Because of our earlier discussions concerning the appropriate dates for the heliacal rising of Sirius and the start of the Egyptian New Year, I decided to do more research into the foundation of the Egyptian calendar system. Unlike the Gregorian calendar that we use in the West, which is based on Greco-Roman calendars developed for use by the early Christian Church, the sacred calendar of ancient Egypt never used an adjustment for the fact that the true Solar year is 365.243 days long. Nor did they adjust for the Sirian (Sothic) year (the sidereal year between subsequent heliacal risings of Sirius) of 365.25 years. Instead, according to Robert Bauval (2008) and others, the priesthood allowed the seasonal/festival calendar to "float" as part of three main cycles.
The first cycle is the 365-day calendar year, with no adjustments. This is the calendar that they broke into 3 seasons—Aakhet (Inundation), Peret (Emergence), and Shomu (Harvest)—of 4 30-day months each. Each 30-day month was further divided into 10-day decades or dekans, which provided the standard civil "week" for work. The dekans were timed by the heliacal rising or culmination of specific stars or star groups, allowing the ancient Egyptians to define their 12 hours of the night throughout the year. The 5 Epagomenal Days were added at the end to bring the year-count to 365, the nearest integer relationship to the real year.
The second, or "Sothic" cycle, of 1460 years related the heliacal rise of Sirius to the 365-day year such that the 1st day of the calendar, Wp-rnpt, or 1 Tekhi 1Aakhet, shifted forward 1 day every four years. In 1460 years, the 365-day calendar would complete a Sothic cycle, and 1 Tekhi 1Aakhet would again coincide with the heliacal rising of Sirius. In the intervening years, the seasons would gradually cycle around the 365-day calendar, ending up out of synch with the rising of Sirius at a predictable rate.
The third, or "Solar" cycle, of 1506 years timed the return of 1 Tekhi 1 Aahket to the Summer Solstice, which is (or was) the actual starting point of the annual Inundation. The shift in Wp-Rnpt across the Solar cycle works out to a little over 1 day in 4 1/4 years, so that in 753 years, New Year's day would have moved to the Winter Solstice. According to Bauval (2008), this is the reason the Egyptian capital moved south to Thebes when it did; Re-Horakhty, "Horus in the Horizon," had reached his southernmost point, that of the Winter Solstice. This corresponds with the reign of Mentuhotep II (2061 - 2010 BC), who is documented as reuniting Egypt and moving the capital from Memphis to Thebes.
We know from a Roman commentary by Censorinus that a new Sothic cycle began on the 21st of July in 139 CE, i.e., that 1 Tekhi 1 Aakhut coincided with the heliacal rising of Sirius on that date. Working backward, Bauval (2008) found that in about 2781 BC, all three cycles came together, with the heliacal rising of Sirius occurring on the Summer Solstice, 21 June, at which point the annual Inundation began. Thus, he contends this is the starting point of the religious/festival calendar, which makes sense, and that the priests and the pharaoh took oaths to maintain the calendar in accord with this unique point in time—the establishment of Ma'at (cosmic order).
Once the Heliopolitan focus moved to Thebes in around 2028 BCE, the Solar religion became syncretized with the local cult of Amun. The Temple of Karnak, principal temple of Amun-Re, is aligned with the Winter Solstice sunrise, in accord with the shift in the Solar year recognized by the priest-astronomers. Indeed, one of the epithets of Thebes is the "Heliopolis of the South." Then, in 1275 BCE, at the end of the Solar cycle, Ramses II moved the capital back north to Pi-Ramses.
So, we know that the Egyptians took note of the endings of both the Sothic and Solar cycles, largely according to how they oriented their temples and whether those temples were associated with the Solar or Stellar (Sothic) cults. (And, please, don't harrass me about the use of the word, "cult." I am using it here simply to distinguish between two sets of festival cultures, not as a perjorative.) Bauval (2008) notes that archeological digs at the temple of Satis at Elephantine show shifts that track the location of Sirius along the horizon as it moved northward due to precession. Other temples and 4th and 5th dynasty pyramids also show these alignments and their change over time.
