Archeoastronomy: Ancient Timekeeping

Timekeeping in prehistoric times focused on survival. To stay alive, well-fed and safe, people had to make sense of the various periodic clues in their environment. They developed calendars to time their activities to what was happening in their environment. From watching the seasons of the sun and the phases of the moon, people constructed a map of the cycles of nature. Other people used the changing stars of the night sky as well. For example, peoples of Australia watched for Arcturus, the star, to rise in the northeast sky, so that they could gather the wood-ant larva for food. Meanwhile, the !Kung of the arid Kalahari watched for the star Capella to rise in the evening sky for the advent of the rainy season.

 Calendars enabled people to focus on what they need to do to survive. In northern Maine, my family timed various chores by the calendar. March was sugaring season, when the stronger sun caused the sap to rise in trees. In April, people prepared for the ice to break on the Kennebec River to ship their lumber downstream. (This practice ended in the mid-1970s.) Then in June, berry picking season began for making jams and jellies for the coming winter. June was strawberries, July raspberries, August blueberries, and finally September blackberries. Then in September, we laid in logs for the woodstoves for heat during the winter.

Another part of human survival was conducting religious rites to ensure good relations with the Other Worldly Powers since the Gods were essential to their well-being. Calendars were used to keep these rites in sync with nature. For example, the Romans held Liberalia near the spring equinox to celebrate Liber, who governed plant fertility. When the pastures became green in April, the Romans asked the Pales to protect their livestock. The festival of Parilia (in honor of the Pales) was held to cleanse sheep before sending them out to graze.  During the dry hot days of August, the Volcanalia was held to pray to Vulcan, the God of Fire, to be merciful and quiet.
--

Works Used:
Adkins, Lesley and Roy Adkins, “Dictionary of Roman Religion,” Oxford University Press: N.Y., 1996.
Aveni, Anthony, “People and the Sky,” Thames & Hudson: N.Y, 2008.
Magli, Giulio, “Mysteries and Discoveries of Archaeoastronomy,” Copernicus Books: N.Y., 2009.

Roman Paganism: Capitol Triad (1)

Mars

The Capitoline Triad: Introduction

In ancient times, the Capitoline Triad watched over the Roman people and their nation.  From the founding of Rome, this Triad represented the ideals of statesmanship, liberty, and the arts for the Romans.  Although there is no “official” Capitoline Triad today, I believe that these three Gods would oversee the affairs of nations when asked.  They are willing to work in partnership with our leaders, as They did with the ancient Romans.

At the founding of Rome, the original Roman Triad was Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus (three males).  As Etruscan influences grew on Romans, so the composition of the Triad changed.  The Capitoline Triad that is known today is Jupiter Optimus Maximus (Best and Brightest), June Regina (Queen of Heaven), and Minerva (two females and one male).  What is unusual about this Triad is that is it is a mixture of female and male Gods, with the females outnumbering the male.  This combination is rare in Indo-European triads.

Archaic Triad (Original Triad)

During the times of the Roman Kings, the original Triad (now referred to as “Archaic”) was Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus.  As the Roman God of Thunder, Jupiter was the Supreme Ruler of the Heavens.  He offered governance to the Roman people.  As the Guardian of the Fields, Mars was the Protector of the People.  Meanwhile, Quirinus was the God of the Roman People. 

Jupiter is discussed more in depth in the section on the Capitoline Triad

Mars was originally was a God associated with the promotion of agriculture. As Mars Silvianus, He watched over the fields.  Only later did He become associated with the Greek god, Ares as a protector of crops.  When Rome expanded its boundaries, Mars became a God of War. One of the original guardians of Rome, Mars was a member of the Archaic Triad with Jupiter and Quirinus. 

Because of his importance to Rome, Mars was honored with the Suovetaurilla, the triple sacrifice of a bull, ram, and boar.  In addition, He is only one of three Gods (Neptune and Apollo) to whom the Romans sacrificed a bull.  Mars had an altar (Ara Martis) on the Campus Martius served by a single priest – the flamen Martialis.

As One of the original Capitoline Triad (which included Mars and Jupiter), Quirinus watched over Rome.  Romans regarded this God in two ways.  One is that He is the deified Romulus (who was taken into the heavens, by Mars, his rumored father).  Quirinus is also a God of the Sabines, who was worshipped on the Quirinal Hill in Rome.  Either way, He is served his own Flamen (priest).  In their civic sense, Romans are often addressed “Quirites”.

------

Triads in Thought (1)

Embedded throughout human culture and thought is the Triad. Appearing in surprising places, the Triad reaches out to our consciousness. On the flag of Barbados is Neptune’s Trident, which is the Sea God’s three-pronged spear. The Boy Scout Movement uses three fingers in their salute, while the Girl Scout Movement uses the trefoil as their symbol. Meanwhile, the Three Tenors delighted people with their music and spawned imitations of “Three Irish Tenors”, “Three Mo’ Tenors”, and more.

In religious thought, the Triad has several symbolic meanings. The Two are joined into One. The Two join to bring forth Three. The Three form a never-ending cycle. The Triad is completion, with the whole that greater than its parts.




In Hinduism, a Triumvirate of Gods, the Trimurti, overseas the universe. Brahma is the Creator, while Vishnu is the Preserver. And finally there is Shiva the Destroyer. According to “The Bhagavad-Gita”, nature is divided into three parts called gunas. Sattva is calm peaceful energy while rajas is creative passion. Rounding them out is the third which is tamas (intense desire). “In the Divine Consciousness, they remain in a state of perfect balance. When this balance is disturbed, the process of creation begins…” (1) “The mechanics of the eternal three-way conflict is the driving force that turns the great wheel of the ever-lasting universe.” (2)

Among other religions, triads are well represented. Christians have the Trinity – God in Three Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Among the Greeks, Hecate, a chthonic Goddess, sat at a three way crossroads. (Among, Romans she was called Trivia.) The Norns of the Norse were three – Urdhr (that which has become), Verdhandi (that which is becoming) and Skuld (that which shall be). (Norse Runes are also divided into Three Aetts.)
The Romans had several trios of Gods to oversee their State affairs. The Archaic Triad, the first, consisted of Jupiter (the Ruler of the Heavens), Mars (Guardian of the Crops), and Quirinus (God of Roman Civic Life). Later this trio was superseded by the Capitoline Triad.

The Capitoline Triad was Jupiter (the Supreme God), Juno Regina (Ruler of the State), and Minerva (Goddess of Wisdom). The Capitolium, a temple on Capitoline Hill, hosted these Gods. This grouping of a male God with two females reflects Etruscan influence (of Tinia (Supreme Deity)), Uni (his wife), and Menrva (their daughter, Goddess of Wisdom).

Meanwhile, the plebeians venerated the Aventine Trio. The temple of Ceres (the Goddess of Agriculture) on Aventine Hill, housed the City’s grain supply. This temple also hosted Liber and Libera, Gods who oversaw the fertility of the fields. These three Gods (Ceres, Liber, Libera), together, looked after the plebeians.





The Triad was also prominent in Celtic culture. For example, the Triskle (Triple Spiral) of three inter-locking circles was representative of Celtic culture. They swore by “land, sea, and sky”. The Celtic Goddess of Death, the Morrigan had triple aspects (known as her sisters Badb and Nemain). In addition, the Celts venerated the Triple Mother as a midwife of the Soul. Their Triple Spiral represented the Soul’s journey in life. The First Spiral was the conscious life, while the Second Spiral was the unconscious (dream) life. Finally, the Third Spiral was the mature soul finally freed from the body.
-------------------
Copyright Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers Enterprises