CELTIC ASTROLOGY A MODERN HOAX by Michel-Gérald Boutet (iconographer) with comments by Joseph Monard (linguist) ABSTRACT The following is a description and critical comment on the various models given or proposed by the various interpreters and Reconstructionists for a working zodiac labelled as 'Celtic astrology'. Many attempts have been made at restoring or reconstructing ancient Celtic Astrology, these models are for the most part, fabricated, when not, completely re-invented. Not surprisingly, these tree zodiacs bear very little resemblance to both Western and Eastern Astrology. This being that most of the Reconstructionists have worked from false indications given by Robert Graves who seems to have confused Almanac with Zodiac. ASTRONOMICAL FACTS AND FIGURES The zodiac consists of a definite number of star clusters grouped in a band girdling the Earth’s centre along the ecliptic. The early zodiacal models had 10 or so constellations while others counted not more than 12 or 13. Certain constellations such as Libra and Scorpio comprised of many asterisms which included Ophiucus the SnakeBearer. Moon based astrology used the 27 or 28 day-night circadian rhythm (nycthemeron) of the month. Certainly, the Almanac is lunar and the Zodiac, solar, but of course, these are two different systems, the first relying on the yearly lunar cycle (354.3 days) of approximately 12 lunations and the second, on the solar cycle (365.6 days). An important reminder is that the Moon visits the zodiacal constellations in but one month while the Sun takes a full year to complete the same course. Worse still, the authors often fail to give their sources, making it impossible to verify them. In short, we can only conjecture on who started it in the first place. And in this case, most evidently, all paths lead to Robert Graves. Robert Graves, seeing the impossibility of the zodiac being a "perpetual calendar", erroneously thought that the Beth-Luis-Nion letter sequence could not reconciliate the equinoxes and solstices with the twelve zodiacal constellations. He believed that the zodiac emerged from the thirteen month lunar calendar and he suspected that the dual Gemini signs were fused into one in order to harmonise the lunar-solar cycles. His tree order starts on Christmas Eve in December on the 24th; an impossibility since the Celtic lunar-solar year commenced mid-Fall around October-November. Also impossible are his fixed dates, we now know from archaeological data collected on the Coligny plates that the Druids had reconciled in a most ingenious way the discrepancies of the two cycles. Monthly dates followed the Moon phases with the Zodiacal months overlapping. Corrections were made by indexing the shorter lunar cycle with the longer solar cycle by adding an extra month every two and three years following a five years turn-around. Therefore, there were no fixed dates in the druidical scheme, just floating dates! The Eye of the Sun or Solar Wheel with other luminaries represented. Gold Stater from the Belgian Treviri nation struck for the warlord Pottina. A Quick recall for the reader's sake: Sidereal Month: Is defined as the mean time of the Moon's revolution in its orbit from a constellation back to the same constellation again (the zodiacal constellations defined as lunar mansions), in precisely 27 days, 7 hours, 43 minutes, 11.5 seconds of mean time. Sidereal Year: Is defined as the mean time in which the earth completes one revolution in its orbit around the Sun measured with respect to the zodiacal constellations as fixed stars(i.e.: from the vernal point and back, from Aries and back to it again): in precisely 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.54 seconds of solar time. The Serpent Bearer : The Constellation of Ophiucus served as a marker for the druids’ reckoning of the start of the new Celtic year called Samonios. This occurred on the advent of the sun’s entry into Scorpio. Drawing by M.