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The Metonic Cycle, or lunar cycle, is one of the oldest known systems for understanding how the solar year and the phases of the moon are related. The cycle, discovered by the Greek astronomer Meton in antiquity, describes how the phase of the moon recurs in the same position on almost exactly the same day every nineteen years.
To keep track of these nineteen years, the Golden Numbers were used — 19 numbers that gave each year a specific position in the cycle. With their help, it was possible to predict the phases of the moon, determine the times of festivals and understand the recurring rhythm of the seasons. The Golden Numbers were simply an early form of year counting, but unlike today's year counting, they started over all the time. This way of looking at time suited the Vikings' cyclical perception of time as something that constantly recurs, like the seasons.
In Scandinavia, this system took on a unique and symbolic form. Instead of numbers, which the Vikings did not have, they used runes that were carved onto runic staves or prime staves — wooden staves that functioned as perpetual calendars. Each rune symbolized one of the golden numbers and thus its place in the Metonic cycle. In this way, the runes became not only a written language but also a cosmic tool for interpreting the patterns of the sky.
The runes connected humans to the cycles of nature — the sun’s journey, the moon’s changes and the eternal cycle of time. By letting these golden runes adorn the dials of their watches, Rúna Sigrlinn continues the legacy – we honor and acknowledge the Vikings’ perception of time as something cyclical that not only passes, but also returns.