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"On Saint Catherine’s day, the Hen sets." The Pleiades - M45

Do you know anything about the iconography (in the Middle Ages) depicting a rooster and a hen together?The reason was astronomical... There were a series of ancient proverbs linking the rooster, the hen, and Saint Catherine!For example, the most significant one was: "On Saint Catherine’s day, the Hen sets."

What does it mean? It means that on Saint Catherine's day, the constellation of the Pleiades sets below the horizon… also known as the "little hens!"This is followed by a long discussion about the heliacal rising… the first seasonal dawn appearance of the Pleiades: this was of great importance to the ancients!

First rising: marks the beginning of the sailing season and the grain harvest.

Last rising: signals the end of the sailing season and the start of plowing the fields!

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Uploaded on November 28, 2024