#HappyWednesday! Wednesday (day of Woden/Wōdnesdæg/Wednesdei) is essentially a calque of the Latin "dies Mercurii" (day of Mercury). Thus, the astronomical symbol for #Mercury has been used historically to represent this day of the week. #Moravians, among other groups, often used such symbols of celestial bodies (Himmelskörper) in order to abbreviate the days of week (☉☽♂☿♃♀♄) during the #18thcentury and #19thcentury.

Pictured is an example of this abbreviation used in church leadership minutes from 1752:

Transcription: “ ☿ den 23. Febr. 1752. Jünger-Collegium. 1. Br. Joseph proponirte, daß, ob er schon erst gestern von Gnadenhütten nach Hause gekommen, er morgen doch schon wieder wegreisen werde, u. zwar mit Br. Hermann nach Philadelphia wegen verschiedener Verrichtungen mit dem Gouverneur, William Allen, Secret. Peters, it. der Geschw. ihre Haus[-]Haltung zu reguliren, it. wegen der Geschw. Okelys hieherkommen.”

Translation: "Wednesday, February 23, 1752, Jüngercollegium (Elders’ Conference): 1. Brother Joseph proposed, that although he just came home [to Bethlehem] yesterday from Gnadenhütten, he would be departing again tomorrow, and namely, with Brother Hermann to Philadelphia, because of several engagements with the Governor (John Penn), William Allen [and] Secretary Peters; and to regulate the housekeeping [of the congregation in Philadelphia]; and because Brother and Sister Okely are coming hither [from Philadelphia to Bethlehem].”

Source: Minutes of the Jüngercollegium (Board of Disciples), but also of the Eheconferenz and Abendmahlsconferenz, 13 Nov 1750-13 Aug 1752, BethCong 88, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa. [translated by @t0mmy2times].

#specialcollections #moravianhistory #astronomy #moravianarchives #libraries #librariansofinstagram #bibliothek #handwritten #kurrent #germanscript #calligraphy #astronomical #abbreviations #planets #geschichte #bethlehempa #igbethlehem #celestial

A photo posted by Tom McCullough (@t0mmy2times) on Nov 4, 2015 at 7:46am PST