-G. Boutet from a detail of the Gundestrup Cauldron. Indexing cycles: Difficulty arises as one tries to combine the lunar cycles with the solar year. In fact, the average Moon year of twelve months is of 354. 3669 days compared to the average 365. 2422 days of the solar cycle. The task was to combine these two years into one synchronous year and still keeping tract with seasonal changes. The solution was found in the intercalary month and year, which introduces every third year a thirteenth month called Santarana (Santaros\-a\-on = aside). This technique of inserting an extra month is qualified as «embolismic» for «clotting» or leap month. Apart from the use of an additional leap month there was the possibly of adding an extra day in July thus complicating things further. The first leap month was called Ciallosbuis Sonnocingos which means, «check-up of the Sun's course», returns every five years and the second, Mens in Dueixtionu, inserted between October and November also runs every five years at the beginning of each lustrum. Mens in Dueixtionu means «month in duplication», and is found abridged as MIDX in the Coligny Calendar. DURATION OF THE PLANETARY CYCLES -Moon: 19.00011 years, lunation on the same zodiacal degree for one metonic cycle; -Sun: 33.00004 years, for return to the same zodiacal position, same time of the day; POSITIONS OF THE SUN AND MOON IN THE ZODIAC Sun in: Libra Scorpio Sagittarius Full Moon in: Aries Taurus Gemini Last Quarter in: Cancer Leo Virgo New Moon in: Libra Scorpio Sagittarius First Quarter in: Capricorn Aquarius Pisces Capricorn Cancer Libra Aquarius Leo Scorpio Pisces Virgo Sagittarius Aries Libra Capricorn Taurus Scorpio Aquarius Gemini Sagittarius Pisces Cancer Capricorn Aries Leo Aquarius Taurus Virgo Pisces Gemini From Claude Ptolemy’s chart. Capricorn Aquarius Pisces Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo Virgo Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius The anthropomorphic Tree by the Italian painter Pietro Ciafferi (1600 – 1654). THE BATTLE OF TREES Here is a detail of a representation of the fabled Tree Battle as found on the famous Gundestrup cauldron (dated ca. 250 before common era +/- 50 to 150 years) belonging to the Pontic culture. Note the rough pole, a representation of the world axis and warriors figuring calendar names. This because the Celtic word Latis both stands for “warrior”, “hero” and “calendar day” (La in Irish). The calendar itself was called Lation. The letter ascriptions for the Lates follow linguistic indications and traditional manuscript sources. These details confirm tree letter connections to stellar symbolism. Drawing by M.-G. Boutet. Under the assumption that the Celtic alphabet derived from the Greek and Roman ones, Graves went through great pains explaining the tree order through Classical myths. But where he really went wrong was when he took poetical licence for the literary truth. Ironically, his muse, the White Goddess, took him down the wrong path. One wonders which Celtic white goddess he was referring to, was it Uinda Branna, the white raven of dead heroes, or was Uinda Soibra, the white spectre, the white lady, a ghost of the past? Fionn’s Shield from the Book of Ballymote. THE ZODIAC MAKERS Robert Ranke Graves (1895-1985), English poet, translator, classicist and author of the White Goddess. 