Month: December 2024

As December 21st brings the shortest day of the year, cultures around the world mark the Winter Solstice in fascinating ways. 

In Ireland, the ancient site of Newgrange, built over 5,000 years ago, aligns perfectly with the Sun on the day of the solstice. Only on this day, a ray of the rising sun penetrates through an opening and illuminates its inner chamber, thus celebrating the return of light.

In China, ‘Dongzhi’ (冬至) festival (21-23 December)  brings families together to enjoy dumplings, a tradition that symbolises unity, warmth and the promise of longer days ahead.

In Northern Europe, Yule is celebrated by feasting and lighting yule logs, a symbol of hope during winter’s darkest day.

The Etruscan language, spoken in ancient Italy, remains largely a mystery. While it influenced Latin, it was eventually replaced by it. 

The Etruscan alphabet, based on the Greek script, is known, but the language itself is not fully understood. Some scholars believe it’s a Pre-Indo European language, related to other ancient languages like Raetic and Lemnian. 

Despite the challenges in understanding it, Estrucan has left a lasting impact, influencing Latin words such as ‘military’ and ‘person’.

Love is a universal language, but it’s expressed in countless ways across cultures. Ancient Greek in particular offered a sophisticated understanding of different types of love:

‘Agápe’ (ἀγάπη) refers to selfless, unconditional love, which is often associated with divine love and love of humanity.

‘Éros’ (ἔρως)  denotes passionate, romantic love, often associated with physical attraction and desire.

‘Philia’ (φιλία) signifies affectionate love, typically between friends or family, and is based on respect and admiration.

Storgē (στοργή) represents familial love, particularly the love between parents and children. 

Did you know that December once marked the tenth month of the year? Its name comes from the Latin word ‘decem’ (ten), a reminder of the Roman calendar which started in March. January and February were later added, shifting December to the twelfth month – but the name stuck!