Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 5.djvu/394

 322

NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. v. APBIL 27, 1912.

runes of the futhork should have consecu- tive values ; the only point to be settled is where to start.) The values of the epact, on the other hand, can be calculated with certainty ; for, since the epact is the age of the moon in days on 1 Jan., the date of the first new moon must be 31-E Jan., E being the numerical value of the epact. Thus, by reading off from the calendar the dates of the new moons which occur in January during a Metonic cycle, and subtracting these dates from 31, the values of the epacts

corresponding to the various runes are- known. It is obvious from these remarks- that the order of the runes of the lunar cycle will be that of the numerical values of the epacts, in descending order. Referring to the previous table, the order will be as given below, the figures being the date in- January to which the rune belongs. (It will be noticed that there are vacant spaces, which is, of course, necessary when nineteen runes have to be spread over twenty -nine and thirty days alternately.)

10 11 13

16 18 19 21 23 24 26 27 29

By way of illustrating the foregoing remarks, the month of December is repro- duced below, together with the Explanatory Runes near the ferrule.

DECEMBEB.

n

pm

Explanatory Runes.

V Y t>

>nmiwwniww

A x%

The upper row of the month runes and the two upper rows of the Explanatory Runes have already been explained. To use the lunar information proceed as follows : Calculate the Golden Number of the year by adding 1 to the A.D. year value and dividing by 19, when the remainder is the Golden Number. (The addition of 1 is necessitated by the fact that A.D. 1 was the second year of a Metonic cycle, or, in other words, there was a new moon on 1 Jan., B.C. 1.) Count out the Golden Number so found on the bottom row of Explanatory Runes, and the rune indicated will give the dates of all the new moons of the year, Let 12 be the Golden Number,

then the corresponding rune is

and

there is a new moon on 8 Dec. ; similarly for the other months. To find the dates in the next year, take the rune which stands

to the right of ^ in the Explanatory Runes namely and this ^ t h e symbol for the year. The December new moon is on the 27th The next Golden Number after

g

W

(A similar remark applies, to the solar cycle above.) E. CHAPPEIJ..

(To be continued.)