1. Robert Graves Robert Graves’ Tree Calendar: Birch: December 24; L Service tree: January 21; N Ash February 18; F Alder: March 18; S: April 15. SS (Z) Prune tree: April 15; H Whitethorn: May 15; D Oak: June 10; T Holy: July 8; C Hazel: August 5; CC (Q) Apple: August 5; M Vine: September 2; G Ivy: September 30; NG Reed: October 28; R Elder: November 25; I Ivy: November 25; E Poplar: December 23; U Heather: December 23; O Furze: December 23; A Spruce: December 23; AA Palm: December 24; Robert Graves’ Tree Zodiac: Winter Solstice A/I: Spruce/Yew Sagittarius: B/R: Birch/Elder Capricorn: L: Service tree Aquarius: N: Ash. Spring Equinox O/E: Furze/Poplar Pisces: F: Alder Aries: S: Willow Taurus: H: Whitethorn Summer Solstice U: Heather Gemini: D/T: Oak/Holy Cancer: C: Hazel Leo: Q: Apple Fall Equinox E/O : Poplar/Furze Virgo: M: Vine Libra: G: Ivy Scorpio: NG: Reed But much of this relies on modern interpretations derived from the book Ogygia by the seventeenth century bard Roderick O'Flaherty. O'Flaherty claimed that his information was gained from Duald MacFirbis, clan bard of the O'Briens. Credited scholars such as R.A.S. Macalister, not least, argue that the ogham ascriptions given by O'Flaherty were 'artificialities' having little to do with the original bearings (Nigel Pennick 1991). If these were late musings inspired from the Bardic tradition, then these had to be re-adaptations of the old medieval ascriptions. Since the Bardic schools were essentially Christian, it is very unlikely that the druidic ascriptions were carried on that long into the Christian era. To compare, here is Hageneder’s fairly credible construction relying on traditional information: 2. Friedrich Hageneder Friedrich Hageneder's Tree-signs I- Chieftain Trees and landmarks for Quarterly Festivities A Ailm (Fir!) O Onn (Broom!) U Ura (Lime-tree!) E Eadha (Aspen) I Iohu (Yew) on the next day after Winter Solstice by Spring Equinox by Summer Solstice by Fall Equinox on Winter Solstice II- The thirteen tree signs, each lasting over 4 x 7 = 28 days, start from Winter Solstice B Beth (Birch) L Luis (Service-tree) N Nion (Ash-tree) F Fearn (Alder) S Saille ((Willow) H Huath (Hawthorn) D Duir (Oak) T Tinne (Holly-Oak) C Coll (Hazel) M Muir (Bramble) G Gort (Ivy) Z Straif (Blackthorn) R Ruis (Elder) Hageneder's very odd but unpretentious 'Tree Calendar' was presented by the author very carefully insisting that: "It is not proven that such a calendar had been in actual use... However, I wished to use this system to recall trees in our mind: more than ever they need our care and love". His tree signs sequence was in fact built on a weekly pattern. The week is now in world-wide use. Disregarding the fact that the ancient Celts ignored it, an additional complication is brought about by the much too cumbersome seven-based pattern. This is because seven is neither compatible with the solar cycle and neither with the lunar cycle. As mentioned, Hageneder's proposal is second hand information firstly owing to an oghamic sequencing recognised as being freely inspired from Roderick O'Flaherty's Ogygia, again, which he himself said to have borrowed from Duald Mc Firbis. (J. Monard) 3. Carol Carnac Carol Carnac's Celtic Astrology Another example is no doubt Carol Carnac's "L'Astrologie Celtique". Although very intuitive and oftentimes brilliant, this work eludes any explanation on how the author came to this unique system. All we are told is that Carnac devised the order from an "oral tradition" that goes as far back as the Megalithic Age!? And, not unlike Robert Graves, not only is the name of his informant not given, but no proper bibliography is given either (!?). So if there was an unbroken line of oral astrological lore in Brittany going as far back as the megalithic age, then this is important; we certainly would like to know more about it. But then again, if the informant is another celtomaniac, then we can understand the author's discretion on his identity. This being said, in it is found an original special tree order along with its related constellations. His tree ranking is not only different from the oghamic order but also from the Cat Goddeu (Battle of Trees) order as well. His astral system could in no way qualify as a solar zodiac because: 1, it does not cover the usual sidereal constellations visited by the Sun during the year; and, 2, it does not reflect the Moon's monthly sidereal passage either since it is divided as a 36 part almanac, that is, what one may regard as such with each part as an