Falls somewhere between August 1st – 2nd in Northern Hemisphere / February 1st – 2nd in Southern Hemisphere

Lammas (or Lughnasadh) is the first of the three harvest holidays. The word Lammas derives from the Old English phrase hlaf-maesse, which translates to loaf mass.

The work of the spring and summer is finally paying off in the first harvest. It is known as the time when the plants of spring wither and drop their fruits or seeds for our use as well as to ensure future crops. Although Lammas is the first of the harvest festivals, fertility imagery may still be found, as there are still crops in the field continuing to grow and livestock and game that have yet to be killed.

At Lughnasadh, Pagans give thanks for the bounty of the Goddess as Queen of the Land. At this time, we become conscious of the sacrifice the Sun God is preparing to make as the Sun rises farther in the South each day and the nights grow longer. Lammas represents the culmination of the marriage between the Goddess and the God that took place on Beltane. The God now becomes the product of that blessed union – the bountiful fruits and grains – and must be sacrificed. He is the personification of the crops that must be harvested for the survival of the people. Underneath the symbolism of sacrifice is the theme of rebirth. The Corn God must die, and He has to do so in order to return. Without the sacrifice, the cycle stops. Although His strength is waning, His essence is still palpable as His energies begin to merge with the harvested crops. It is at this time that the Sun King has reached the autumn of His years, and His rival (or dark self) has just reached puberty. The Sun God has reigned supreme over the ripening grain during the hot summer months. His dedication, perseverance, and action in tending the seeds sown in spring brings a ripe and fruitful bounty.

History

Grain has held a place of importance in civilization back nearly to the beginning of time. Grain became associated with the cycle of death and rebirth. The Sumerian god Tammuz was slain and his lover Ishtar grieved so heartily that nature stopped producing. Ishtar mourned Tammuz, and followed him to the Underworld to bring him back, similar to the story of Demeter and Persephone.

In Greek legend, the grain god was Adonis. Two goddesses, Aphrodite and Persephone, battled for his love. To end the fighting, Zeus ordered Adonis to spend six months with Persephone in the Underworld, and the rest with Aphrodite.

In early Ireland, it was a bad idea to harvest your grain any time before Lammas — it meant that the previous year’s harvest had run out early, and that was a serious failing in agricultural communities. However, on August 1, the first sheaves of grain were cut by the farmer, and by nightfall, his wife had made the first loaves of bread of the season.

Customs

Wheat weaving, such as the making of corn dollies, is traditional. Bread is baked, and the altar is decorated with fruits and vegetables of the harvest.

Associations

Symbolism: First harvest festival; ageing of the Deities, honouring of Sun Gods
Symbols: Corn dollies, cornucopia, grains, the Sun
Foods: Breads, grains, potatoes, summer squash, cider, blackberry pies and jellies, berries, apples, roasted lamb, elderberry wine, meadowsweet tea
Plants & Herbs: Ash, camphor, caraway, fern, geranium, juniper, mandrake, marjoram, thyme, sunflowers, wheat
Incense and Oils: Allspice, carnation, rosemary, vanilla, sandalwood, aloe, rose
Colours: Red, gold, yellow, orange
Stones: Aventurine, citrine, peridot, sardonyx
Animals: Roosters, calves
Mythical Beasts: Phoenix, gryphons, basilisk, centaurs
Wiccan Gods Aspects:
Spell/Ritual Work: surrounds Offering thanks, honouring fathers, prosperity, abundance, generosity, continued success, connectedness