Alrai (γ Cephei) is just outside the circular path of the pole, and according to Wikipedia the north pole will be positioned close to Alrai around 4000 A.D. Earlier, around 2500 B.C., the pole star was Thuban (α Draconis). Why should the creator of the G text have chosen Alrai instead of Polaris to indicate winter solstice?

The answer to my question probably depends on several factors, but number should play the primary role:

*Alrai*	γ Cephei	23h 37m	359.4	402.2	23m	33.4 days	36 days
22m					23m
5m					108m
Caph	β Cassiopeiae	00h 06m	1.5	409.5
Sirrah	α Andromedae	00h 06m	1.5	409.5
Algenib	γ Pegasi	00h 11m	2.8	410.8
98m
*Polaris*	α Ursa Minoris	01h 49m	27.6	435.6	11m	2.6 days
*Baten Kaitos*	ζ Ceti	01h 49m	27.6	435.6
*Metallah*	α Trianguli	01h 50m	27.9	435.9
*Segin*	ε Cassiopeia	01h 51m	28.2	436.2
*Mesarthim*	γ Arietis	01h 51m	28.2	436.2
*Alrisha*	α Piscium	01h 59m	30.2	438.2


Gb6-17	Gb6-18	Gb6-19 (402)	*Gb6-20 (1)**
		Alrai (402.2)


Gb6-21	Gb6-22	Gb6-23	Gb6-24	Gb6-25


Gb6-26 (409)	Gb6-27	*Gb6-28 (9)**
Caph (409.5), Sirrah (409.5), Algenib (410.8)

An interesting result is the fact that 36 days can be viewed as 33.4 + 2.6 days. The latter figure easily will make us associate to the number of the Sun King (26) and also to the line which can be drawn from Polaris southwards to Baten Kaitos (the 'belly of the whale'), because the rest of this great circle measures 260º.

... 89º 02' N - 10º 35' S = 99º 37' or ca 100º, leaving 260º for the rest of the great circle ...

Alrai seems to mark the end of the old cycle and then should follow a period 'in limbo' - an interregnum during which the 'limbs' of the old ruler would start falling. Winter solstice should come beyond Alrai:

...When all the parts of the body, including the torso, landed on the ground, the magician would climb down the rope. He would collect the limbs and put them in a basket, or collect the limbs in one place and cover them with a cape or blanket. Soon the boy would appear, restored ...

On the other side of solstice Polaris evidently could mark the beginning of the new cycle, the new 'fire':


Gb7-24	Gb7-25 (436)	Gb7-26
Polaris (435.6), Baten Kaitos (435.6), Metallah (435.9), Segin (436.2), Mesarthim (436.2)


Gb7-27	Gb7-28	Gb7-29 (440)
Alrisha (438.2)

Allen as usual provides us with important clues:

"From its [Alrai] neighbourhood radiate the Cepheid meteors, visible from the 10th to the 28th of June."

The Cepheid meteors are like the falling 'limbs' of the old year around winter solstice, and they should signify a time to prepare for the fire of next year:

... Behold what was done when the years were bound - when was reached the time when they were to draw the new fire, when now its count was accomplished. First they put out fires everywhere in the country round. And the statues, hewn in either wood or stone, kept in each man's home and regarded as gods, were all cast into the water. Also (were) these (cast away) - the pestles and the (three) hearth stones (upon which the cooking pots rested); and everywhere there was much sweeping - there was sweeping very clear. Rubbish was thrown out; none lay in any of the houses ...

Thus it would have been natural for the creator of the G text to let Gb6-20 illustrate a 'rain of fire' at this time, the sign of the arrival of winter solstice.