approximate third of the zodiacal twelfth of the tropic year. But then again, the assigned dates are irrelevant from the bases of the given calendar timing for them to match the astronomic zodiacal turnover. Carol Carnac's Celtic Astrology March 15 - March 24: March 25 - April 4: April 5 - April 14: April 15 - April 24: April 25 - May 4: May 5 - May 15: May 16 - May 25: May 26 - June 5: June 6 - June 15: June 16 - June 25: The King and the Elder-tree, The Pear-tree and the Enchained Princess, The Queen and the Elm-tree, Triangulum and the Oak, The River of Life and the Lindentree, The Solar Hero and the Sprucetree, Lepus (Hare) and the Beech-tree, The Hunter and the Cherry-tree, Auriga (Coachman) and the Mistletoe, Ursa Minor and the Fir-tree, June 26 - July 5: July 6 - July 16: July 17 - July 26: July 27 - August 6: August 7 - August 17: August 18 - August 27: August 28 - September 6: September 7 - September 17: September 18 - September 27: September 28 - October 7: October 8 - October 17: October 18 - October 27: October 28 - November 6: November 7 - November 16: November 17 - November 26: November 27 - December 6: December 7 - December 16: December 17 - December 26: December 27 - January 5: January 6- January 14: January 15 - January 24: January 25 - February 3: February 4 - February 13: February 14 - February 23: Canis Major and the Fig-tree, Ursa Major and the Chestnuttree, Canis Minor and the Walnut-tree, Hydra and the Willow-tree, Navis and the Yew-tree, Crater (Cup/Cauldron) and the Service-tree, Centaurus and the Quince-tree, Corvus and the Juniper-tree, Bootes and the Nettle-tree, The Earth Hero and the Poplartree, Corona Borealis and the Hazeltree, Serpens and the Birch-tree, Draco (Dragon) and the Corneltree, Lupus and the Alder-tree, Ophiuchus (Snakeman) and the Pine-tree, Ara (Alter) and the Box-tree, Corona Australis (Southern Crown) and the Hawthorn-tree, Lyra (Harp) and the Hornbeam or Yoke-elm-tree, Aquila (Eagle) and the Ash-tree, Sagitta (Arrow) and the Plum-tree, Gygnus (Swan) and the Appletree, Delphinus (Dolphin) and the Larch-tree, Piscis Austrinus and the Mapletree, Equuleus (Pony) and the Cypress- tree, Pegasus (Winged Horse) and Medlar-tree, Cetus (Whale) and the Chestnuttree. February 24 - March 4: March 5 - March 14: 4. Edgar Bliss Edgar Bliss's Gaulish Astrology Another similar example is Edgar Bliss's “Astrologie Gauloise”. He too offers a tree order in 36 parts (plus 4 for the equinoxes and solstices) that defies all comparison. Interestingly, it has the same structure as Carnac's “Astrologie Celtique”, but neither the same cut-off dates nor the same order of tree signs. Edgar Bliss's Gaulish Astrology March 21, Spring Oak-tree equinox March 22 - 31 Hazel-tree April 1 - 10 Hazel-bush April 11 - 20 Maple-tree April 21 -30 Walnut-tree (Force, Might) May 1 - 14 Poplar-tree May 15 - 24 May 25 - June 3 Chestnut-tree Ash-tree June 4 - 13 Hornbeam elm-tree Fig-tree June 14 - 23 or (Prosperity, Fertility) (Fertility) (Combat, Strife) (Charisma and Mystery) (Otherworldly realm of the dead Heroes) (Foresight, Intuition) (World Tree, World Axis) Yoke- (The Way, The Path) (Abundance) June 24, Summer Solstice June 25 - July 4 July 5 - 14 July 15 - 25 Birch (Life) Apple-tree Yew-tree Elm-tree July 26 - August 4 Cypress-tree August 5 - 13 August 14 - 23 August 24- September 2 September 3 - 12 Poplar-tree Nettle-tree Pine-tree September 13 - 22 Linden-tree (Love and Beauty) (Eternity) (Obscurity, Protector of Animals) (Longevity, Protector of travellers) (Otherworld) (Secrecy) (Permanence and material power) (Soothsaying and prophecy) (Friendship and Compassion) Willow September 23, Fall Olive-tree Equinox September 24 - Hazel-tree October 3 October 4 - 13 Hazel-bush October 14 - 23 Maple-tree October 24 - Walnut-tree November 2 November 3 - 11 Poplar-tree November 12 - 21 November 22 December 1 December 2 - 11 December 12 - 21 (Brilliant Light, and Heat) (Prosperity) Chestnut-tree - Ash-tree Hornbeam elm-tree Fig-tree December 22, Winter Beech-tree Solstice December 23 to Apple-tree January 1 or Fire (Fertility) (Combat, Strife) (Charisma and Mystery) (Otherworldly realm of the dead Heroes) (Foresight) (World Tree) Yoke- (The Way) (Abundance) (Renewal) (Love and Beauty) January 2 - 11 January 12 - 24 January 25 February 3 February 4 - 8 February 9 - 18 February 19 - 29 Yew-tree Elm-tree - Cypress-tree Poplar-tree Nettle-tree Pine-tree March 1 - 10 Willow March 11 - 20 Linden-tree (Eternity) (Obscurity, Protector of Animals) (Longevity, Protector of travellers) (Otherworld) (Secrecy) (Permanence and material power) (Soothsaying and prophecy) (Friendship and Compassion) Comment for both Carnac's and Bliss's proposals: Although their tree-sign assignments raise serious objections, the notion of a split of the zodiac in time periods otherwise known as decants, a device known since Celtic Antiquity, certainly makes a lot of sense. The Gaulish language even had a word for this notion which as Decamnoctiacon, standing for "ten nights sequence". Among the tree-signs proposed by Bliss, the Nettle-tree, Fig-tree, and Olive-tree can be noticed. But the problem here is that these trees only grew in southern Gaul and were not species growing in most of the countries of ancient Western Celticity (J. Monard). 5. Helena Paterson Helena Paterson’s Celtic Astrology Another bad example of authors taking poetic licence for serious methodology is Helena Paterson with her 'Celtic Astrology' which picksup from where Graves left off. Grave's proposal now serves as model for most of the contemporary Celtic buffs and pseudo-Druids so it does not come as a surprise to find it in Paterson's phoney "lunar zodiac of the Ancient Druids" as it is called in her "Handbook of Celtic Astrology". Her lunar zodiac only makes the ancient Druids look like senile lunatics. Paterson also generously gives much credit to a highly contested source such as that of Olo Morganwg's Barddas which she qualifies as "ancient knowledge" and "esoteric wisdom". "Welsh Bardic tradition has an ancient pedigree and, if the writings of Morgan and other teachings such as the Barddas - a collection of ancient manuscripts copied by Olo Morganwg and presented by the Welsh Manuscript Society in 1862 - have any merit at all, it confirms an ancient knowledge of an esoteric wisdom." (Helena Paterson in Celtic Astrology p. xvi). Her proposed "Celtic Lunar Zodiac" (sic) follows the beth-luisn-nion, oghamic sequence ... as does Hageneder's . However, where Hageneder proposes "straif" in penultian position, she prefers "ngetal. using Robert Graves's Tree-calendar Helena Paterson’s 13-sign "Lunar Zodiac of the Ancient Druids" Civil calendar Tree period Dec 24 - Jan 30 Beth/Birch Jan 21 - Feb 17 Luis/Rowan Feb 18 - Mar 17 Nion/Ash-tree Ruling Planet SUN Uranus (Brigantia) Neptune (Lir) Mar 18 - Apr 14 Fearn/Alder Mars (Maurth) Apr 15 - May 12 Saille/Willow Moon (Llun) May 13 - June 9 Uath/Hawthorn Vulcan (Govannan) Jun 10 - July 7 Duir/Oak Jupiter (Jovyn) July 8 - Aug 4 Aug 5 - Sept 1 Tinne/Holly Coll/Hazel Earth (Abred) Mercury (Mugher) Celtic symbol the White Stag the Green Dragon Trident (or SeaHorse) Pentacle (Hawk) Sea-Serpent the Chalice the White Horse (1) the Unicorn (2) Rainbow Salmon Sept 2 - Sept 29 Muine/Vine Oct 30 - Oct 27 Gort/Ivy Oct 28 - Nov 24 Ngetal/Reed Venus (Gwena) Persephone (3) Pluto (Pwyll) White Swan Butterfly White Hound (or Stone) Nov 25 - Dec 22 Ruis/Elder Saturn (Sadorn) Black Horse (or Raven) (1) or Golden Wheel (2) or Flaming Spear (3) "veiled by the Moon" Comments This formula appears as an ingenious if not crafty musing but, unfortunately not only does it fall from its promise of giving a coherent zodiac, but does it also, literally, just falls apart. For it is neither solar/zodiacal nor lunar/almanacal because of its 13 period distribution contrary to the twelve-part zodiacal division of