the summer/winter solstice• At the winter solstice two daggerstouch the outsides of the spiral.• For instance, by the summer solstice on 21 June, the crops should be long since planted in the ground.• This was probably based on careful observation of the summer solstice.• A mild example of this from antiquity was the Roman Saturnalia at the time of the winter solstice.• Astronomers say that many of the medicine wheels on the Great Plains are aligned to the summer solstice.• The day of my visit was the summer solstice, June 21.
Originsolstice
(1200-1300)Old FrenchLatinsolstitium, from sol“sun” + status, past participle of sistere“to come to a stop”