Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in BritainComprehensive and engaging, this colourful study covers the whole sweep of ritual history from the earliest written records to the present day. From May Day revels and Midsummer fires, to Harvest Home and Hallowe'en, to the twelve days of Christmas, Ronald Hutton takes us on a fascinating journey through the ritual year in Britain. He challenges many common assumptions about the customs of the past, and debunks many myths surrounding festivals of the present, to illuminate the history of the calendar year we live by today. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 9 | |
| 25 | |
Rites of Celebration and Reassurance | 34 |
Rites of Purification and Blessing | 42 |
Rites of Hospitality and Charity | 54 |
Mummers Play and Sword Dance | 70 |
HobbyHorse and Horn Dance | 81 |
The May | 226 |
May Games and Whitsun Ales | 244 |
Morris and Marian | 262 |
Rogationtide and Pentecost | 277 |
Royal Oak | 288 |
A Merrie May | 295 |
Corpus Christi | 304 |
The Midsummer Fires | 311 |
Misrule | 95 |
The Reinvention of Christmas | 112 |
Speeding the Plough | 124 |
Brigids Night | 134 |
Candlemas | 139 |
Valentines | 146 |
Shrovetide | 151 |
Lent | 169 |
The Origins of Easter | 179 |
Holy Week | 182 |
An Egg at Easter | 198 |
The Easter Holidays | 204 |
England and St George | 214 |
Beltane | 218 |
Other editions - View all
The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain Ronald Hutton No preview available - 2001 |
Common terms and phrases
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