Investigating the Origins of the "Persephone Days"
Connecting Mythology of the Seasons and the High Tunnel
Question for Investigation:
When are the “Persephone Days” in our High Tunnel, and why are they called the "Persephone Days"?
Topic Areas Addressed:
Creative writing, mythology, interpreting data, reading graphs and charts, climate and seasons, reading comprehension, illustration
Note to teachers:
This lesson/project would be best presented late in the month of February, after over-wintered crops (like Spinach) have begun the process of regrowth. Close observation of the plants will reveal that new sprouts will begin to re-emerge once light in the High Tunnel becomes greater than 10 hours per day.
This project includes the use of online interactive tools to research weather data and day length and will deepen students ability to read data from graphs and charts. This project also presents a wonderful opportunity for reading comprehension and creative writing. The myth of Persephone is a dark one, with particularly violent underlying themes including kidnapping and assault. Use this project as a springboard for students to create a new mythology and a new name for the "Persephone Days" that aligns with their own cultural values.
In his book, Winter Harvest Handbook, Eliot Coleman includes a section on Mythology and Day Length. Coleman writes:
“Humans have long had their own way of understanding the changes in day length and its affect on agriculture. Early Greek farmers, whose practical expertise added mythical stories to astronomical fact, knew intimately that the power of the sun and the length of the day are the principal influences on agriculture. They created the myth of Persephone to explain the effect of winter conditions. As the story goes, the earth goddess Demeter had a daughter, Persephone, who was abducted by Hades to live with him as his wife in the netherworld. Demeter would have nothing to do with this and threatened to shut down all plant growth. Zeus intervened and brokered a deal whereby Persephone would spend only the winter months with her husband, Hades. Demeter, saddened by her daughters absence, made the earth barren during that time. On our farm, we refer to the period when the days are less than 10 hours long as the Persephone months.”
- Full Eliot Coleman passage text found here.
The full text also includes a description of the Celtic "cross=quarter" days and Celtic mythology as it relates to observations on his own farm.
According to Eliot Coleman, the "Persephone Days" are those where the light drops to less than 10 hours.
Use the following online tools to calculate the "Persephone Days" for your school's high tunnel:
- Use this online tool to find your latitude by typing in your city or zip code.
- Use this online interactive tool to calculate the Persephone Days in your High Tunnel. You will need to know your latitude to use this tool effectively.
- What are the average monthly highs and low outdoor temperatures associated with the "Persephone Days" in your climate?
Use this link to explore the temperature range.
What is a myth?
A myth is a classical story created to explain the mysteries of the universe. A myth often explains how something connected to humans or nature came to be. Myths usually feature gods, goddesses, and other beings with supernatural powers as well as human flaws.
Classical Mythology
The myths told by the ancient Greeks and Romans are known as classical mythology. The earliest Greek myths appeared almost 3,000 years ago. When Rome conquered Greece around 178 B.C., the Romans adopted the Greek myths, but changed the names of the gods to Roman names.
A complete retelling of the original Greek myth of Persephone is difficult to find. Instead, we will read the Roman story of Ceres and Proserpina. The main characters in this myth have had their names changed from their Greek origins, to their Roman translations:
Greek Characters = Roman Characters
Persephone = Prosperina
Demeter = Ceres
Hades = Pluto
Read the myth: The story of Ceres and Prosperina, as retold by Mary Pope Osborne. This link connects you to the full text of the passage.
Note: This passage was found in the Holt-McDougal Grade 6 Literature Textbook used by Ashland Middle School teachers. The teacher’s edition of this textbook includes several questions for deeper inquiry into this myth. The full book, Favorite Greek Myths by Mary Pope Osborne is readily available online via Google Books, and is simple to order with your local book purveyor.
Additional links for research:
- Researching “Persephone Day”
- This article includes helpful links to calculate Persephone Days in your High Tunnel.
- Background research on Persephone
Creative Writing:
Unfortunately the myth of Ceres and Proserpina, like many of our classical myths and fairy tales, is based on a myriad of violent and unpleasant themes. Use what you've learned about plant regrowth and myths to create a new mythology around this time in the High Tunnel. Use your imagination to write a new myth explaining why plants go through a period of dormancy in early winter, and suddenly come back to life in the high tunnel in late February. Create another name for these cold dark days in the High Tunnel.