the ecliptic, and not lunar either, because of its duration and fixed dates of periods. It can in no way be called astrology "of the Ancient Druids" for these reasons: 1- Because beginning near the winter solstice; 2- Because of its reference to planets not having been observed before "modern" times: Uranus, maybe (?), Neptune and Pluto certainly not!; 3 - Because of the lack of Celtic character of several of the quoted nonCeltic deities; 4 - Because of its ignorance of the ancient Celtic names of several planets and/or of deities attested in mythology, Book of Ballymote and epigraphic sources; and, 5 - Because of the erroneous use of recent Welsh and Gaelic names of planets and/or deities. (J. Monard) Many of the fictitious planets given by Paterson are explained in terms of 'Druidic' to the past tense thus leading the reader into believing that things went accordingly to what she affirms. She tells us that Celi was "the great invisible god of the Druids" (p. xvi). Celi (if the name stems from the root Cel- = "to conceal") has certainly escaped the notice of most of the specialists of Celtic religion. Her sense of etymology is just as bad as her knowledge Celtic mythology, for example she gives Luis (Rowan) as stemming from Luisiu when the established etymology of Rowan is is Alisos. The term Luis, which derives from Lusis, stood for "mountain ash". Or that the "Welsh Bards referred to the Druids as "Naddreds" or "Adders", a literal term for wise men." (p. xxi). Natro (Adder in Celtic) always meant snake, it was latter used as a pejorative term by the early Christian monks to discredit the druids in that Natro puns with Nadrô "to slip" (Nadromi, "to move as a snake"). Just to give an example among mny others, here is the list of planets according to Paterson (NB: the “?” question marks are my interrogations and not those of the zodiac maker): Sun: Sul Uranus: Brigantia (?) Neptune: Lir (?) Mars: Maurth Moon: Llun Vulcan: Gouannan (?) Jupiter: Jovyn Earth: Abred (?) Mercury: Mugher Venus: Gwena Persephone: Arianrhod/Rhiannon (?) Pluto: Pwyll - Maurth, Mugher, Gwena and Jovyn are of late Latin etymology and Brigantia, Lir, Gouannan, Abred, Arianrhod and Pwyll are fictious. While Earth as a planet was known as Crundion and not Abred! Compare with the names of the known planets of ancient Celticity: Sun: Sauelios, Sonnos/Sonna, Grannos/Greina Moon: Luxna, Leucara/Leucaros, Diuon, Eidsciia Mars: Cocidios, Roudios Mercury: Lugos, Luxtos, Boudios Jupiter: Tectos, Taranis Venus: Reiia/Riia, Uasnia Saturn: Melnos, Uosiros, Nucturos. and, Uranus (maybe since it was bearly visible in the best of conditions): Cenos (> Cean / Cian). The Planets as found in the Book of Ballymote (Siglae 8): Most of these symbols are also found in numismatics and in Gaulish art. In light of this, sadly enough this book can only please the fringe romantics and the misinformed of the Neo-pagan, New-Age and Neodruidical circles. 6. Kaledon Naddair Kaledon Naddair's Shamanistic Calendar Then there is that of Kaledon Naddair ('Shamanistic Calendar', under strict reservations). The 'Shamanistic Calendar', unfortunately, is "strictly copy-right"; therefore, if one wishes to take notice of it, will have to purchase the book, or contact the publisher, or write to the author! But if it’s a Calendar, then it cannot be considered as a Zodiac. And then again, if it is shamanic, therefore, has nothing to do with the Celts, and even less with the Druids for that matter. This being said, here are a few words on Kaledon Naddair's tree-signs wheel: As mentioned, the works of Naddair are under copyright so I will remain brief. - His system is based solely on the tropical solar path and the usual twelve zodiacal periods of time are respected. - If it is shamanic it is Pre-Celtic; good as Solar, not as Lunar-solar. We know that the oldest Druidical scheme was based on the lunar mansions. The tree-sign assignments abide by a rigorous oghamic ranking (But which cannot be Celtic). But if we forget the shamanic label, here are its qualities for the Celtic domain: Each twelfth of this year pertains to one tree-sign. This system primarily based on the Goidelic culture as ogham-patterned offers several developments: 1- Thanks to an Ogham-Coelbreni reconciliation of alphabets, it is open to the P-Celtic domain. 