[Ansteorra] Anglo-Saxon calendar reconstruction from July 2012-July 2013

[R. Culver]

Wesað ge, mine winas Ansteorralandes, hal!

For those who might be interested (all two of you), below is my
reconstruction of the Anglo-Saxon calendar from this month to a year later,
based on lunar calendar studies and Bede's De Ratione Temporum (Reckoning
of Time), which is only description of the native calendar we have, though
month names are known elsewhere.  One feature of this one which is a bit
more special is that this is a Three-Litha year.  In normal years the
months surrounding Midsummer are called Ærraliða and Æfterraliða, literally
"before" and "after" Litha, of dubious origin with many guesses as to
meaning though thought to be from the verb liðan, "to sail," but more like
"early" and "late" in modern parlance.  This is the counter to the the Yule
months, Ærregeola and Æfterrageola, roughly six months previous.  However
every third year, an extra Litha month was added, called Þriliða,
"Three/Third Litha" as a means to keep the clandar straight.  This summer
is one of those summers.

As far as people using this in the SCA, probably not much use, but if
playing an early Angle or Saxon, it could give an alternative to using
Roman names.  Taking it further, saying "during Weodmonað
(Weedmonth/August) in the [x]th winter of the Society/Ansteorra/[insert
group name and reckon from its founding for the year]." might spice things
up a bit.  Mundanely, for fun, I also use Bede's phrase "Adventus Saxonum"
or AS and subtract 449 from the current year, with Adventus Saxonum being
the legendary year Bede ascribes the coming of the three boats of the
Angles, Saxons, and Jutes coming to Britannia.

Anyway, here it is:

Æfterraliþa: June 19-July 17
Þriliþa: July 18-Aug 16
Weodmonaþ: Aug 17-Sept 14
Haligmonth/Hærfæst: Sept 15-Oct 14
Winterfylliþ: Oct 15-Nov 12
Blotmonaþ: Nov 13- Dec 12
Ærrageola: Dec 13-Jan 10
Æfterrageola: Jan 11- Feb 9
Solmonaþ: Feb 10-Mar 10
Hreþmonaþ: Mar 11-Apr 9
Eastremonaþ: Apr 10- May 8
Þrimilcimonaþ: May 9-June 7
Ærraliþa: June 8-July 7

Gódspéde!
Wihtric hlafard Wihtmunding