Calendar
Interestingly enough, we see yet another attempt to connect the solar year and
lunar months in modern pop astrology. I say ‘pop astrology’ because as any trained
astrologer will tell you, there is a great deal more to astrology than looking up your sun
sign on a chart. However it is very interesting to note that there is no real reason to
have created a system with 12 signs unless one began with a connection to the lunar
cycles. Why 12 signs when just about anyone can look at the stars and a number of
constellations limited only by one’s imagination?
q WB Chap 09.p65 166 7/11/2003, 5:53 PM
barré
(Barré)
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