When are the “Persephone Days” in our High Tunnel, and why are they called the "Persephone Days"?
Topic Areas Addressed:
Creative writing, mythology, interpreting data, reading graphs and charts, climate and seasons, reading comprehension, illustration
Note to teachers:
This lesson/project would be best presented late in the month of February, after over-wintered crops (like Spinach) have begun the process of regrowth. Close observation of the plants will reveal that new sprouts will begin to re-emerge once light in the High Tunnel becomes greater than 10 hours per day.
This project includes the use of online interactive tools to research weather data and day length and will deepen students ability to read data from graphs and charts. This project also presents a wonderful opportunity for reading comprehension and creative writing. The myth of Persephone is a dark one, with particularly violent underlying themes including kidnapping and assault. Use this project as a springboard for students to create a new mythology and a new name for the "Persephone Days" that aligns with their own cultural values.
In his book, Winter Harvest Handbook, Eliot Coleman includes a section on Mythology and Day Length. Coleman writes:
“Humans have long had their own way of understanding the changes in day length and its affect on agriculture. Early Greek farmers, whose practical expertise added mythical stories to astronomical fact, knew intimately that the power of the sun and the length of the day are the principal influences on agriculture. They created the myth of Persephone to explain the effect of winter conditions. As the story goes, the earth goddess Demeter had a daughter, Persephone, who was abducted by Hades to live with him as his wife in the netherworld. Demeter would have nothing to do with this and threatened to shut down all plant growth. Zeus intervened and brokered a deal whereby Persephone would spend only the winter months with her husband, Hades. Demeter, saddened by her daughters absence, made the earth barren during that time. On our farm, we refer to the period when the days are less than 10 hours long as the Persephone months.”
- Full Eliot Coleman passage text found here.
The full text also includes a description of the Celtic "cross=quarter" days and Celtic mythology as it relates to observations on his own farm.
According to Eliot Coleman, the "Persephone Days" are those where the light drops to less than 10 hours.
Use the following online tools to calculate the "Persephone Days" for your school's high tunnel:
- Use this online tool to find your latitude by typing in your city or zip code.
- Use this online interactive tool to calculate the Persephone Days in your High Tunnel. You will need to know your latitude to use this tool effectively.
- What are the average monthly highs and low outdoor temperatures associated with the "Persephone Days" in your climate?
Use this link to explore the temperature range.
What is a myth?
A myth is a classical story created to explain the mysteries of the universe. A myth often explains how something connected to humans or nature came to be. Myths usually feature gods, goddesses, and other beings with supernatural powers as well as human flaws.
Classical Mythology
The myths told by the ancient Greeks and Romans are known as classical mythology. The earliest Greek myths appeared almost 3,000 years ago. When Rome conquered Greece around 178 B.C., the Romans adopted the Greek myths, but changed the names of the gods to Roman names.
A complete retelling of the original Greek myth of Persephone is difficult to find. Instead, we will read the Roman story of Ceres and Proserpina. The main characters in this myth have had their names changed from their Greek origins, to their Roman translations:
Greek Characters = Roman Characters
Persephone = Prosperina
Demeter = Ceres
Hades = Pluto
Read the myth: The story of Ceres and Prosperina, as retold by Mary Pope Osborne. This link connects you to the full text of the passage.
Note: This passage was found in the Holt-McDougal Grade 6 Literature Textbook used by Ashland Middle School teachers. The teacher’s edition of this textbook includes several questions for deeper inquiry into this myth. The full book, Favorite Greek Myths by Mary Pope Osborne is readily available online via Google Books, and is simple to order with your local book purveyor.
Additional links for research:
- Researching “Persephone Day”
- This article includes helpful links to calculate Persephone Days in your High Tunnel.
- Background research on Persephone
Creative Writing:
Unfortunately the myth of Ceres and Proserpina, like many of our classical myths and fairy tales, is based on a myriad of violent and unpleasant themes. Use what you've learned about plant regrowth and myths to create a new mythology around this time in the High Tunnel. Use your imagination to write a new myth explaining why plants go through a period of dormancy in early winter, and suddenly come back to life in the high tunnel in late February. Create another name for these cold dark days in the High Tunnel.
