h Polaris, Ursa Major and the idea of eternal
circumpolar rotation expressed by the wain eternally wheeled around the
throne of Thor. To any one imbued with the ideas set forth above, the
signification of the Scandinavian, Druidic, New Year festival, the name
for which was "the wheel" (yule, yeol, yeul, hjol, hiugl, hjul), must
clearly appear as the date on which the complete circuit of the Ursae
around the pole, was ceremonially registered. It is obvious that this
could best be expressed by a circle being drawn around the swastika or
cross, to which the fourth arm would be added, completing thus the
registration of the four seasons, marked by the opposite positions assumed
by the Ursae at nightfall. It is well known that the wheel-cross, swastika,
triskeles and S-figure constitute, with the winding serpent and the tau,
named Thor's hammer, the main symbols of ancient Scandinavia (see fig. 13,
p. 29 and fig. 38, p. 119). I venture to point out how obviously Thor's
hammer symbolizes the union of the Above and Below, the heaven represented
by the horizontal line resting on the perpendicular support, symbolizing
the sacred pole, column, mountain and tree intimately associated with
Polaris, the world axis.

As a suggestion only, I venture to point out how, the old Norse name for
star being tjara and for tree=tar, the role of the tree in Druidic cult
would be fully accounted for, the initiated only being aware that it was
but a rebus symbol of the secret or hidden star-god Polaris.

It can readily be seen how natural or artificial elevations and erected
stones, trees, staffs or poles must have been used as means of determining
the positions of the Ursae at the public celebration of the Yule festival
and that the ceremony of kindling of new fire was observed at the time
when the "wheel" was supposed to begin its new annual revolution.

Reflection clearly shows that pole-star worship must have taken a stronger
hold upon the ancient inhabitants of Scandinavia and their descendants,
the seafaring Vikings, than upon any other nation. We are compelled to
admit that the recognition that Polaris formed the centre of axial
rotation and the middle of the sky, would have impressed itself most
profoundly upon observers stationed in the latitude where winter darkness
prevailed and the pole-star appeared to be nearly overhead. Under such
conditions the association of the opposite positions of the Septentriones
with directions in space, _