The Astrology of the Druids – Comprehension the Celtic Zodiac

Starting up Details

The reality of the make a difference is that only mere snippets of archaeological evidence exists about what the Druids considered or practiced. Also the handful of (about) present-day references to ‘what Druids’ did appear from a small handful of writings still left by the Romans – who let’s deal with it were being unlikely to be unbiased in their summations.

It can be assumed, and the thought is relatively properly supported, that the Celts experienced a knowledge of the actions of the stars, in fact classical writers do attest to this – Ceaser, Strabo, Pliny all comment on the thought that the Druids had an comprehension of normal phenomenon.

But what they understood and what they taught is incredibly substantially the matter of speculation and debate.

So what do we know?

In 1897 various parts of a bronze tablet were found out in Coligny, France.

These items turned out to be parts of a calendar.

In all there were 73 pieces which when reassembled produced a 5-foot vast, three and a 50 % foot. This pill displayed a calendar which was both equally lunar and solar depicting the phases of the moon and the time of the photo voltaic 12 months.

Now regarded as the Coligny calandar, these tablets appeared to day again to the Next Century and so linked also Gaulish (possibly Druidic) practices.

There is a great deal discussion as to how the facts on this calendar can be interpreted. For illustration did the months operate from New Moon, Total Moon or Very first Quarter Moon? Does the calendar-yr commence in Autumn or Autumn?

What is obvious is that the lunar calendar is manufactured up of 354 or 355 times.

Amid the Welsh and Irish it appears that the yr was divided into a mild fifty percent and a dark 50 %.

It looks that the working day was seen as starting at sunset, so the calendar year was witnessed as beginning with the arrival of the darkness, at Calan Gaeaf/Samhain (1st November) even though the light-weight 50 % of the calendar year started off at Calan Haf/Bealtaine (1st Might).

These festivals have survived into the fashionable working day these kinds of as the traditions of Oíche Shamhna (Samhain Eve) between the Irish and Oidhche Shamhna among the Scots even though they exist in modern-day sort as Halloween.

So what about the Tree Calendar?

The substantially publicised Celtic Tree Calendar, which is designed all-around the Celtic Ogham alphabet, can be viewed as as a re-invention by the poet Robert Graves who published a very influential e-book, The White Goddess, in 1948.

Greatest thought of as a do the job of mythic-poetry, The White Goddess can be seen as a the supply of a range of today’s Celtic and Goddess impressed teachings. The reserve by itself lacks any rigor in conditions of its investigation and frequently questionable references. In conditions of the Ogham Alphabet, accurate the marks are Celtic and kind component of an alphabet utilised in monumental inscriptions and, if we can count on a bit more mature (but not contemporaneous) sources we can see that each and every of the Ogham letters did have an association with Trees, Birds, Colors and a quantity of other normal objects.

In real truth there is no historic hyperlink between the each Ogham letter and trees, without a doubt only 5 or 6 of the Ogham symbols relate immediately to trees!

So what about Celtic Astrology?

Modern-day writers possibly relate the months of the moon to trees or animals these then variety the foundation of modern displays of Celtic or Drudic Astrology.

But there are some other challenges. As each astrologer is familiar with it is really not just the delivery thirty day period that is important, but the way the heavenly bodies traverse the skies in relation to the position, time and date of beginning. Consequently whilst each and every of these modern interpretations delivers every month ‘zodiac-like’ features they are far removed from what may well be regarded as ‘astrology’.

In buy to re-construct or re-think about any kind of Druid Astrological procedure we would need to have to understand what planets, constellations the Celts identified.

Conclusions

It would seem that we have tiny immediate evidence for any procedure the Druids/Celts may possibly or could not have used, it is distinct that modern day mythic-poets and recreationists have pieced jointly a zodiac of types.

The Tree Calendar, in terms of authenticity, also raises some inquiries.

The level, nevertheless is, that because most neo-Druidry is recreated, reformed or re-invented, any procedure that has personalized relevance and which means is practical and worthwhile. Symbols and symbolic methods can and do evolve and certainly require to do so in purchase to have a relevance.

In the words and phrases of the Reformed Druids of Gaia –

We are “performing it the way the ancients did, making it up as we go together!