Was Samain really the beginning of the year for the Celts?

Question

Much has been said about the origin of Halloween, but I'm interested in getting info about the reasons for the statement found within the academic texts that argues Samain was the beginning of the year. No matter how much I look for info I cannot find substantial evindence for this.

Answer 1

I wonder if they had a start and end at all. they would have realised (being mainly farmers) that the whole thing is a continuous cycle without beginning or end.

Anyway, have a look at this

Answer 2

Samhain is technically the end of the year, but since it's a cycle, it's really just a way of marking one part of a continuing process. But that's the same idea with any calendar, really.

Samhain is when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds is especially thin, and people can talk to the dead or at least think about them. It's the last harvest of the year--everything has to be in from the fields (in northern Europe, anyway) or it freezes black in the fields. Everything has to already be planted (like, bulbs and stuff) by then or the ground will be frozen. It's the time when everything goes dormant and sleeps until spring.

Stuff like smashing pumpkins against the wall, or throwing eggs is a way of saying, hey, you shoulda gotten this in from the fields by now! It's a reminder of sexuality and fertility in a time when fields are dormant, but it's mainly a way of getting your last hurrahs in an agricultural society. Everything is dying off, nearly dead...but still, life goes on. It's a good endpoint for the year.

Now, the winter solstice is traditionally the "new year" in some cultures--the dark nights are giving way (slowly) to light again. But Samhain represents the turn to the dark part of the year, the cold winter.

Take a look at Celtic stuff, stuff from the British Isles. It makes more sense in context when you're talking about weather and crops and stuff if you know the region you're discussing.

Answer 3

Samhna, or November was the time of year when all the work in ancient agricultural societies had come to fruition and had been harvested. in preparation for the start of a new seasonal cycle. In that way it represented the end of one year and the start of another.
Traditionally it has been a time when nature was in tune with the hereafter. The christian church respected the tradition; hence the designation of Nov. 1 as All Souls Day.
In older traditions the winter solstice was equally, if not more, important. This is borne out by very ancient structures such as Stonehenge and Newgrange in Slane, Co. Meath Ireland. This massive structure was seemingly a burial chamber where exactly at dawn on Dec 21, a shaft of sunlight enters through the entrance of the passage to the centre of the building and lights it up into the very centre.

Answer 4

Samhain was considered the beginning of the Celtic year, as well as the beginning of the year in many Native American cultures. You may also notice that it coincides somewhat with the Jewish New Year also.

Each of these cultures believed that it was the time when man came into being - after the fruits and vegetables had grown and were ready for the final harvest.

To correct something I saw in the answers, Yule is the celebration of the longest night and the "rebirth" of the sun - not the beginning of the year.

Hope this info is useful.

Answer 5

I suppose it is really a matter of perception really, most 'modern' books (from 1920's onwards) about Wicca, Witchcraft, The Old Religion etc seem to agree that Samhain pronounced sow-een is the so-called 'Celtic' New year (There was never a tribe called the celts) and in general I think it does mainly tie in with agri-fertility festivals, especially in Northern climates. I don't think it really matters on a personal level, when you feel the year begins, but societies/tribes/religions do like to have things mapped out, usually on a Lunar/Solar cycle and agriculture. I don't think I have ever 'found' any real evidence that it is not another man-made imposition of his/her desires being projected onto their version of the Truth. When I was younger it made sense to me that the New Year began on Jan 1st i.e. the 1st day of the year, and the numbers change as well, there's no doubt that astonomical events do follow a pattern, like the seasons used to. I like to think that this is all valid, but not compulsory.
If the 'Day' begins when we wake up, then when does the year begin? To me I feel that spring equinox to easter time feels much more like life waking up, (to me anyway). I hope this helps, and makes some sense. I personally feel that Samhain/Halloween feels very much like the end of a season/time and if you can only imagine living in the old times with no central heating or lighting and you are part of a tribe/community you are more likely to go with the common will of that community, and help to bring in harvests, go on the wild hunt and many other manner of wild things to bring some joy and light to your spirit and help the community in general.

Answer 6

It seems as if most research should point toward this. Yes it is the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. It is also a celebration of the final harvest. Debts were to be settled and any arguments resolved. Try looking for links from witches voice witchvox,hallowquest,and stardancer to name a few. Gerald Gardener, Edain McCoy, Dorothy Morrison have some excellent printed material also. try the spelling Samhain also

Answer 7

Yes , and as a Pagan , we still do today, and it's so we have so much fun. it also happeneds to be my fave holiday too ! YAY

Samhain (pronounced /ˈsˠaunʲ/) is the word for November in the Irish language. The Scottish Gaelic spelling is Samhainn or Samhuinn (for the feast), or an t-Samhain (for the month).

The same word was used for a month in the Celtic calendar, in particular the first three nights of this month, with the festival marking the end of the summer season and the end of the harvest. A modernized version of this festival continues today in some of the traditions of the Catholic All Souls' Day, the secular Halloween, and in folk practices of Samhain itself in the Celtic Nations and the Irish and Scottish diasporas. The name is also used for one of the sabbat feasts in the Wiccan wheel of the year.

This is the beginning of the Celtic and Wiccan New Year. Samhain is Irish-Gaelic for 'the Summer's end', and is pronounced 'sow-in'. Samhain represented the death of the summer sun god, Lugh.

This festival celebrates Nature's cycle of death and renewal, a time when the Celts acknowledged the beginning and ending of all things in life and nature. Samhain marked the end of harvest and the beginning of the New Celtic Year. The first month of the Celtic year was Samonios - ‘Seed Fall’.

Two Roman festivals became incorporated with Samhain - 'Feralia', when the Romans commemorated the passing of the dead, and 'Pomona', when the Roman goddess of fruit and trees was honoured. The Halloween tradition of bobbing for apples is thought to derive from the ancient links with the Roman fruit goddess, Pomona, and a Druidical rite associated with water

British Summer Time ends today with the clocks going back an hour - long, dark, velvety evenings arrive.
This festival welcomed the final harvest and the safe storage of crops for the coming Winter. Anything left on the trees, bushes or in the fields after this date was considered ruined by the 'puka', and unedible. The puka or pooka is a mischievous spirit or fairy from Celtic lore

Feast of the Dead
It is believed that the borders between the world of the living and the dead is thinner on this night - also known as 'Ancestor night' - so souls of the dead can enter the land of the living. Spirits roam free to revisit their earthly homes. The Celts looked to their ancestors to bring them guidance for the coming year and hoped to commune with the spirits at Samhain.
Samhain is considered a celebration of life over death, and a time to remember those who have left the world of the living. Candles would be lit at the graves of loved ones. In Mexico family members light many candles around the graves of their loved ones and lay out special feast foods for the spirits, and remain there all night.


sorry but i do love this one
hehehe

Answer 8

It is my understanding that it marked the end of the year. It was the last Holiday of the year and the end of all the harvests. The new year began on Yule, when the days start to get longer again.

Answer 9

Well, like mentioned on Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain), there's some disagreement. "Common wisdom" holds that Samhain is the year-end, but I've seen a few convincing arguments that the year-end was Beltaine. However, there's no real definative references that spell things out one way or the other.

Answer 10

that's because its probably a myth ......and as to the academics ...enough said ...move on good hunting in 2007