What is the “Celtic Dark Moon”?

30 October 2014

The Short Answer (TSA)

            In popular lore about the moon, there are a few of “Dark Moons.” And each has a slightly different meaning.   To the ancient Celts of Northern Europe, the full moon in the month of November was called the “Dark Moon.” The Celts believed the month of November to be the “darkest” month of the year. By “darkest,” they meant the month when all of nature was closest to death.

            November was called the “time of the falling seed.” The phrase is important because it referred to the falling of seed from the dead and dying plants of autumn. But the same phrase also included the seed as the promise of new life in the spring.

            Around this time of year, the Celts get something of a bad rap.  Their new year began with the darkest season of the year.  Their version of New Year’s Day was November 1st – sort of. 

            Just as the Celts began each year with the darkest season, they began each day at sunset rather than the sunrise.  So the Celtic version of New Year ’s Day begins at sundown on October 31st – well known to modern readers as Halloween.  But the modern celebration of Halloween has little in common with the Celtic counterpart.

            The Celts began their year with the festival of Samhain.  The festival, in part, celebrated the completion of the harvest.  In terms of food supply, it was the best time of year.  Maybe the most misunderstood part of the festival was the Celtic belief that, at that time, the barrier between the land of the living and the dead was lifted.

            Far from releasing a horde of monsters and goblins into the world, for the Celts, the land of dead became accessible -- particularly to artists who might enter that world and gain inspiration.  Also, as the barrier lifted, the spirits of the dead were said to return.  But the disposition and attitude of, and toward, these spirits was very different than the one presented by the modern celebrations of Halloween. 

            The spirits of dead ancestors and friends were thought to return to the homes of their descendants and warm themselves around the home’s hearth fire.  Far from tricksters trying pry lose a treat from their hosts, these were respected and beloved “absent ones” whose return would be met with welcome, reverence, and respect.

            This time of remembrance and respect for the dead was so universal among the Celts, that the Christian Church institutionalized it in two feasts, All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2).  During these feasts prayers are said for the benefit of the “faithful departed.” 

            In Christian tradition, the entire month of November is devoted to remembrance of the dead.  If you live in the United States, this may seem unfamiliar.  But, throughout Europe, the month of November is a time when cemeteries fill with visitors leaving flowers and other remembrances. 

            Amazingly, the same thing is happening at the same time among traditional Chinese with their fourth yearly festival commemorating their absent ancestors.  There, too, cemeteries are filled with flowers and other traditional tokens of respect.

            WHO WERE THE CELTS?

            Actually, Celtic was a language rather than a particular tribe or nation.  The many tribes of the Celts were nomadic – traveling to different locations at different times of the year.   Although not particularly secretive in going about their daily business, they would become among the most mysterious people in history. 

            After the Roman Conquest, numerous writers described, with particulars, all that they saw the Celts do.  The Celts certainly didn’t seem to hide their actions, but outsiders could only watch – they weren’t “invited to the Celts’ parties.”  So, we know a great deal about what the Celts did, but almost nothing about why they did it.  Much of their social life is unknown to us.  In spite of over a century of interaction with their Roman conquerors, much of the spoken Celtic language of the time has been lost.

            THE CELTIC MOVEMENT

            Much of what survived of the old Celtic legends and traditions might have, also, been lost.  But, about 100 years ago, Europeans developed a sudden revival of interest in their Celtic history. 

            The Celtic Movement was period from the late 19th through the early 20th centuries when European writers, musicians, artists and cultural historians became preoccupied with their mysterious Celtic past.  As it happened, the artists of this period were particularly talented and produced Celtic inspired works that live on today and will surely be with us for some time to come.  But this was a double-edged sword. 

            In reviving the fragmentary tales and legends of the past, . . . well, . . . more than a few blank spots had to be “filled-in.”  It’s fair to say that the Movement produced intensely romantic portrayals of Celtic myths, legends and folklore that are probably a bit more colorful and exciting than were the actual events.  After all, this is art, and art must be entertaining.

            Although the Celts lived throughout most of Northern Europe, today, most associate all things Celtic with the England and Ireland.  In fact, this is probably because these nations produced many (thought not all) of the most talented and prolific artists of the Celtic Movement.

M Grossmann of Hazelwood, Missouri & Belleville, Illinois

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