For many historians, the ancient calendars discovered in historical sites are like guides or tips to solve a puzzle (ie a historical puzzle). Why? Because unlike our current calendars that only contain numbers and the names of months and days, ancient calendars tend to contain more information. Holidays and important historical events, for example, are well recorded in most ancient calendars. The language and form of writing used in calendars, on the other hand, can reveal the culture of the people who used the calendar. With all this information, calendars can help historians solve a historical puzzle, though not if the calendar itself is part of the puzzle.

Such is the case of the Gothic calendar or calendar used by the Goths, an East Germanic tribe originally from Scandinavia. Historical documents relating to the Goths are rare, and the Gothic calendar once found in a Gothic church did not provide enough help for historians to learn more about their history. Why? Because the gothic calendar was incomplete. In fact, the calendar contained only two months, which historians have interpreted as belonging to the months of October and November.

Due to the extreme lack of detail, even the exact names of the months used in the Gothic calendars (except for the months of October and November) are unknown to historians. However, some historians have tried to reconstruct the calendar and have found the following names: Sulamenoths (January), Hrothimenoths (February), Austramenoths (March), Thrimilukimenoths (April), Fruma Linthja (May), Afar Linthja (June), Wiudamenoths (July), Hailagamenoths (August), Wintrufulliths (September), Blotamenoths (October), Fruma Jiuleis (November) and Afarjiuleis (December).

Like our current calendar system, Gothic calendars are also made up of a seven-day week. Again, the names and details about these days were not clear either in the discovered Gothic calendar or in any other historical documents related to the Goths. However, using various sources, including the Bible, some historians were able to find the following names: Fraujinsdags (Lord’s Day), Kirikadags (Church Day), Arjaussdags, Midjawiko, Pintadags, Pareinsdags, and Sambatodags.

With names that probably only Germans and historians can figure out, there isn’t much we can understand about the history and culture of the Goths of the Gothic calendar; not even the one reconstructed by some historians. And until such time as other historical documents relating to the Goths and the Gothic calendar can be found, the calendar will likely remain only one part of the historical puzzle.