Predicting Weather By The Moon - Xavier University Libraries

The Moon in Ancient History
the 28 day regularity of the lunar cycle can be seen in cave
markings in Spain, which date back to 7000BC. Any rituals
associated with crops, rain, success in battle or courtship
were held on New or Full Moons.
In some cultures, such as the Roman, festivals were
so numerous that a Moon Watcher was needed to sit on a
hill and blow a trumpet at the first sign of the New Moon,
shortly after sunset on the western horizon, when it appears
as a very thin crescent. From that time the times of the
month’s festivals were set down.
The Roman calends actually meant that day of the New
Moon, the first day of the month. On that very day it was
publicly announced on what days the nones and ides of the
month would fall. Even today in the ancient Middle East,
the month begins with the actual observation of the first
crescent. Astronomers of old were delegated to stand on a
high place and peer low into the west at dusk to spy the
visible signal that would indicate that they did not need to
add a 30 th or a 31 st day to the present month but instead
could wipe the slate clean and begin the cycle over again
with Day 1. One can imagine the difficulties we would have
today paying rent, collecting debts, and meeting deadlines,
if such a system had persisted.
As each Moon phase took approximately seven days
to complete, the number seven was considered the most
mystical. Not only was the week divided into seven days
but there were the seven celestial bodies, seven colors in
the rainbow and seven notes to the musical octave before
the pitch starts to repeat. And high tides become low every
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