An alternate perspective on the Egyptian ritual calendar

The seasonal calendar is clearly tied to the ancient Egyptian agricultural year, which begins at Summer Solstice with the Inundation. This physical world process is not tied to the Sothic calendar, which "floats" through the seasons; however, the priesthood definitely maintained methods of determining when and how large the flood would be—they had to, for the purposes of planning storage of grain and dealing with famines.

So, rather than tying the calendar to the rising of Sirius, which presently has no real meaning in relationship to either the "floating" calendar or to the seasonal Solar year, if we wanted a fixed calendar that accorded with the seasons, it would be something like this:

Hru diu Heru Renp-t: The five Epagomenal days:

1st Epagomenal Day, 17 June 2011, Hru mesut Asar, Birthday of Osiris
2nd Epagomenal Day, 18 June, Hru mesut Heru-ur, Birth of Horus the Elder
3rd Epagomenal Day, 19 June, Hru mesut Set, Birth of Set
4th Epagomenal Day, 20 June, Hru mesut Aset, Birth of Isis
5th Epagomenal Day, 21 June, Hru mesut Nebet-hes, Birth of Nephthys

1 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 22 June, Summer Solstice 2011 and Wp-rnpt, New Year's Day; Hru mesut Re-Heru-iakhuti, Birthday of Re-Horakhty. Tepi abt, beginning of the month of Thoth.
2 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 23 June, Heb djeni-t, Last quarter Moon of old lunar year.
7 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 28 June, Day of welcoming the rising of the river and offering to the gods.
10 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 1 July, end of first dekan, Dena Tep festival of 1st New Moon of lunar year.
15 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 6 July, Smet-t or Half-Month, contending of Horus and Set.
17 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 8 July, 1st quarter Moon, Heb sis, First quarter Moon, on which people provide food to the ancestors.
18 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 9 July, Hru utchay medu em Geb, Day of the Judgment of Horus and Set (most days of this month involve their contending with one another)
20 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 11 July, end of the second dekan
24 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 15 July, Full Moon, Iah meh Uatchet Osiris is made whole! (Waning cycle is a time of Set, the 14 days representing the dismemberment and scattering of the body of Osiris.)
30 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 21 July, end of the third dekan

1 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 22 July, Tepi abt, beginning of the month of Ptah-ineb-res-f; "The Ennead is in festivity...the heir [Horus] is established" (Brier, 1980, p. 230).
2 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 23 July, Hru utcha Heru-ur em Sais, Horus the Elder of Sais processes to his mother, Neith, Heb djeni-t, last quarter Moon festival
11 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 30 July, Dena Tep or 2nd New Moon begins
10 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 31 July, end of 1st dekan, Bast of Ankh-Towe processes to Iunu to pay tribute to the August Tree, which has the names of kings on its leaves.
11 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 1 August, (Lughnassadh)
14 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 4 August, the day Horus receives the White Crown of Lower Egypt
15 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 5 August, Smet-t or Half-Month, make offerings to gods of your city/Nome
16 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 6 August, the day of Osiris-Onnophoris, Heb sis for 1st quarter Moon
17 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 7 August, Cross-quarter day between Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox
18 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 8 August, helical rising of Sirius (modern era)
20 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 11 August, end of 2nd dekan
21 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 12 August, Hru utcha Neith ay Re-Harakti, going forth of Neith before Re-Horakhty
23 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 13 August, Iah meh Uatchet or Full Moon
30 Penip-t 2 Aakhet, 20 August, end of 3rd dekan

