Ártala: Germanic Calendar

The Ártala is the Germanic lunisolar calendar - constructed from authentic sources and based on Andreas Zautner’s research in the book "The Lunisolar Calendar of the Germanic Peoples", the sources cited therein, and further independent research. Designed for those who take this seriously and want it done right. Most "Germanic calendars" mix arbitrary elements. The Ártala follows a coherent logic, integrating descriptions of festivals, traditions, and sources directly into the annual cycle. YOUR DAY, EVERY DAY Open the Ártala and see today’s details at a glance: the lunar date (e.g., "3rd day of the Easter Moon"), the moon phase, the day of the week (associated with a Germanic deity), countdowns to festivals and moon phases, and the "Counsel of the High One" - a verse from the Hávamál. AUTHENTIC LUNISOLAR MECHANICS The moon dictates the timing. Each lunar month begins with the sighting of the first new moon crescent after sunset; the full moon night marks the middle of the month the time when most Germanic festivals were celebrated. It comprises 12 to 13 lunar months, using Anglo-Saxon month names. PRECISE INTERCALATION RULE The only fixed solar reference point is the observable winter solstice. If a new moon crescent appears during the twelve nights following the solstice, a 13th lunar month (a third "Lithe Moon") is inserted the following summer. This reconstructed "Twelve-Night Rule" forms the core of the calendar's logic and is precisely implemented in the app. ANCHORED FESTIVAL DATES The high festivals are not placed randomly within the year. Almost all are full-moon festivals anchored to specific lunar months: Yule falls on the full moon following the winter solstice; the spring festival occurs during the Easter Moon; and the Winter Nights take place during the Winter Moon. Módraniht (Mother's Night), by contrast, is fixed to the solar calendar. The interactive annual cycle lists the source for every festival. WHAT ÁRTALA DISPLAYS - Day view with moon phase, lunar date, day of the week/deity, daily rune, Hávamál verse, and upcoming events - Moon phase view: moon with a rune circle, illumination level, and countdown to the full/new moon - Wheel of the Year: all Germanic festivals with descriptions, lore, and sources (Blót lexicon) - Monthly and weekly views of the lunar month, including festivals and the Twelve Nights (Rauhnächte) - Solarhringr: the Germanic divisions of the day (átt) reimagined as a temporal-hour daily ring - Nine-year tracker: position within the eight-year cycle and countdown to the Great Blót - Optional festival reminders, fully customizable - Optional notifications MYTH, NOT JUST DATA Embedded quotes from the Edda and Hávamál (Alvíssmál, Völuspá) rather than a mere table. Ártala is the Old Icelandic word for "year-counter" and - in Eddic poetry - the elves' word for the moon; a clear indication of its function as a timekeeper. RUNE ORACLE – REFLECTIVE, NOT FORTUNE-TELLING Daily rune, three-rune spread, and a "Rauhnacht" rune draw spanning three Futhark rows (Elder, Younger, and Anglo-Saxon Futhorc). Includes a personal birth rune for each Futhark, which - like the other draws - glows within the rune circle surrounding the moon. A tool for reflection, not an esoteric promise about the future. ETHICAL STANCE Enlightened Heathenry in the Ásatrú tradition - respectful and free from ideology. PREVIEW BEFORE YOU BUY You can access a calendar preview - along with an open-access "About Ártala" information section and animated previews of every premium view - without making a purchase or logging in. FAIR PRICING MODEL Access via a one-time purchase - available for 3 months, 1 year, or indefinitely. No subscription required. Evolved from a printed wall calendar published over five years and revived by Damian Haller, featuring monthly illustrations by Nils Broß. The year counter has been created. Your journey begins now.