Corporate memory game
Kaylee Yoak
Created on September 15, 2024
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Transcript
Ancient Civillizations
and their Calendars
Two Primary Ancient Civilizations:
Babylonians & the Lunisolar Calendar
Egyptians & the Solar Calendar
The Babaylonians were people who lived in the city of Babylon. The city of Babylon was located in Southern Mesopotamia or modern day Iraq. And it was the capital of the Babylonian empire. The city of Babylon was founded around 2300 BC and its early inhabitants were a mixture of Sumerians, Amorites, and Akkadins. The Babylonians were a Semitic people which meant they spoke the semitic languages such as Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic.
The Babylonians
The Babylonians were known for their:
- Polytheistic religion, worshiping a pantheon of gods and goddesses, including Marduk, Ea, and Nabu.
- Advanced irrigation systems, which allowed them to cultivate the fertile plains of Mesopotamia.
- Sophisticated architecture, including ziggurats (step pyramids), temples, and palaces.
- Trade and commerce networks, which connected Babylon to other ancient civilizations, such as Assyria, Egypt, and the Persian Empire.
- The Lunisolar calendar and the advancement of calendars and timekeeping in the ancient world.
The Babylonians Continued
Babylonian Ziggurat
The Lunisolar Calendar
Fragments of Babylonian Star Calendar
The Babylonian Lunisolar Calendar;was discovered in the search of a way to measure the cycle of the seasons in multiples of moon cycles. They eventually discovered it around 432 B.C, the Metonic cycle of nineteen years. The Metonic calendar is a type of lunisolar calendar that reconciles the cycles of the moon with the cycles of the sun. It is based on the 19-year cycle discovered by Meton, an Athenian astronomer, and named after him.Key FeaturesA Metonic cycle consists of 235 lunations (complete moon phase cycles) over 19 years.The cycle was independently discovered by Meton and the Babylonians.The calendar adjusts for the difference between the 12-month solar year (approximately 365.24 days) and the 12-13 month lunar year (approximately 354.36-383.90 days).
The Lunisolar Calendar Continued
Administrative and economic uses: The calendar was used for administrative purposes, such as tracking taxes, trade, and commerce. The regular insertion of intercalary months ensured that the calendar remained in sync with the solar year, allowing for accurate record-keeping and financial planning.Influence on other cultures: The Babylonian calendar had a significant impact on the development of calendars in other ancient Near Eastern cultures, including the Hebrew calendar. The same Hebrew calendar that dictates the days that Christian and Jewish holidays fall on present day. Many of these calendars borrowed month names, lunar cycles, and intercalation techniques from the Babylonian model. Religious importance: The Babylonian calendar was deeply tied to religious rituals and festivals, which were often tied to specific lunar phases or solar events. The calendar’s lunisolar nature allowed for a harmonious balance between lunar and solar cycles/The idea of the 7th day of rest, the very name Sabbath (From the Babylonian Sabattu)The Babylonians observed certain enumerated days-the seventh, fourteenth, nineteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-eighth days of the month.
The Egyptians
Map of Ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians were a civilization that thrived along the Nile River in northeastern Africa from around 3100 BCE to 30 BCE. They developed a unique culture, language, and system of governance, which lasted for over 3,000 years. Ethnicity and Identity: The Egyptians were a diverse group of people who shared a common language, religion, and cultural heritage. They were predominantly Afro-Asiatic in origin, with genetic and linguistic ties to other ancient Near Eastern cultures.Society and Hierarchy: Ancient Egyptian society was organized into a strict hierarchical system, with the pharaoh (king) at the top and various social classes below:
The Egyptians, continued
Temples of Abu Simbel
Culture and Achievements: The ancient Egyptians were known for their: Architecture: Pyramids, temples, and tombs, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Valley of the Kings. Art: Painting, sculpture, and jewelry-making, often featuring intricate hieroglyphics. Writing: Hieroglyphic script, used for official documents, literature, and religious texts. Medicine: Advanced knowledge of anatomy, surgery, and pharmacology. Trade and Commerce: Established extensive trade networks with neighboring civilizations.Astronomy: Developed a 365-day solar calendar and tracked celestial bodies.
The Solar Calendar
Ancient Egyptian Calendar
The Egyptian Solar Calendar, also known as the Civil Calendar, was the primary calendar used by the ancient Egyptians. It was a 365-day solar calendar, divided into 12 months of 30 days each, with an additional 5 epagomenal days at the end of the year. Key Features:12 months, each with 30 days Total 360 days in a year 5 epagomenal days added at the end of the year to complete the solar year No leap year mechanism to account for the extra quarter-day in the solar year, resulting in a “wandering calendar” that gradually drifted out of sync with the solar year Seasonal Structure: The Egyptian Solar Calendar was organized into three seasons, each consisting of four months: Akhet (inundation): months 1-4, corresponding to the flooding of the Nile Peret (growth): months 5-8, corresponding to the growth of crops Shemu (harvest): months 9-12, corresponding to the harvest season Month Names: The months were not named individually, but rather were referred to by their order within the season. For example, “first month of Akhet” or “third month of Peret”.
The Solar Calendar Continued
Astronomical ceiling tomb of Senenmut
A mystery about the Egyptian solar year is how the Egyptians were the first ones to discover and use it in a practical fashion. They had no astronomical instruments not already well known to the ancient world. They showed no special genius for mathematics.The Egyptian Solar Calendar’s influence can be seen in the way we divide the day into hours and minutes, as well as the structure and length of the yearly calendar. The ancient Egyptians’ observations of the star Sirius (Sothis) and the Nile’s flooding also laid the foundation for modern astronomical and agricultural practices. Timeline: Although there is no firm archaeological evidence, estimates suggest that the Egyptian Civil Calendar dates back to circa 4241 BCE. This calendar remained in use until the Ptolemaic period, when an additional intercalary day was added every four years to keep the calendar in sync with the solar year.
The Lunisolar/Metonic Calendar
Vs
The Solar/Civil Calendar
- Calculated based off of the moon cycles reconciled with the cycles of the sun
- Required frequent inter-calculation by scholars and was too complex to be practical for Babylonian citizens.
- The Metonic cycle repeats every 19 years
- Used almost exclusively in the modern day in religious contexts
- Calculated based off of suns natural 365 solar cycles
- Required little to no calculation and could be used practically by all people in Ancient Egypt.
- After being reformed has a repeating pattern of years (e.g., years ending in 0 or 5).
- Used frequently in the modern era every day internationally
In Conclusion
Yay ancient civilizations and their calendars
Thank you