If we choose to perpetuate the Sothic cycle observed by the Stellar/Osirian culture, working forward from 139 CE, we completed the last cycle in 1599 CE, and are currently 412 years into the next. Since we know the Sothic cycle moves the calendar forward 1 day in every 4 years, we can see that the current Wp-rnpt occurs 103 days after the start of the last Sothic cycle's beginning. We also know that the date of Sirius' heliacal rise has precessed forward to 8 August at the latitude of Cairo (Iunu or Heliopolis), so the start of the calendar, 1 Tekhi 1 Aakhet, should shift forward 103 days, to the 19th of November. We won't resynchronize with the actual heliacal rising of Sirius until 3059 CE!
If we are, instead, following the Solar/Re cycle, 2011 CE is 274 years since the last Solar cycle returned 1 Tekhi 1 Aakhet to coincide with the Summer Solstice. The starting date of the calendar would again be moved forward approximately 67 days to coincide with 27 September. In future years, as the calendar passes through Autumn Equinox and on toward the Winter Solstice, we would see a shifting in ritual and political energy from Lower Egypt back into Upper Egypt. It appears that the priesthood mainly used the Solar cycle to establish the current "place of power" or rulership according to the relationship between Wp-rnpt and the Sun on the horizon, which they named Horakhty or Horemakhut, and consolidated with Re. (Note: The ancient Egyptian name of the Sphinx, who stares at the Eastern horizon awaiting the sunrise is Horemakhut.)
Given that the priesthood of ancient Egypt allowed the calendar to "float" in this way, from one perspective we can simplify our celebrations by simply choosing a date and sticking to it, whether that is the 15th or 21st of July (the 139 CE date of the last recorded Sothic cycle's start), or the 1st or 8th of August that coincides with the current heliacal rising of Sirius. Bob Brier's (1980) example of the "Cairo Calendar" from the New Kingdom era starts on 1 August, which makes it convenient to align with our more familiar Gregorian calendar.
However, if we truly wish to synchronize our worship with the cyclical nature of the calendar as the Egyptian priesthood would do, then we need to take the Sothic cycle into account, and start our current ritual calendar on 19 November. We would then celebrate the 2011 Epagomenal days starting on 14th of November, and Wp-Rnpt, New Year's Day, on the 19th. The heliacal rising of Sirius would fall in the first month of Shomu.
Here is how such a cyclical Sothic calendar might look:
1 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhut, Wp-Rnpt corresponds to 19 November (Month governed by Djehuti, Coptic Thoth)
10 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhut, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 28 November
13 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhut corresponds to 1 December
20 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhut, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 8 December
30 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakut end of 3rd dekan, corresponds to 18 December
1 Penap-t 2Aakut corresponds to 19 December (Month governed by Ptah-ineb-res-f, Coptic Paopi)
3 Penap-t 2 Aakhut corresponds to 21 December, the Winter Solstice (Northern Hemisphere)
10 Penap-t 2 Aakhut, end of the 1st dekan, corresponds to 28 December
14 Penap-t 2 Aakhut corresponds to 1 January 2012
20 Penap-t 2 Aakhut, end of the 2nd dekan, corresponds to 7 January
39 Penap-t 2 Aakhut, end of the 3rd dekan, corresponds to 17 January
1 Het-hert 3 Aakhut corresponds to 18 January (Month governed by Hathor, Coptic Athyr)
10 Het-hert 3 Aakhut, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 27 January
15 Het-hert 3 Aakhut corresponds to 1 February
20 Het-hert 3 Aakhut, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 6 February
30 Het-hert 3 Aakhut, end of 3rd dekan, corresponds to 16 February
1 Kaherka 4 Aahkut corresponds to 17 February (Month governed by Sekhmet, Coptic Koiak)
10 Kaherka 4 Aakhut, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 26 February
14 Kaherka 4 Aakhut corresponds to 1 March, since 2012 is a leap year
20 Kaherka 4 Aakhut, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 7 March
30 Kaherka 4 Aakhut, end of 3rd dekan, corresponds to 17 March
End of Season of Inundation, Aakhut.