1 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 21 August, Tepi abt or beginning of the month of Hathor; Hru nefer Het-hert or feast of Hathor; Heb djeni-t, last quarter Moon
8 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 28 August, Day of Isis celebrating Horus of the Two Lands
9 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 29 August, Dena Tep or 3rd New Moon
10 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 30 August, end of 1st dekan
13 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 2 September, Tcha-t netjer em Iabdu, day of Osiris sailing to Abydos to go into the West (Dwt)
15 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 4 September, Smet-t or mid-month, Heb sis for 1st quarter Moon
17 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 6 September, day of Isis and Nephthys mourning Osiris in Abydos
20 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 9 September, end of 2nd dekan
21 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 10 September, Hru nefer Shu/feast of the God Shu
22 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 11 September, Raising of Ma'at before Re at the front of the mesektet boat
23 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 12 September, Hru en utchay medtu, Ausar-re sits in judgment; Iah meh Uatchet or Full Moon
24 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 13 September, Hru utcha Aset Nebet-hes ay Asar Khentimentiu, going forth of Isis and Nephthys in jubilation for the risen Osiris Khentimentiu
26 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 15 September, S-ayhay djed em Asar-Atum, Raising of the djed pillar of Atum to reconcile Horus and Set; Thoth accords Upper Egypt to Set and Lower Egypt to Horus
29 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 18 September, Red crown of Upper Egypt given to Set and white crown of Lower Egypt to Horus
30 Het-hert 3 Aakhet, 19 September, end of 3rd dekan

1 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 20 September, Tepi abt or beginning of the month of Sekhmet; Heb djeni-t, last quarter Moon
2 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 21 September, Heb Kaherka festival of the end of the Inundation.
3 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 22 September, Fall Equinox.
5 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 24 September, Hru utcha Het-hert ay Kher-ayha, Going forth of Hathor before the gods of Kher-ayha, giving life, stability, and welfare to the land
8 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 27 September, Dena Tep or 4th New Moon begins
9 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 28 September, Thoth decides to give Horus the crown of Upper Egypt and unify the two lands
10 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 29 September, end of 1st dekan
11 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 30 September, Hru nefer Asar em Iabdu, Feast of Osiris in Abydos in the neshmet boat with the dead
12 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 1 October, Hru kheper Benu, Rebirth of the Phoenix of Iunu
13 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 2 October, Hru nefer Hetch-t ay Re, Going forth of the White Goddess (e.g., Hathor) before Re.
14 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 3 October, Hru utcha Hedj-htp Tay-t ay Neith, Going forth of the weaving goddesses, Hedj-hotep and Tayet before Neith to give her their weaving
15 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 4 October, Smet-t or mid-month; Heb sis or first quarter Moon; Hru nefer Bast Sekhmet, Feast of Bast and Sekhmet
20 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 9 October, end of 2nd dekan
23 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 12 October, Iah meh Uatchet or Full Moon
30 Kaherka 4 Aakhet, 19 October, end of 3rd dekan and season of Aakhet, make offerings to the gods of the Ennead

1 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 20 October, Tepi abt or beginning of the month of Min-Amsu. Hru djeni-t or last quarter Moon.
5 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 24 October, Hru utcha Sekhmet ay Ma'at Ptah Djehuti Hu Sia, Going forth of Sekhmet [in anger] before the great ones who detained Her
7 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 26 October, Dena Tep or 5th New Moon.
9 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 28 October, Sekhmet offers pawet cakes to the Gods.
10 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 29 October, end of 1st dekan, Hru utcha Heru-pa-Aset m ith, Going forth of Horus, son of Isis, from the marshes.
12 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 31 October, (Halloween)
14 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 2 November, Hru sis or first quarter Moon.
15 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 3 November, Smet-t or mid-month.
17 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 5 November, Cross-quarter day between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice.
20 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 8 November, end of 2nd dekan, Hru utcha Bast, Going forth of Bast, protector of the Two Lands.
22 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 10 November, Iah men Uatchet or Full Moon.
30 Imes ims-t 1 Peret, 18 November, Hru djeni-t or last quarter Moon, end of 3rd dekan.

