1. The first star of the ancient year was Alcyone (η Tauri):

"We often see the assertion that our title is in no way connected with Άλκυών, the Halcyon, that 'symbolic or mystical bird, early identified with the Kingfisher', the ornithological Alcedo or Ceryle; so that although the myth of the Halcyon Days, that 'clement and temperate time, the nurse of the beautiful Halcyon',

When birds of calm sit brooding on the charmed wave,

is not yet understood, some of Thompson's conjectures as to its stellar aspect will be found interesting. He writes that

the story originally referred to some astronomical phenomenon, probably in connexion with the Pleiades, of which constellation Alcyone is the principal star. In what appears to have been the most vigorous period of ancient astronomy (not later than 2000 B.C., but continuing long afterwards to influence legend and nomenclature) the sun rose at the vernal equinox, in conjunction with the Pleiad, in the sign Taurus: the Pleiad is in many languages associated with bird-names ... and I am inclined to take the bird on the bull's back in coins of Eretria, Dicaea, and Thurii for the associated constellation of the Pleiad ... Suidas definitely asserts that the Pleiades were called Άλκυόνες.

At the winter solstice, in the same ancient epoch, the Pleiad culminated at nightfall in mid-heaven ... This culmination, between three and four months after the heliacal rising of the Pleiad in Autumn, was, I conjecture, symbolized as the nesting of the Halcyon. Owing to the antiquity and corruption of the legend, it is impossible to hazard more than a conjecture; but that the phenomenon was in some form an astronomic one I have no doubt.

... It culminates on the 31st of December." (Allen)

I have already earlier (see at Kaffaljidhma and Mira) discussed Menkar.

Alcyone is positioned at very nearly 24º N. About 5000 years ago this was the northern limit for Sun:

The 31st of December is day number 365 in our calendar. Alcyone is today rising heliacally 57 days beyond spring equinox north of the equator. This is day number 89 + 57 = 146 (= 2 * 73) after winter solstice:

92 days later (= 172 - 80) she should be at noon, a further 94 days later descend with the sun, and yet another 90 days later culminate at midnight. 146 + 92 + 94 + 90 = 422 (= 356 + 66). If we instead count from the end of the year (31st of December), the day number for culmination at midnight should be 422 - 9 = 413 (= 14 * 29½).

If we decide to put Alycone at Gb8-23, then we can count 465 - 146 = 319 and hopefully find the solstice (winter north of the equator and summer on Easter Island). This location is at the end of the glyph line with no henua signs and it is therefore a reasonable location: