The ancient New Year traditions of different countries

For all the inhabitants of our vast country, perhaps the most significant, the most beloved and long-awaited holiday is the New Year. It so happened that this holiday is apolitical, existed under different regimes, and, accordingly, equally warmly perceived by all people. But this event has a long history and a wide geography. And what New Year traditions of different countries existed in ancient times?

It so happened that the main measures of time for ancient people were the moon and the sun, and it was from the cycles of these luminaries that calendars were built, including annual ones. If we talk about the beginning of the year, then for an ancient person, naturally, it coincided with the flowering, the revival of nature. According to modern ideas, this period fell around the month of March.

If we talk directly about the New Year as a holiday, then according to scientists, it was born in the 3rd millennium BC in Mesopotamia and in the lower reaches of the Nile. Before the peoples of these territories began to farm, 12 day carnivals were held, if they can be called so, given the time, processions, festivities. The holiday was timed to increase the water level in the rivers, in this case Efrat and Tigre. It was believed that at this time there was a complete victory of the god of light Marduk over the forces of death and destruction. It is noteworthy that in this period of time it was strictly forbidden to conduct any ships, punishments, and it was strictly prohibited to work at this time. There is an opinion that this tradition was brought to Greece by Jews who were in captivity, and from Greeks this custom migrated to Western Europe.

Another Mecca of the civilization of the ancient world is Rome. Considering the New Year traditions of different countries of the world in antiquity, one can not ignore this civilization. Initially, the New Year holidays in Rome fell to the beginning of March until the reign of the famous Julius Caesar. Among other things, an important achievement of his is the introduction of the Julian calendar, which marked the beginning of the celebration of the New Year on January 1. On this day it was customary to bring all kinds of sacrifices to the two-faced Roman god Janus. Moreover, among the Romans it was accepted during this holiday to give each other including coins with the image of the mentioned god, his statuettes. It is interesting that the New Year traditions of different countries of that time meant the possibility of celebrating both slaves and their masters together at the same table. At this time, it was customary to present gifts to the emperor without fail.

Considering the New Year traditions of the peoples of the world, it is impossible to ignore ancient Egypt. In this state, the celebration of the New Year began in the period of the Nile flood, since it was the waters of this river that were a symbol of fertility. On the eve of the holiday, it was customary to put statues of the gods in a certain decorated boat, and for a month to send them on a voyage along the Nile River. The procession that accompanied the boat sang and danced. The same thing was done by the local residents, past whose villages the boat sailed. At the end of the month, the statues of the gods returned with honor to the temples.

Considered New Year traditions of different countries, would be incomplete without mentioning the Celts, the indigenous inhabitants of Galia. Traditionally, they met this holiday in October-November. Residents of these lands believed that in this period of time the souls of the deceased visit the land, and to protect them from ghosts they decorated all their homes with a mistletoe. Did not pass, as they say, past Rome and with its tradition to bring gifts to the rulers. In the New Year traditionally husbands gave their wives money to buy various knickknacks, for example, pins and pins.

The kindness and loftiness of this holiday provided him with many years of life and popularity, and the New Year traditions of different countries delight the man in the street even today.