For all the inhabitants of our vast country, perhaps the most significant, most beloved and long-awaited holiday is the New Year. It just so happened that this holiday was apolitical, existed under different regimes, and, accordingly, was equally warmly received by all people. But this event has a long history and 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 stars that calendars were built, including annual ones. If we talk about the beginning of the year, then for an ancient person, of course, it coincided in time with the heyday, the revival of nature. According to modern ideas, this period fell approximately in the month of March.
If we talk directly about the New Year as a holiday, then according to scientists, it originated in 3 millennium BC in Mesopotamia and the lower Nile. Before the peoples of these territories started farming, 12 day carnivals were held, if they can be called that, given the time, processions, and walks. The holiday was timed to increase water levels in rivers, in this case Efrat and Tigris. It was believed that at this time the complete victory of the god of light Marduk over the forces of death and destruction came. It is noteworthy that in this period of time it was strictly forbidden to conduct any courts, punishments, and it was strictly forbidden to work at that time corny. There is an opinion that this tradition was brought to Greece by the Jews who were in captivity, and from the Greeks this tradition migrated to Western Europe.
Another Mecca of civilization of the ancient world is Rome. Considering the New Year traditions of different countries of the world in antiquity, one cannot ignore this civilization. Initially, the New Year holidays in Rome were in early March, before the reign of the famous Julius Caesar. Among other things, his important achievement 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 make various kinds of sacrifices to the two-faced Roman god Janus. Moreover, among the Romans it was customary to give each other, including coins, with the image of the god mentioned, his statuettes during this holiday. It is interesting that the New Year traditions of different countries of that time implied 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, one cannot ignore Ancient Egypt. In this state, the celebration of the New Year began during the flood of the Nile, since the waters of this river were a symbol of fertility. On the eve of the holiday, it was customary to place the statues of the gods in a boat decorated in a certain way, and send them sailing along the Nile River for a month. At the same time, the procession accompanying the boat sang and danced. The locals did the same, past the villages of which a boat sailed. After a month, the statues of the gods returned with honor to the temples.
The considered New Year traditions of different countries would be incomplete without mentioning the Celts, the indigenous inhabitants of Galia. Traditionally, they celebrated this holiday in October-November. The inhabitants of these lands believed that during this period of time the souls of the dead visit the earth, and to protect them from ghosts, they decorated their homes with mistletoe. Rome, with its tradition to bring gifts to rulers, did not pass, as they say. In the New Year, husbands traditionally gifted wives with money to buy all kinds of trinkets, for example, pins and hairpins.
The kindness and elevation of this holiday provided him many years of life and popularity, and the New Year traditions of different countries delight the average man today.