2- Each quarter of the solar year is governed by a chieftain-tree sign. 3- The identification of several deities and animals per zodiacal twelfth of the solar year permits assignments for decants. So much for Naddair... (J.Monard) The Tree Man, anonymous engraving of the mid XVIth century, Noordbrabants Museum, Hertogenbosch. 7. Joseph Monard Joseph Monard's Coligny based Zodiac The most trustworthy model that remains is Joseph Monard’s Astrological Order. Monard's system has the quality of relying on the standards of scholarly research backed by a solid knowledge of Celtic linguistics and traditions. Monard was the first to suspect that there were astrological indications on the Coligny Calendar. These astrological indicators were marked by the abbreviated inscriptions Prin, Prinn. for Prinni. (< PRENNOS: or Uidus = "tree" for cusp, a mathematical point marked by the House's ascendant. PRINNIOS: - zodiacal constellation, - zodiacal period, w. for w. arborescence). No point now in ignoring the fact that the tree signs, the Prenes < Prinnoi, refer to the constellations. Monard's research on the Coligny Calendar so far supersedes everything written on Celtic Astrology. Joseph Monard's Astrological Base: LIBRA, MANTA the Scale; CANTLI PRINNIOS (of song, cycle-settling), September/October, tree sign: Lemos (Elm-tree). SCORPIO, SGORPIU the scorpion; SAMONI PRINNIOS (of the meeting, summer-end), October/November, tree sign: Sappos (Fir-tree). SAGITTARIUS, UARCUSTOS the archer; DUMANNI PRINNIOS (darkening), November/December, tree sign: Salixs (Willow). CAPRICORNIUS, GABROS or IOCOS the goat; RIURI PRINNIOS (frost), December/January, tree sign: Olioiaccetos (Mistletoe). AQUARIUS, DUPROSOPOS the water-bearer; ANAGANTI PRINNIOS (inactive, punning with calamitous), January/February, tree sign: Aballlos (apple-tree). PISCES, EISCOI the Fishes; OGRONI PRINNIOS February/March, tree signs: Padis (Pine-tree), Scopos (broom). (cold), ARIES, PUTIOS the ram; CUTI PRINNIOS (fiery, punning with ram), March/April, tree sign: Deruos (oak). TAURUS, TARUOS the bull, GIAMONI PRINNIOS (of the buds), April/May, tree sign: Squiats/Spetes (Hawthorn). GEMINI, EMNI the twins, SEMIUISONI PRINNIOS (capriciousbreezed), May/June, tree sign; Uernos (Alder). CANCER, CARABOS the Crab, EQUI PRINNIOS (adjusted, punning with equos/epos = "horse"), June/July, tree sign: Abolos/Cormisio (Servive-tree). LEO, LEU the Lion, ELEMBIUI PRINNIOS (fawn, punning with "of claims"), July/August, tree sign: IUOS/EBUROS (Yew). VIRGO, MAGULA the Maiden, EDRINI PRINNIOS (of arbitration, connotation: "hot flux" Aedrinios), August/September, tree sign: Idato/Critacos (Aspen). The Old Celtic version of the Irish god of cyclic time Mogh Ruith (from the Celtic root Magus Retas, literally “Servant of the Wheel”). The Wheel of Time in Celtic myth is comparable to the Vedic Kalachakra shown here in his stellar representation (detail from the Gundestrup Cauldron). To Conclude It is very unlikely that the Celtic Druid's system of astrology would diverge to the point expressed in the reconstructed models of Carol Carnac’s and Helena Paterson’s Celtic Astrology, or the Astrologie Gauloise of Edgar Bliss. Did not Cassidorus say that the Getae knew twelve signs? The charioteer may change but the vehicle, the sunchariot, remains on the same path. A close scrutiny of the Irish manuscripts reveals a system halfway between the Hindu and Greek systems. In fact, astrology western astrology has its origins in the old Indo-European cosmological worldview. The twelve signs of the zodiac were already