1 M'khir 2 Peret, 19 November, Tepi abt or beginning of the month of Rehk-ur. Hru nefer Ptah s-aysay Re em Pet, Feast of Ptah raising up Re into heaven.
6 M'khir 2 Peret, 24 November, S-aysay djed em Asar, Raising up the djed pillar of Osiris.
7 M'khir 2 Peret, 25 November, Dena Tep neshen, 6th New Moon, partial Solar eclipse.
10 M'khir 2 Peret, 28 November, end of 1st dekan.
11 M'khir 2 Peret, 29 November, Hru nefer Neith ih hru utcha Sobek, feast day of Neith and going forth of Sobek to guide Her.
13 M'khir 2 Peret, 1 December.
14 M'khir 2 Peret, 2 December, Hru sis, first quarter Moon.
15 M'khir 2 Peret, 3 December, Smet-t, mid-month.
19 M'khir 2 Peret, 7 December, Day of mourning Osiris in death.
20 M'khir 2 Peret, 8 December, end of 2nd dekan.
22 M'khir 2 Peret, 10 December, Iah meh Uatchet neshen, total lunar Eclipse at Full Moon.
26 M'khir 2 Peret, 14 December, Hru utcha Min em Coptos, Going forth of Min to Coptos.
27 M'khir 2 Peret, 15 December, Hru nefer Sokar ay Asar-In-her-t em This, Feast of Sokar before Osiris-Onnophris in Abydos.
30 M'khir 2 Peret, 18 December, Hru djeni-t, last quarter Moon, end of 3rd dekan.

1 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 19 December, Tepi abt, beginning of the month of Rekh-netches.
3 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 21 December, Winter Solstice.
5 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 23 December, Hru utcha Neith em Sais, Going forth of Neith from Sais.
6 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 24 December, Dena Tep, 7th New Moon of the year; Heb Asar em Per-ba-tet ih hru utcha Inpu, Jubilee of Osiris in Busiris and going forth of Anubis (Rebirth of Osiris).
10 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 28 December, Hru utchat Djehuti, going forth of Thoth, who guides Nesert (the Great flame) into her desert house of eternity.
12 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 30 December, Hru utchat Asar-Het em Nun, going forth of Osiris-Het [the Nile] from Nun.
14 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 1 January 2012, Hru sis, first quarter Moon.
15 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 2 January, Smet-t, or mid-month.
18 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 5 January, Hru nefer Nut, Feast of Nut, who counts the days.
19 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 6 January, Hru mesut Nut, Birthday of Nut.
20 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 7 January, end of 2nd dekan.
22 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 9 January, Iah meh Uatchet, Full Moon; Hru mesut Apep, Birthday of Apep, great Serpent of the Dwt.
28 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 15 January, Hru nefer Asar em Iabdu, Feast of Osiris in Abydos.
29 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 16 January, Hru djeni-t, last quarter Moon.
30 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, 17 January, end of third dekan and month of Pen-Amen-htp, Hru nefer Per-ba-tet, Feast in Busiris celebrating the doorways of the horizon coming into existence [for the rebirth of Re].

1 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 18 January, Tepi abt, Beginning of the month of Rennuttet.
5 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 23 January, Dena Tep, 8th New Moon of the year.
7 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 24 January, Hru utcha Min, Going forth of Min to the festival tent. 
8 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 25 January, Heb ruai iakhuti Heru-ur, Festival of the healing of the eye of Horus the Elder.
10 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 27 January, S-ayq netjert Uatchet, Day of introducing the healed eye of Horus (Uatchet) to the Gods; end of 1st dekan. 
14 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 31 January, Hru sis, first quarter Moon.
15 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 1 February, Smet-t, mid-month; (Imbolc). 
16 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 2 February, Hru utcha Kheperi, going forth of Khepera bearing the words of his followers.
17 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 3 February, Cross-quarter day between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox; Hru utcha Set em Sew, Going forth of Set to his town of Sew.
19 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 5 February, Hru utcha Re em uia heh ih hru nefer Iunu, Going forth of Re in his boat of millions of years and feasting in Heliopolis.
20 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 6 February, end of 2nd dekan.
21 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 7 February, Iah meh Uatchet, Full Moon.
24 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 10 February, Day of the rebellion of Set against Osiris.
28 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 14 February, Hru djeni-t, last quarter Moon.
30 Pen-Rent 4 Peret, 16 February, Make offerings to Ptah-Sokar-Asar-Atum, Lord of the Two Lands; 3rd dekan ends, Pen-Rent ends, Peret ends.

