A good photograph of a total solar eclipse would have been very appropriate for illustrating an article about the winter solstice. Our ancient ancestors transferred religious concepts and symbolism that were inspired by the spectacular “death” and “rebirth” of the sun during total solar eclipses onto the winter solstice which, although a considerably less spectacular “death” and “rebirth” of the sun, was a rather more
predictable and annually recurring one. . .

The ancient Egyptians celebrated the birthday of their solar falcon god Horus during the winter solstice.

This ancient petroglyph carved into the “Stone of the Seven Suns” kerbstone from the winter solstice sunset aligned megalithic “passage grave” at Dowth, Ireland, is almost certainly a prehistoric representation of a total solar eclipse. It is virtually identical to a drawing of the 1841 total solar eclipse done by a 19th century astronomer. This indicates that the prehistoric people of Ireland saw and responded to the striking similarity of the totally eclipsed sun to a gigantic cosmic eye staring down from the sky. Even modern professional astronomers have been moved to call the total solar eclipse “the Eye of God”. It seems that Dowth may have even been used to try to predict future appearances of the total solar eclipse “Eye of God” in that it may also be aligned with a “standstill” point of the moon.

In any case there is plenty of available evidence that the winter solstice celebrations of ancient human beings were informed by, if not originally inspired by, the much more awe-inspiring “death and “rebirth” of the sun during total solar eclipses.

*wry grin*

Seriously, it _is_ good to get a little bit of press coverage that acknowledges that Pagans might celebrate at other times of year than Halloween. (I always have real sympathy for my Jewish neighbors, being wished a “Happy Hannukah” a week or more after that holiday has ended, but going without any acknowledgement at all of holidays like Yom Kippur or Passover, simply because the level of knowledge most Christians have of others’ beliefs and practices is so very shallow.

Here’s to depth, wherever we find them. And Happy Yule to the Wild Hunt Blog, and all its readers.