envisioned at the time of the Rig Veda (composition dated circa 2000 B.C.E in the Bronze Age). Astrology can be likened to a movie screen which sets the visual representations of the zodiac in a very narrow band. The Greek poets called it Eurydice's belt. Eurydice (Eurudikè) was Orpheus' wife. Orpheus almost succeeds in bringing her back from Hades, Land of the dead, back to the Land of the Living. The same myth is found in the Celtic tradition. It was said that the first thing written in ogham was the Birch sign writen seven times to prevent Lugh's wife from being abducted into the Otherworld. Dechtirè1 was thus saved to give Lugh a son called Setanta, “He of the Path”. This sets the motion of the Sun's path through the zodiacal signs. The signs are always 12 to a number at a 30o angle. The Sun moves at about one degree per day and it takes roughly 30 days, a little more than one lunar month to move from one sign to the other. Therefore, each morning the Sun rises at a different point on the horizon. In one year the Sun will have covered 360o taking 365.2422 days (365 days 5 hours 48 minutes and 49.6 seconds) to return on the vernal point where it began its cycle. This value is almost the same as 2000 years ago (the Sonnocinxs took then 354.2423 days). -Why is the tropical year longer than the zodiacal degrees? ...For three reasons:  Because the circle-division into 360m is an arbitrary mathematical convention having been inspired by its approximation against the estimated duration of the year in number of days, worked out in order to be divisible into twelve integers.  Because the time taken by the Earth's revolution around the Sun is not an integer multiple of its own rotation.  Also as its orbit is slightly elliptic, resulting in a non constant revolution speed while the definition of the zodiacal constellations is inaccurate and approximate in measure. Tradition has it that certain asterisms (stellar archipelagos) or star clusters were so dense and 1 From the Old Celtic root Dexsiutera, "the righteous". others so sparse, that large constellations would take over the two bordering signs, while the small ones lost part of their astrological houses. Certain constellations also overlap during the part of certain months. For example, in Capricorn the Sun rises in the stars belonging to Aquarius. Let’s face it, Druids, as were the other sages of Antiquity such as Mathematici, Rishis, Chaldeans and Magi, were certainly no 'space cadets'. That they would confuse the 13 months lunar cycles with the 12 months zodiacal cycles, tells more on the state of confusion of some of our contemporaries than on the state of astral-science in Antiquity. As fine observers of the skies, the Druids worked within the limits of 'naked eye' astronomy. In this light, they could only speculate on the possible number of planets. To give more than the five known planets (with perhaps Uranus) and two luminaries takes more than just an educated guess; more than speculation, one needs solid understanding! _____________ References Bliss, Edgar. Astrologie Gauloise. (cards), Editions Gendre, Paris. Book of Balymote: M.S. compiled about the year 1391; Library of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. Carnac, Carol. L'Astrologie Celtique. Ed. Primeur/Sand, 1986. Graves, Robert. The White Goddess, Faber and Faber, London, 1948. Monard, Joseph. Notice sur les Oghams. monograph, 1995. Monard, Joseph. Glossaire trilingue celtique-français-anglais. 1994. Monard, Joseph. About the Coligny Calendar. monograph 1996. Monard, Joseph. Éléments divers d'astronomie pour l'élaboration d'un almanach. 1996. Monard, Joseph. Découpage saisonnier de l'année celtique. monograph, 1996. Monard, Joseph. letters from 1994 to 1999. Paterson, Helena. The Handbook of Celtic Astrology. Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1995. Pennick, Nigel. The secret Lore of Runes and other Ancient Alphabets. Rider, London, 1991.