1 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, 17 February, Hru nefer Heru-pa-Aset ih Shemsu Hor, Feast day of Horus, son of Isis, and his followers; Tepi abt, beginning of the month of Khonsu.
5 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, 21 February, Dena Tep, 9th New Moon of the Year; Hru nefer Ba-neb-djedet, Feast of Ba-neb-djedet, god of sexual fertility.
10 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, 26 February, end of first dekan.
14 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, 1 March, Hru sis, first quarter Moon.
15 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, 2 March, Smet-t, or mid-month.
20 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, 7 March, end of 2nd dekan.
21 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, 8 March, Iah meh Uatchet, or Full Moon.
28 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, 15 March, Hru djeni-t, or last quarter Moon.
30 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, 17 March, end of 3rd dekan and last day of Pa-khons.

1 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 18 March, Tepi abt, beginning of the month of Heru-khenti-khadit, the unborn Horus. Anit, one of the nursing mothers of Horus, also rules this month.
2 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 19 March, Spring Equinox.
3 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 20 March, Hru nefer Shemsu Re, Feast of the followers of Re.
5 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 22 March, Dena Tep, 10th New Moon of the year.
10 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 27 March, end of 1st dekan.
11 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 28 March, Ferh en hati, Night of the Drop, when the Tears of Isis mourning Osiris renew the Flood. 
13 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 30 March, Hru sis, first quarter Moon; Hru nefer Uatchet em Dep, Feast of Uatchet in Dep, singing, chanting, offering of incense and sweet herbs to the Gods.
14 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 1 April. 
15 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 2 April, Smet-t, mid-month.
18 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 5 April, Hru utcha Asar-Khesti, going forth of Osiris-Khesti to the august mountain.
19 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 6 April, Iah meh Uatchet, Full Moon.
20 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 7 April, end of 2nd dekan.
26 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 13 April, Hru djeni-t, last quarter Moon.
30 Pen-Ant 2 Shomu, 17 April, end of 3rd dekan and month of Pen-Ant.

1 Ipip 3 Shomu, 18 April, Tepi abt, beginning of the month of Ipit, a nursing-goddess form of Hathor; Heb Ipet-Hemet, Festival of Ipet-Hathor.
4 Ipip 3 Shomu, 21 April, Dena Tep, 11th New Moon of the year.
5 Ipip 3 Shomu, 22 April, Hru setcha-t Het-heru, day of the departure of Hathor to whence she came. The Gods mourn.
10 Ipip 3 Shomu, 27 April, end of 1st dekan.
12 Ipip 3 Shomu, 29 April, Heb Re, Festival of Re; Hru sis, first quarter Moon.
13 Ipip 3 Shomu, 30 April, (Beltane). 
14 Ipip 3 Shomu, 1 May, day of the anger of the eye of Horus the Elder, avoid burning anything.
15 Ipip 3 Shomu, 2 May, day in which Horus hears your words in the presence of the Gods; Smet-t or mid-month. 
17 Ipip 3 Shomu, 4 May, Cross-quarter day midway between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice.
18 Ipip 3 Shomu, 5 May, Day that Ma'at and Re go forth in secret. Date of helical setting of Sirius (modern), which will be invisible for the next 75 days.
19 Ipip 3 Shomu, 6 May, Iah meh Uatchet, Full Moon. 
20 Ipip 3 Shomu, 7 May, end of 2nd dekan.
25 Ipip 3 Shomu, 12 May, Hru djeni-t, last quarter Moon.  
29 Ipip 3 Shomu, 16 May, Heb Mut em Shera, Festival of Mut in Shera [temple lake in Karnak].
30 Ipip 3 Shomu, 17 May, end of 3rd dekan and end of month of Ipip.  

