The Gallic calendar is one of the Celtic calendars.

The one we present is an interpretation of how the Coligny calendar worked.

In 1897, on the territory of the village of Coligny, in France, between Ain and Jura and along the roman road going from Lyon to Strasbourg, one discovered an antique warehouse, maybe a metal bargainer, containing more than 550 pieces of bronze : around 400 coming from a big divinity statue, 150 from a calendar.

The calendar is build in gallic language but writen in roman alphabet and figures. It is composed of 16 raw, containing more than 2000 words, that is the longest text known in gallic.

The interpretation we choose comes from the very kind Mr Daniel Jaquet (Hozémont - Belgium) who proposed one of the most efficent use of this calendar.

This calendar is founded on the Saturn cycle which go around the sun in a bit less than 30 years (29,5 ans), the calendar is luni-solar.

The century (setlon) counts 30 ans, it is divided into 'lustres' of 5 solar years (sonnocingos). A standard year (blidnis) counts 12 months (mensos), a leap year (diuoblidnis) counts 13. The 'day' (latis) begins at the sunset, the year begins at autumn around equinox. Furthermore, a Cycle of 21 years (630 years, 7792 'moons').

The 13th month, witch is the additional month of the leap years, is situated either in the middle of the year or at the end, depending on the moon position in certain months of the year.

Some adjustments exist to set years with effective lunations.

The 30 days months are 'favourables' months (matis) the 29 days one are 'unfavourables' (anmatis). Each month has a 'favourable' part (amt) and an 'unfavourable' part (anmat). The leap month has 30 days, thus it is 'favourable'.

Months are : Samonios, Dumanios, Riuros, Anagantios, Ogronios, Cutios, Giamonios, Simivisonas, Equos, Elembiuos, Aedrinis, Cantlos. The additinal month is : Antaranos.

Numerous feasts exist all along the year, you will discover them with the calendar. So, moreover solar and lunar feasts, the mythical and primordial druids , one find Gods and DEESSES feasts as Belenos (the Brillant), Belisama (the very Shining) and Toutatis (or Teutathir : le father God), by Him !


©Alain Opériol - 1991-2010 (www.encinaal.fr)