RIUROS - the third month

G. Riuros eqiv. I. Rí-, W. Rig- + -Ur- corresp. July: transl. 'The New King'

III

IIII

VII

VIII

VIIII

XII

XIII

XIIII

July10

July11

July12

July13

July14

July15

July16

July17

July18

July19

July20

July21

July22

July23

July24

First Quarter
July 10, 2008
At zenith at sunset

Full Moon
July 18, 2008
Eastern horizon

Last Quarter
July 26, 2008
At nadir at sunset

New Moon
Aug 1, 2008
Western horizon

III

IIII

VII

VIII

VIIII

XII

XIII

XIIII

July25

July26

July27

July28

July29

July30

July31

Aug1

Aug2

Aug3

Aug4

Aug5

Aug6

Aug7

Aug8

SAMHRADH - SAMON - SUMMER						GEIMHREADH - GIAMMON - WINTER
SAM	DUM	RIUR	ANAG	OGR	CUT	GIAM	SEMI	EQU	ELEM	AED	CANT

The third month of the Celtic year is the third month of the Celtic summer. Riuros holds the meaning of 'King' or 'the Royal month' revealed by comparisons to Celtic words and their etymology. This peak summer month holds the element Ri- denoting 'King' or 'Royal' (as in Ard Rí - the Irish High Kings - or Riannon - the Old Welsh for Rhiannon *Rigantona 'the Great Queen' found in the White Book): The meaning of this month's name would thus relate to its season, 'king of the year'. The period of this month, spanning the season of high summer in July and August was marked anciently by the rising of the brightest star Sirius in early August may have signalled the feast of Lughnasa, now August eve. Orion may well represent the celestial Lugh; on the Celtic calendar the annotation DEVOR LUG RIVRI may mark the feast of Lugh, known from Lugdunum in Gaul and appropriated by Augustus. Also shown is the annotation MAPANOS, referring to the Divine Son, Mabon ap Modron: nine months prior to Beltaine, the Lughnasa is appropriately placed at his conception, for from the Mabinogion and other myths of both Wales and Ireland, the beginning of Summer is the birth time of Mabon. The rising of Orion and the annotations may both lead to the second part of this month name, -ur-, referring to new, and thus, the New King

Etymology

Gaulish -rix king
Lat. rex - king:
I. rígh, OI.rí
W. rhi, king, ruler
I. núadh new
I. ùr - new, fresh
OI. úr EI. húrde
W. ir fresh, green
Indo-E. *ûro-s pure

MacBain's

"I know well who the youth is:
He is Lugh, the Samíldánach!"
- The Fate of the Children of Turenn, Book of Lecan, 15th century

The Grove
     Celtic literature richly embraces the changing seasons -
       In The Grove Caer Oz presents songs and poems
         Of the Celts, from early times throught to today
           Come and enjoy these songs in The Grove

503BC: CELTIC DAWN

In 503BC, the planet Saturn appeared in Taurus marking the start of a Celtic 30 year cycle as described by Plutarch.
Caer Australis presents the hypothesis that this was the first 'Celtic Calendar Year', at the dawn of the La Tène Period.
Shown above (using Cybersky) is the European dawn of July 503BC, Riuros, with the risen Orion.

This month in the Southern Hemisphere

In Australia and the Southern Lands the seasons are offset by half a year and so the month of Riuros occurs in deep winter. As in the Gregorian Calendar, in the Southern Hemisphere all month names retain their Northern attributes. The lunation of Southern Riuros may be named 'the Equos moon' to express the seasonality of the Celtic calendar. The Southern Celtic Year 2007 explores the southern hemisphere perspective.

The Celtic Calendar - Introductory Sections

Celtic Year 2008
Ciallos | Samon | Duman | Riuros | Anagantios | Ogronnos | Cutios || Giammon | Semiuisonna | Equos | Elembiuos | Aedrini | Cantlos