Today National Geographic posted an article about Scottish New Year's celebrations, Scots Mark New Year With Fiery Ancient Rites.
Residents of Scotland mark the arrival of the new year with particular passion in a holiday they call Hogmanay that draws on their history of Viking invasions, superstition, and ancient pagan rituals.
Hogmanay's origins date back to pagan rituals that marked the time of the winter solstice. Roman celebrations of the hedonistic winter festival of Saturnalia and Viking celebrations of Yule (the origin of the twelve days of Christmas) contributed to celebrations in Scotland around the new year.
The article goes on to mention first footing, bonfires, and this:
Even more extreme is the ritual known as Up Helly Aa, which is carried out in towns in the Shetland Islands on the last Tuesday in January. A custom dating only back to the early 1800s, Up Helly Aa involves entire towns dressing up as Vikings and ceremonially burning a replica of a Viking ship — followed by raucous celebrating. [continue]
So I'd like to know who invented that Up Helly Aa thing in the 1800s.
Posted on December 31, 2002 12:01 PM. Filed under: history & archaeology.