The Moon as a Calendar
10th April 2023
The moon has been used as a calendar for thousands of years by various cultures and civilisations around the world. Its phases and cycles have been observed and studied, allowing people to track time and plan their activities accordingly. An analogue watch usually has two hands that tell the hours and minutes, but marking the hours and minutes may not have been as important to our ancestors as marking the days, the weeks and the seasons. For them, the Sun would have help mark the days and the Moon would have helped to mark the weeks, the months, and the seasons.
The Lunar Cycle and the Lunar Calendar
The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, which has eight phases, starting with the new moon, followed by waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent. A full cycle occurs roughly every 29.5 days, which is the length of a lunar month.
Ancient Use of the Lunar Calendar
Khonsu is the ancient Egyptian God of the Moon. His name means ‘traveller’, and this may relate to the perceived nightly travel of the Moon across the sky.
In ancient times, people used the moon as a way to track the passing of time. The ancient Egyptians and ancient Babylonians were among the first to use the moon as a calendar, for example, the Babylonians used a lunar calendar as early as the 5th century BCE. Their lunar calendars consisted of 12 months of 29 or 30 days each, with an additional five or six days (an additional intercalary month) added the end of the year to make up for the extra time in the solar year.
The Egyptian lunar calendar was used in tracking the annual flooding of the Nile River, and to determine the dates of religious festivals and ceremonies, which were an important part of their society. For example, the festival of Wepet Renpet, or the "Opening of the Year," was celebrated at the beginning of the year and marked the start of the agricultural season. Other festivals were held to honour specific gods and goddesses, such as the festival of Osiris, the god of the afterlife and the Nile flood, and the festival of Hathor, the goddess of love, music, and fertility.
The lunar calendar was also used by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Chinese, among others. In some cultures, the lunar calendar was used exclusively, while in others it was used alongside a solar calendar.
Celtic Use of the Lunar Calendar
The Celtic people of ancient Europe were also known to use the moon as a calendar, and their lunar calendar was closely tied to the natural world and the changing of the seasons. The Celtic lunar calendar was also used to determine the dates of religious festivals and ceremonies, which were based on the cycles of the moon and the changing of the seasons.
The Celtic Tree Calendar
The Celtic Tree Calendar, also known as the Ogham Calendar, is a system of tree symbolism and divination used by the ancient Celts. The Celtic lunar calendar was divided into 13 months of 28 days each, with an additional day added at the end of the year to align the lunar calendar with the solar year. Each month was named after a specific tree or plant, with the cycles of the moon used to determine the best times for planting and harvesting crops.
The first month, which begins on December 24th or 25th, is associated with the Birch tree, and the last month, which begins on November 23rd or 24th, is associated with the Elder tree.
Here is a list of the trees and their associated months in the Celtic Tree Calendar, approximated to the contemporary Gregorian Calendar:
1. Birch Moon (December 24 - January 20)
2. Rowan Moon (January 21 - February 17)
3. Ash Moon (February 18 - March 17)
4. Alder Moon (March 18 - April 14)
5. Willow Moon (April 15 - May 12)
6. Hawthorn Moon (May 13 - June 9)
7. Oak Moon (June 10 - July 7)
8. Holly Moon (July 8 - August 4)
9. Hazel Moon (August 5 - September 1)
10. Vine Moon (September 2 - September 29)
11. Ivy Moon (September 30 - October 27)
12. Reed Moon (October 28 - November 24)
13. Elder Moon (November 25 - December 23)
Each tree is said to have its own unique qualities and symbolism, and these are often used in divination and spiritual practices. Although the lunar calendar was eventually replaced by the solar calendar, it remains an important part of Celtic mythology and folklore. The Celtic tree calendar is still used by some modern pagans and druids, although there is debate over its historical accuracy and authenticity.
We have also written an article about the Gaelic Tree Alphabet, also known as the Celtic or Ogham Tree Alphabet.