1 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 18 May, Tepi abt, beginning of the month of Re-Heru-iakhuti (Re-Horakhty).
2 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 19 May, Hru Ma'at, Day of Ma'at.
3 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 20 May, Dena Tep neshen, 12th New Moon, annular Solar eclipse.
4 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 21 May, Peri em Sopdu, Procession of Sopdu, the young male form of Sirius associated with Heru-iakhuti.
5 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 22 May, Heb Min em Akhmim, Festival of Min in Akhmim.
6 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 23 May, Peri em Asar-In-her-t em Rostau, Procession of Osiris reborn to Rostau.
10 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 27 May, end of 1st dekan.
11 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 28 May, Hru sis, first quarter Moon.
13 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 30 May, Holiday of defending the son of Osiris, Heru-pa-Asar.
15 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 1 June, Smet-t, mid-month; Day Re goes forth to petition Nun in his cavern below Elephantine for the upcoming Inundation.
18 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 4 June, Iah meh Uatchet neshen, partial eclipse of the Full Moon.
19 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 5 June, Celebrate the feast of your local god.
20 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 6 June, Hru uab, day of purification and renewal; end of 2nd dekan.
22 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 8 June, Heb nefer tepi du, Festival of Anubis, who is on his mountain.
25 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 11 June, Hru djeni-t, last quarter Moon.
28 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 14 June, Hru nefer Min, feast of Min.
29 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 15 June, Heb Ptah-Sokar, Festival of Sokar in the estate of Ptah, celebration of health and good harvest.
30 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, 16 June, Heb irq rnpt, Festival of the last day of the year, Birth of Re.

Hru diu Heru Renp-t: The five Epagomenal days:

1st Epagomenal Day, 17 June 2012, Hru mesut Asar, Birthday of Osiris
2nd Epagomenal Day, 18 June, Hru mesut Heru-ur, Birth of Horus the Elder
3rd Epagomenal Day, 19 June, Hru mesut Set, Birth of Set; Dena Tep, 13th New Moon of year.
4th Epagomenal Day, 20 June, Hru mesut Aset, Birth of Isis; Summer Solstice 2012
5th Epagomenal Day, 21 June, Hru mesut Nebet-hes, Birth of Nephthys

1 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, 22 June, Wp-rnpt, New Year's Day; Hru mesut Re-Heru-iakhuti, Birthday of Re-Horakhty. Tepi abt, beginning of the month of Thoth.

I am sure there are other festivals I've left out, as I was working primarily from Bob Brier's (1980) example of the Cairo Calendar. Let me know which ones you want added. The lunar festivals are in accord with The American Ephemeris for the 21st Century (1996); note that eclipses were considered times of bad luck because of Set was winning against the light of Osiris.

Finally, note that I've added explicit dates for the cross-quarter days, corresponding to the points at which the Sun is at 15-degrees in the fixed Signs, i.e., exactly mid-way between the equinoxes and the solstices. Many of us celebrate the cross-quarter days on the 1st of the month, or the evening before; I've tried to reflect those holidays in the calendar as well.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated.


Brier, B. (1980). Ancient Egyptian magic: Spells, incantations, potions, stories, and rituals. New York, NY: William Morrow & Company.

Clark, R. (2004). The Sacred Tradition in ancient Egypt: The esoteric wisdom revealed. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.

Michelsen, N. F., & Pottinger, R. (1996). The American Ephemeris for the 21st Century: 2000 to 2050 at Noon (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: ACS Publications.