On The Reckoning of Time

The ancient Germanic calendar is generally assumed to have been luni-solar, with months corresponding to lunations, prior to the adoption of the Julian calendar. In fact, Bede’s work is the only surviving attestation of a pre-Christian Germanic system of time-reckoning. For more information about Bede’s work on the Reckoning of Time, as well as an accessible translation to the Latin text, see: Faith Wallace, Bede: The Reckoning of Time, Liverpool University Press, 1999.

The following is short hand for the Old English conception of the Calendar and associated terms.  Alternative translations to common word translations is provided by the Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary.

Modern Term	Old English
Day (24 Hours)	Dæġ / Dōgor
Night	Niht
Week	Wicu/Wucu
Month	Mōnaþ
Year	Ġēar
Time (Interval)	Tīd
Time (Period)	Tīma
Spring	Lencten
Summer	Sumor
Autumn	Hærfest
Winter	Winter

Month (Julian)	Old English
January	Æfterra Gēola	After Yule
February	Solmōnaþ	Month of Cakes or Mire Month
March	Hrēþmōnaþ	Month of the Goddess Hrēþ
April	Ēostremōnaþ	Month of the Goddess Eostre
May	Þrimilcemōnaþ	Month of Three Milkings
June	Ærra Liþa	Before Midsummer
Intercalation	Þrilīþa	Third Midsummer/Līþa (Leap year)
July	Æftera Līþa	After Midsummer/Līþa
August	Weodmōnaþ	Plant month.
September	Hāligmōnaþ	Holy month
October	Winterfylleþ	Winter full moon.
November	Blōtmōnaþ	Blood month/Sacrifice month
December	Ærra Gēola	Before Yule