The Native American Lunar Calendar
Many Native American cultures used the cycles of the moon as a way to mark the passing of time and to track the changing of the seasons. They often assigned names to each full moon of the year, based on the natural events that occurred during each month. Here are some examples of Native American moon names:
January: Wolf Moon or Old Moon
The howling of wolves during the cold winter nights gave this full moon its name.
February: Snow Moon or Hunger Moon
This full moon was named for the heavy snowfall that often occurred during the month, which made hunting and gathering food more difficult.
March: Worm Moon or Sap Moon
This full moon was named for the emergence of earthworms from the ground, and the tapping of maple trees for sap to make syrup.
April: Pink Moon or Egg Moon
This full moon was named for the pink flowers that bloomed during the month, and for the hatching of bird eggs.
May: Flower Moon or Planting Moon
This full moon was named for the blooming of flowers and the planting of crops.
June: Strawberry Moon or Rose Moon
This full moon was named for the ripening of strawberries and the blooming of roses.
July: Buck Moon or Thunder Moon
This full moon was named for the appearance of male deer antlers, and for the thunderstorms that often occurred during the month.
August: Sturgeon Moon or Green Corn Moon
This full moon was named for the abundance of sturgeon in the lakes and rivers, and for the ripening of corn.
September: Harvest Moon or Corn Moon
This full moon was named for the harvest of crops and the bright light it provided for farmers to work by.
October: Hunter's Moon or Blood Moon
This full moon was named for the time when hunters would stockpile food for the winter, and for the reddish hue of the moon caused by the autumnal equinox.
November: Beaver Moon or Frost Moon
This full moon was named for the time when beavers were actively building their dams, and for the frost that signalled the approach of winter.
December: Cold Moon or Long Night Moon
This full moon was named for the long, cold winter nights that characterized the month.
Each tribe had its own set of moon names, but the use of lunar calendars to track time was a common practice throughout many Native American cultures. The moon names varied among different tribes and regions, but they all reflect the close relationship between Native American cultures and the natural world.
Once in a Blue Moon
Although Native Americans have given names to each of the full Moons, each typically happens within its own month. As above the 'Wolf Moon' is usually the full Moon occurring within January and with the cycle of the phases of the Moon lasting approximately one month, and there being 12 months in a year, we typically have 12 full moons each year. However, the phases of the Moon actually take 29.5 days to complete, meaning 354 days total for 12 full cycles. With 365 in a normal year (366 days in a leap year) roughly every two and a half years a 13th full moon is seen within the year. This additional full moon does not fit with the normal naming scheme and so is instead referred to as a ‘Blue Moon’.
Technically the definition of a blue moon is the third Full Moon in an astronomical season containing four Full Moons. However, this can be a complicated definition for people using the standard calendar, as the astronomical seasons begin and end at the equinoxes and solstices (e.g. the Winter season begins at the Winter solstice and ends at the Spring equinox, the Spring season begins at the Spring equinox and ends at the Summer solstice and so on). Another definition of a Blue Moon, and perhaps the more commonly used due to its simplicity, describes A Blue Moon as the second full Moon in any calendar month with two Full Moons. For this reason there is sometimes disagreement about which of the 13 Full Moons is the Blue one.
Modern Use of the Lunar Calendar
Even in the present day, the lunar calendar is still used by some people for religious or cultural purposes. The Islamic calendar, for example, is based on the cycles of the moon and is used to determine the dates of Islamic holidays and festivals such as Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. Similarly, the Jewish calendar is based on both the cycles of the moon and the movement of the sun, and is used to determine the dates of Jewish holidays such as Passover and Rosh Hashanah. In modern times, some people have also turned to the lunar calendar as a way to connect with nature and to live in a more sustainable way. By following the phases of the moon, people can plan their activities in harmony with the natural world. For example, farmers may use the lunar calendar to determine the best times to plant and harvest crops.
As we can see, the use of the moon as a calendar has been an important part of human history and culture for thousands of years. From ancient civilizations to modern-day religions and cultural practices, the moon has played a significant role in tracking time and marking important events. While the use of the moon as a calendar may not be as common as it once was, it remains an important part of our collective human heritage and continues to be celebrated and observed by many around the world.
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