2006 - The Viking Way
- 2006
A Viking 'Lunar' calendar by Harpa Hreinsdottir
| Time period |
Name of Month |
| The 24. of December 2005
- 19. of January 2004 |
Mörsugur |
| The 20. of January |
Middle of Winter |
| The 20. of January - 18.
of February |
Þorri |
| The 19. of February - 20.
of March |
Góa |
| The 21. of March - 19. of
April |
Einmánuður |
| The 20. of April: The First
Day of Summer |
(A national holiday in Iceland) |
| The 20. of April - 19. of
May |
Harpa |
| The 20. of May - 18. of
June |
Skerpla |
| The 19. of June - 22. of
July |
Sólmánuður |
| The 23. of July: |
Middle of Summer |
| The 23. of July - 21. of
August |
Heyannir |
| The 22. of August -20. of
September |
Tvímánuður |
| The 21. of September - 20.
of October |
Haustmánuður |
| The 21. of October |
The first Day of Winter |
| The 21. of October - 19.
of November |
Gormánuður |
| The 20. of November - 19.
of December |
Ýlir |
| The 19. of December ... |
Mörsugur |
Some of these names are believed to be
very old, such as Þorri (which nobody knows what means, but
might have been a nick-name for Thor) or Ýlir (probably "Yule-month)
which can't be younger than from the 8th century.
Others are not so old, such as Harpa
(the
first month of summer) which first occurs in the seventeenth century. That
might be because the old calendar was structured on weeks rather than months.
The name is believed to have derived from a word meaning harsh summer.
The most popular names of the old months
that are still in use in Iceland are Þorri, Góa
and Harpa, although most people are aware of Ýlir as
well
(Quotes, with the author's permission,
from: Bjornsson, Arni: Saga daganna , Iceland)
See also: [
The
Calendar of the Vikings- Background ] |
