Egytian Calendar
In my search to put forth the best calendar for this temple, I came across several interpretations of the Ancient Egyptian calendar. Below you will find an short overview of the Cairo Calendar and some sacred dates relating to each season.
Mostly the Ancient Egyptians calendar only worked according to the following times (yOu will also note on the ritual page is the Egytian sacred diagram which includes these attributes):
**seasons of drought -Winter
**season of rain - sowing
**season of the flood - harvest
Sources: Wikipedia, Isis oracle; The sacred magic of Ancient Egypt
The Cairo Calender
The start is everlastingness, the end is eternity
The Cairo Calendar was divided into three seasons, tied irrevocably to the ebb and flow of the Nile. These were the Akhet – Inundation, Petet – emergence and Shemu – harvest.
Each made up or four months of 30 days each. The five remaining days of the calendar were grouped together at the very end of the year, bringing the total number of days in the Ancient Egyptian year to 365. This overlooked the extra one-qurder of a day in the solar year (the period of the earth's orbit around the sun), accounted for by the leap year of the modern western calendar. The strt of the year was traditionally marked by the rising of the star Sirius, personified by the Egyptian Goddess Sopdet.
Consult the calendar to determine whether a particular day of the year bodes well of not.
Epagomental days
The last five days of the Cairo Calendor (July 2nd – 6th) are known as the Epagomenal days and represent the birthdays of the gods Osiris, Horus, Seth, Isis and Nephthys respectively.
The seaons of Akhet, Shemu and Petret
Here is a brief overview of the sacred days in the 3 seasons
Akhet or Axt
The Season of the Inundation was the first season in the ancient Egyptian calendar. It received its name because the ancient Egyptians marked the beginning of their year by the rising of the Nile flood waters; this event was important to the people because the waters left behind fertile silt and moisture which was the cause of the fertility of the Egyptian nation.
Lunar calendar: The ancient Egyptians used this name in both their lunar and their civil calendars. The lunar calendar began with the heliacal rising of Sirius, which during the time of the ancient Egyptians occurred from July 17 to 19 (according to the Julian calendar — in Egypt the Sothic year happens to be of the same length as the Julian); the four months of their lunar calendar are roughly equivalent to the period from the rising of Sirius to the middle of November.
Civil calendar: The New Year's day of the civil calendar, on the other hand, moved through the seasons over time, by about one day every four years. Therefore, the Season of Inundation does not continuously match any part of the modern calendar.
Months: The Season of Inundation consisted of the four 30-day months, which are, unless they are simply referred to by number in the ancient Egyptian fashion, called by their Latinized Greek names of Thoth, Phaophi, Athyr and Choiak.
Significant dates:
First day of the year. The day of the birth of Re (Ra). The Nile begins to rise. All the gods and the people celebrate
Good day overall
Akhet I 10 July 16
The day the Goddess of weaving goes forth. All is festivity. Anyone born on this day will die honoured in old age.
Good day overall
Akhet I 22 July 28
The day Re swallows the gods. He kills them and expels them into the water. Their bodies turn to fish and their souls to birds. Do not eat fish today. Do not warm oil. Do not eat birds.
Bad day overall
Akhet I 29 August 4
DO not kindle fire in the home today. Do not burn incense. Do not go out at night.
Partly good and partly bad day overall
Akhet II 6 August 11
A happy day for Re in heaven. The gods are peaceful in his presence. Anyone born on this day will die in revelry.
Good day overall
Akhet II 25 August 30
Do not travel on any road today.
Bad day overall
Akhet III 9 September 13
The day for blaming the great ones. Do not step outside on to any road. Do not let sunlight fall on your face until Re sets.
Bad day overall
Akhet III 26 September 30
The day of establishing the Djed of Atum in heaven and at Heliopolis Amdist uproar. The two lords are reconciled, leaving the land at peace. All Egypt is given to Horus, the desert to Seth and Thoth judges before Re.
Good day overall
Akhet IV 13 October 17
The day Hathor goes forth. Her heart is pleased in the presence of Re. The nine great gods are celebrating . Make a holiday at home today.
