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The Oracle’s Library wishes you a spectacular winter solstice. If we were still following the Julian Calendar, December 17th marks the old Roman festival dedicated to the god Saturn. The celebration named Saturnalia would have commenced with a ritual sacrifice at the temple of Saturn in order to secure a bountiful harvest for the coming season. That is, a human sacrifice.

Saturnalia and the Solstice

The god Saturn was associated with agriculture and represented a nostalgic remembrance of a much easier Golden Age of life. The Roman aristocrats dressed down each Saturnalia, threw a grand party and went all out—they even invited the serfs to attend. At this time, the Romans honored the slaves with role reversal. Table service and gifts were offered over the course of a week.

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The festivities lasted from the 17th to the 23rd to coincide with the winter solstice—an important seasonal marker to the ancients. During this time of year, the winter hours are most tipped with darkness greatly surpassing the hours of light, and for this reason, the days of Saturnalia were lit up with candles to signify the return of the light—when the Sun reversed its southern path to climb the northern latitudes once again. At this time, the Sun has descended to its southern-most tip of latitude over the Tropic of Capricorn. It is thought that Saturnalia was a precursor to our modern day Christmas and New Year’s festivities.

The Illumination of Newgrange

On December 21st, the winter solstice arrives with the most pleasant surprise within the passage tomb of Newgrange. Along the gently grassy hills of Brú na Bóinne, another winter solstice celebration commenced to follow the shortest days and longest nights of the year. In ancient Ireland, Newgrange was a passage tomb built in alignment with the winter solstice. Every year when the Sun reached the Tropic of Capricorn—its farthest position from the northern latitudes of Ireland—a grand celebration took place. The festivities and ritual were dedicated to the return of the Sun in the hopes that warmer days were just around the corner. During the winter solstice, the passage tomb of Newgrange glows, as a brilliant orange light enters the interior chamber to illuminate the artwork etched into its walls. This magnificent work of ancient architectural engineering allows us to understand the importance of the turn of the seasons to the ancients.

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The passage tomb is an architectural work of absolute precision. It was built in about 3,200 BCE, before the Pyramids of Giza! Even so, its weather tight design has kept out the Irish rains for thousands of years. It is certainly an impressive sight to see. Only a few are permitted to enter Newgrange at this time. Slots are available and chosen by lottery—you must first visit the tomb to be entered into the lottery. Despite this highly exclusive winter solstice observance, the interior passage tomb can still be viewed most days out of the year.

Thank you for reading at the Oracle’s Library! How do you celebrate the winter solstice?

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photo credit: rmlowe via photopin cc

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