Oldest Calendars of the World

The World of Calendars

The oldest calendars in the world were developed by ancient civilizations to track time, seasons, and important astronomical events. Here are some of the oldest known calendars in history. Not all the calendars based on the currently lunar calendars where full moon dates are of utmost importance. Very soon we will be witnessing full moon October 2023. 

1.     Nabta Playa Calendar (circa 6000 BCE - 4000 BCE): Located in what is now modern-day Egypt, the Nabta Playa site contains some of the earliest evidence of a calendar system. Large stone structures and megaliths at the site align with the summer solstice, suggesting an early form of solar calendar.


oldest calendars of the world


2.  







          Mayan Calendar (circa 2000 BCE - 1500 CE): The ancient Maya civilization of Mesoamerica developed a highly sophisticated calendar system. It consisted of two main calendars: the Tzolk'in (a 260-day ritual calendar) and the Haab' (a 365-day solar calendar). These calendars were used for various purposes, including agricultural planning and religious ceremonies.

3. 

           Egyptian Calendar (circa 2700 BCE - 365 CE): The ancient Egyptians had one of the earliest known solar calendars. It was based on the annual rising of the star Sirius, which occurred just before the annual flooding of the Nile River. The Egyptian calendar had 12 months of 30 days each, with an additional 5 or 6 "epagomenal" days to account for the solar year.

4. 

         Stonehenge Calendar (circa 3000 BCE - 2000 BCE): While Stonehenge is primarily known as a prehistoric monument in England, it also served as a rudimentary calendar. The alignment of the stones with the solstices and equinoxes suggests its use in tracking astronomical events.

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 .      Chinese Calendar (circa 14th century BCE - present): The traditional Chinese calendar, also known as the agricultural calendar, has a long history. It's a lunisolar calendar, combining lunar phases with solar year adjustments. The Chinese calendar includes both a 12-year animal cycle (the Chinese zodiac) and a 60-year cycle.


.      Babylonian Calendar (circa 1900 BCE - 1st century CE): The Babylonians, one of the earliest Mesopotamian civilizations, had a complex lunar calendar system. It played a significant role in their astronomical observations and mathematical calculations.

Inca Calendar (circa 15th century CE - 16th century CE): The Inca Empire in South America used a calendar system based on knotted strings called quipus. These quipus were used for record-keeping, including tracking time and events.

These calendars varied in complexity and purpose, with some focused on agricultural cycles, while others were more attuned to celestial events. They all reflect the importance of timekeeping and the observation of celestial phenomena in the development of early human civilizations.

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