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The purpose of this calendar is to give an overview of how the ancient Egyptian calendar worked and how it would correspond to modern ones. Its purpose is not to state a correct calendar. The Egyptian year was divided into three seasons (Inundation/Autmn, Growing/Winter and Harvest/Summer) Each season was divided into four months of each thirty days making a total of 120 days in each season. Each month was further divided into three decans to become three weeks of ten days each. At the end of the year, five extra days were thrown in to compensate for the year being 365 days. This ocurred in antiquity late June, due to the progression of the stars nowadays late July, when the inundation of the Nile began. As the inundation never ocurred on a fixed date, the rising of the Dog Star (Sirius), which had a fixed date was used as a sign that the inundation was near. I have used several sources when composing this calendar. The Julian times given are an estimation, but they are not correct and sources give different info. Dates has to be calculated anew each year by the rising of the star Sirius, and the result varies according to where on the planet you are. According to James P. Allen - 'Middle Egyptian; An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs', the names of the months go back to at least the Middle Kingdom and probably used primarily in the area around MenNefer (Memphis). They were names for festivals occurring in them or in the month after. Around the New Kingdom, the names of the months changed to reflect the festivals held in the Waset (Thebes) area. This page gives both names and many of the later ones survived into Coptic. Not everyone agrees to his theory however. More research is surely needed. The names of the deities for each month are given in ancient Egyptian with a link to info about them and in Greek within parenthesis when applicable. MK: Middle Kingdom. NK: New Kingdom
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Julian time
Season
Kemetic
Coptic
Greek
Major Festivals 1st Akhet: Opening of the Year, Wag Festival of Osiris, Festival of the Departure of Osiris at Abydos, Festival of Djehuty, Festival of Intoxication (for Hathor) 2nd Akhet: Festival of Ptah South of His Wall (MenNefer) Opet Festival (Waset)
Deity
1 Akhet Inundation
Tout
Thoth
Djehuty (Thoth)
MK: Menkhet ('Clothing') NK: pa-en-ipet ('The one of Karnak') MK: Khenet HetHert ('Voyage of Het-Hert') NK: Hwt-Hr(w) ('Het-Hert') MK: Nekheb-Kau ('Apportioner of 'kas') NK: kA-Hr-kA ('Ka upon Ka') MK: Shef-bedet ('Swelling of Emmer-wheat') NK: Ta-ahbet ('The Offerings of Mut') MK: Rekeh-Aa ('Big Burning') NK: Pa-en-pamekhru
Paopi
Phaphi
Ptah
Athor
Athyr
HetHert (Hathor)
Khoiak
Khoiak
4th Akhet:Festival of Wesir at Abedjou Festival of Sokar at MenNefer Festival of Sekhmet 1st Peret: Festival of Nehebkau Festival of the Coronation of the Sacred Falcon (Edfu) Festival of Min Festival of the Departure of Mut
Sekhmet
Tobe
Tybi
Mut, Min
Mechir
Mekheir
Aset (Isis)
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('The one of the censor') MK: Rekeh-nedjes ('Little Burning') NK: Pa-en-Amenhotep ('The one of Amenhotep')
Amun, Amenhotep I
MK: Renen-wetet (Harvest deity) 4th Peret: PaenRenenutet Parmoute Pharmouthi Festival of Renenutet ('The one of Renenutet') MK: Khonsu (Moon deity) NK: Pa-en-Khonsu ('The one of Khonsu')
Renenutet
Pakhons
Pachn
MK: Khenet2nd Shomu KhetyPerti ('KhentekhtaiHarvest perti') A deity. NK: Pa-en-inet ('The one on the wadi') MK: Ipet Hemet ('She whose incarnation is select') NK: Ipi-ipi (derived from Ipet hemet?)
Paone
Payni
Epep
Epiphi
3rd Shomu: Festival of the Beautiful Reunion; Wadjet (Hathor & Horus at Dendera & Edfu)
MK: Wepet Ronpet ('Opening of the year') Mesori NK: Mesut-Ra ('Birth of Ra')
Mesore
4th Shomu: Festival of ReHorakhty; Festival of the Opening of the Year (Wep Renpet)
Ra-Horakti
Due to the quarter-day discrepancy in a year, some years an extra 6th day was added.
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