1 Ames ams-t 1 Peret corresponds to 18 March (Month governed by Min, Coptic Tybi)
4 Ames ams-t 1 Peret, Spring Equinox (northern hemisphere), corresponds to 21 March
10 Ames ams-t 1 Peret, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 27 March
15 Ames ams-t 1 Peret corresponds to 1 April
20 Ames ams-t 1 Peret, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 6 April
30 Ames ams-t 1 Peret, end of 3rd dekan, corresponds to 16 April
1 M'khir 2 Peret corresponds to 17 April (Month governed by Rekh-ur, Coptic Mekhir)
10 M'khir 2 Peret, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 27 April
14 M'khir 2 Peret corresponds to 1 May
20 M'khir 2 Peret, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 7 May
30 M'khir 2 Peret, end of 3rd dekan, correponds to 17 May
1 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret corresponds to 18 May (Month governed by Rekh-netches, Coptic Phamenoth)
8 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, setting of Sirius in West, corresponds to 25 May (Sirius invisible for next 75 days)
10 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, end of 1st dekan, correponds to 27 May
15 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret corresponds to 1 June
20 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 6 June
30 Pen-Amen-htp 3 Peret, end of 3rd dekan, corresponds to 16 June
1 Pen-rent 4 Peret corresponds to 17 June (Month governed by Renenutet, Coptic Pharmuthi)
5 Pen-rent 4 Peret, Summer Solstice (northern hemisphere), corresponds to 21 June
10 Pen-rent 4 Peret, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 26 June
15 Pen-rent 4 Peret corresponds to 1 July
20 Pen-rent 4 Peret, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 6 July
30 Pen-rent 4 Peret, end of 3rd dekan, corresponds to 16 July
End of the season of Peret (Emergence, Coptic Proyet)
1 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu corresponds to 17 July (Month governed by Khonsu, Coptic Pachons)
10 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 26 July
16 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu corresponds to 1 August
20 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 5 August
23 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, heliacal rising of Sirius, corresponds to 8 August
30 Pa-Khons 1 Shomu, end of 3rd dekan, corresponds to 15 August
1 Pen-ant 2 Shomu corresponds to 16 August (Month governed by Heru-khenti-khadit, Coptic Paoni)
10 Pen-ant 2 Shomu, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 25 August
11 Pen-ant 2 Shomu, Gerh-en-hati "The Night of the Drop," corresponds to 26 August
17 Pen-ant 2 Shomu corresponds to 1 September
20 Pen-ant 2 Shomu, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 4 September
30 Pen-ant 2 Shomu, end of 3rd dekan, corresponds to 14 September
1 Ipip 3 Shomu corresponds to 15 September (Month governed by Ipit, Coptic Epiphi)
7 Ipip 3 Shomu, Fall Equinox (northern hemisphere), corresponds to 21 September
10 Ipip 3 Shomu, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 24 September
17 Ipip 3 Shomu corresponds to 1 October
20 Ipip 3 Shomu, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 4 October
30 Ipip 3 Shomu, end of 3rd dekan, corresponds to 14 October
1 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu corresponds to 15 October (Month governed by Heru-iakhuti, Coptic Mesore)
10 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, end of 1st dekan, corresponds to 24 October
18 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu corresponds to 1 November
20 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, end of 2nd dekan, corresponds to 3 November
30 Mesut-Ra 4 Shomu, end of 3rd dekan, Birthday of Re-Horakhti, corresponds to 13 November
End of season of Shomu, end of civil year
1st Epagomenal Day, Birthday of Osiris, 14 November
2nd Epagomenal Day, Birthday of Heru-ur, 15 November
3rd Epagomenal Day, Birthday of Set, 16 November
4th Epagomenal Day, Birthday of Isis, 17 November
5th Epagomenal Day, Birthday of Nephthys, 18 November
1 Tepi Hai-t 1 Aakhet, Wp-Rnpt, 19 November.
I will go back and add various festivals, including lunar ones, at a later point. It would help if my readers could let me know which festival dates are most significant. Ultimately, I hope to make a general calendar. But I would appreciate feedback as to the use of the shifted dates, and how my readers feel that would affect their practice.
As to the month names and the Gods or Goddesses governing them, I used Budge's Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary to look up the ancient names of the months, and the God and Goddess correspondences using Budge's Gods and Goddesses of Egypt.
The first month of the Season of Inundation (Aakhet) was called Thoth by the Copts, and Tepi-Hai-t by the ancient Egyptians, which means "Head of the flood," or "Weeping Goddesses." It was ruled by Tekhi, a title of Djehuti as the keeper or establisher of Time. The word, Tepi, means 1st, and the first day of the New Year was also known as "Tepi Rnpt."
The second month of Aakhet was called Paopi by the Copts, and Penip-t or Penap-t by the ancient Egpytians, and can be loosely translated as "This [month of] Apit," one of the Goddesses associated with the month. The principal God ruling the month is Ptah-ineb-res-f, or "Ptah, South of his Wall," one of the epithets of Ptah of Memphis (Menefer, Aneb). Also, the twin Goddesses Merti represented the flood in Upper and in Lower Egypt. Merit-shemay, the Goddess of the southern inundation, was depicted with a red dress, reflecting the red soil that came down the Nile at the beginning of the Inundation. Merit-meh, Goddess of the northern inundation, wore a blue dress, reflecting the Delta of the Nile.
The third month of Aakhet was called Athyr by the Copts, and Het-her (Hathor) by the ancient Egyptians. While Hathor ruled this month of peak Inundation and the beginning of its end, she also shared features with Sekhmet, who rules the final month of Aakhet.
The fourth month of Aakhet was called Koiak by the Copts, for the festival of Sekhmet, Kherka-heb. In this month, the flood would have ended and the new land begin drying out; it was a month when flies and other insects began decomposing the matter brought down by the flood, and of fevers and illness. (Hence its association with Sekhmet.)
The first month of Peret was called Tybi by the Copts, possibly in association with the birthing bricks women used, or as tiles representing the dry soil to be broken for planting. The ancient Egyptian name for the month, Ames ams-t, ties the month to Min-Amsu, who gives birth to plants, and represents the reproductive powers of nature. Another Goddess of this month is Shef(t)-betd-t, meaning "makes swell the grain," and represents the new shoots of the crops.
The second month of Peret was called Mekhir by the Copts, and M'khir or M'khiaru by the ancient Egyptians. M'khir means "granary," m'khiaru means "food, sustenance," so the name seems to project hope for the upcoming harvest as it grows. The Goddess of this month is Rekh-ur, and the only thing I can find about her is what the components of her name mean: "Rekh" means "wise" and "ur" means "growth." So this is the Goddess who is wise/skilled in growth, who helps the crops grow.
The third month of Peret was called Phamenoth by the Copts, and Pen-Amen-htp by the ancient Egyptians, meaning "This [month of] Amen's peace." The Goddess of the month is Rekh-netcher, whose names means "wise in harvest," or "wise in holding fast," leading up to harvest. This would have been the time the farmers would have begun sharpening their tools for the upcoming harvest of grain.
The fourth month of Peret was called Pharmuthi by the Copts, and Pen-rent, "This [month of] harvest," by the ancient Egyptians. The month was sacred to Rennuttet, a snake-headed Goddess of the Harvest associated with Isis, and possibly the constellation of Virgo.
The first month of Shomu was called Pachons by the Copts, and Pa-khons by the ancient Egyptians, meaning "Son of Khons or Khonsu." Khonsu was the God of the month, possibly for his association with a sickle-like weapon he carried.
The second month of Shomu was called Paoni by the Copts, and Pen-ant, "This [month of] Anit," by the ancient Egyptians. Anit was one of the mothers of Heru-pa-khart, son of Isis, and so can be considered a form of Isis. The God of the month was Heru-khuti-khadit, "The Unborn Horus." on the 11th day of this month, ancient Egyptians celebrated Gerh en hati, "The Night of the Drop," a festival for the Tear of Isis believed to trigger the annual inundation.
The third month of Shomu was called Epiphi by the Copts, and Ipip by the ancient Egyptians, possibly meaning "measuring up the harvest." The Goddess Apit, a form of Hathor as nursing Goddess of Thebes, was associated with this month, and the "birth of the harvest."
The final month of Shomu was called Mesore by the Copts, and Mesut-Ra, "Birthday of Ra," by the ancient Egyptians. The month was associated with Heru-iakhuti, or Re-Horakhty, Horus in the Horizon.
The key thing to keep in mind here is that the calendar was modeled on the Ideal cosmic order, where all three cycles came together and patterned the flood, planting, and harvest. The priesthood used their observations to ensure that the physical year cycle got tracked properly, but had no difficulty accepting that the calendar itself got out of synch with the manifest seasons. It's a very foreign concept to modern Westerners, but it actually tracks the real cycle of the year somewhat better than our system of leap years and intercalated corrections.
Bauval, R. (2008). The Egypt Code. New York, NY: The Disinformation Company, Ltd.
Brier, B. (1980). Ancient Egyptian magic: Spells, incantations, potions, stories, and rituals. New York, NY: William Morrow & Company, Ltd.
No comments:
Post a Comment