Good day overall
Akhet IV 20 October 24
Do not travel on the road today. Do not anoint yourself with ointment. Do not go outside at noon.
Bad day overall
Akhet IV 30 November 3
The day of pleasure for the nine great gods. Anything today will please the hearts of the gods. Make an offering to the gods and spirits. Give food.
Good day overall
Peret or Prt
The Season of Emergence or Peret, etc, was the second or Winter season of the ancient Egyptian Calendar - running from "roughly mid-November to mid-March. It received its name because this was the period when the Nile flood waters receded, and allowed the Egyptians to plant their fields.
The ancient Egyptians used this name in both their lunar and their civil calendars. The months of the lunar calendar are roughly equivalent to the period from the middle of November to the middle of March. Since the civil calendar moved through the seasons over time, losing about one day every four years, this season does not continuously match any part of the modern calendar; it consists of the four 30-day months of Tybi, Mechir, Phamenoth, and Pharmuthi.
Significant dates
Peret I 14 November 17
Today Isis and Nephthys weep for Osiris in remembrance of what he had been. DO not listen to singing or music today.
Generally a bad day.
Peret I 29 December 2
Thoth sends a command south to Bastet, who with the sole mistress Sekhmet can now guide the two lands. The Gods are happy. If you see anything today, it will be good.
Generally a good day.
Peret II 14 December 17
Today the rebel is seen and killed by Seth at the prow of the great barque. Do not go out at dawn today.
Day can begin or end bad, but will be generally good
Peret II 24 December 27
The Gods descend into the river, and anyone approaching the river today will not live. Do not travel over water today.
Generally a bad day.
Peret III 7 January 9
The day the eye of Re calls the followers. They reach out to him in the evening. Beware! Do not leave your home until Re sets.
Generally a bad day.
Peret III 13 January 13
The day Thoth and his spirits go forth. Any ritual performed today will go well.
Generally a good day.
Peret IV 13 February 14
The day Osiris is conducted in his ship to Abydos. Avoid any wind today.
Generally a bad day.
Peret IV 16 February 17
The day Khepri goes forth, and he hears the words of his followers. Every town is joyous.
Generally a good day.
Shemu or Smw
It is the Season of the Harvest. The word Shemu literally translates as "low-water" and corresponded roughly from mid-March to mid-July when the crops of the grain harvest were collected. Shemu was the third and final season of the Ancient Egyptian calendar. It received its name because this was the period when the Egyptian peasants would harvest their crops -- in clear variance to the practice of their contemporaries in the ancient world, who had just begun to plant their crops at this time. It is also known as the summer or 'dry' season and is occasionally written as Shomu.
The ancient Egyptians used this name in both their lunar and their civil calendars. The months of the lunar calendar are roughly equivalent to the period from the middle of March to the heliacal rising of Sirius, which during the time of the Egyptians occurred on July 17-19 (Julian). According to Richard A. Parker, to keep their lunar calendar in harmony with the rising of this star, an intercalary month (named Thoth, after the god, which meant the year often had two months with the same name) would be added to the end of the season, usually every 4 years, but sometimes every second year.
Since the civil calendar moved through the seasons over time, losing about one day every four years, this season does not continuously match any part of the modern calendar; it consists of the four 30-day months of Pachons, Payni, Epiphi and Mesore, and a five-day period that was considered to be an intercalary period which brought the civil year to a total of 365 days.
Significant dates:
Shemu I 7 March 10
The day the crew follows Horus into the foreign lands, where he kills the rebels. Every heart is glad. Every land is happy.
Generally this is a good day
Shemu I 18 March 21
The nine great Gods are joyous, and the crew of RE are festive. If you see anything on this day it will be good.
Generally this is a good day
Shemu II 4 April 6
The day when what Geb and Nut have done is judged by the Gods. Do not shout at anyone on this day.
Generally this is a bad day.
Shemu II 15 April 17
The day of fighting. Do not assess yourself today
Generally this is a bad day.
Shemu II 28 Spril 30
Today is the day of purifying and making offerings. The Gods are festive. Act in accordance with events today.
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