Janus Head and New Year\'s Day.

Janus Head Br 551 Sully 1st floor room 32 showcase E1 This head was probably mounted on a wooden staff. Janus, one of the most ancient Roman gods, was represented with two faces looking in opposite directions, one forwards and the other backwards. In 46 BC, Julius Caesar decided that 1st January would be New Year's Day. The Romans dedicated this day to Janus, the god of gates and beginnings. The month of January owes its name to him. In 487 AD, the Christian Church sanctified New Year’s Day.

The date when the New Year begins varies over time and according to country, however there are always close and surprising analogies to be seen in the customs associated with this celebration. This celebration of the New Year is found in Babylon, Egypt then in Rome.