The Eight-point Star, the "Escarboucle", the Mill of Joy
At the summer solstice, the sun rises in the northwest, reaches its zenith in the south, and sets in the northeast. At the equinoxes, it rises in the east, reaches its zenith in the south, and sets in the west. At the winter solstice, it rises in the southeast, reaches its zenith in the south, and sets in the southwest. An X can be traced between the northeast and the southwest, the southeast and the northwest. This x-shaped cross is known as the Cross of Taranis, or St Andrew’s Cross. If another cross (+) is superimposed along the perpendicular east/west and north/south axes, a circle dividing the year into eight equal parts is obtained. This eight-point star is a common element in heraldry (represent the "Escarboucle" or the mill of joy), and also appears frequently in ancient stone sculptures.
The four points of the X-shaped cross, known as the Taranis or Saint Andrew’s Cross, correspond to the four agricultural festivals, Imbolc, Beltane, Lugnasad and Samhain. The four points of the +-shaped cross, which correspond to the perpendicular axes of the cardinal points, determine the four astronomical festivals (or festivals of light), celebrated at the solstices and the equinoxes. These divisions of time and space make up the eight traditional European festivals, which are based on a sacred cosmic vision. The eight points of the intersecting crosses determine the times of year the Eight Nature Festivals will be held. These festivals have taken place since time immemorial in both monotheistic and polytheistic cultures. |
3 circles 
eight-point star
