Kanda & Maat

see part 1 https://kandamaat.com/2024/10/17/telling-time-the-ancient-egyptian-way-part-1/

Now that the relationship between the astrological signs and the Kemetic calendar have been established we can take a look at the decans.

The decans consist of group of stars used to track time, with each decan being ten days (Beatty, 1998).

The earth being roughly a sphere of 360 degrees explains how the ancient Kemites used the night sky to map and order the decans into 36, 360/10=36.

Now we look to the eyes of Heru, focusing on the sun first. When the decans are applied to the zodiac, each sign is allocated 30 degrees. and each degree equals one day.

The earth’s revolution around the sun is captured in astrological imagery by the sun moving through the zodiac. A day consists of roughly 24 hours, which is about the time it takes the sun to move one degree through the zodiac (Beatty, 1998).

The 24 hours are divided evenly into 12 hours of day governed by the sun and 12 hours of night governed by the moon. I see this division as further evidence supporting the Kemites’ancestors originating from the regions of Africa closer to the equator. The length of daylight hours is consistent year-round at and near the equator, while in comparison, the regions of the world closer to the north and south poles have longer and short duration of daylight.

The moon revolves around the earth in about 29.5 days. This quick cycle allowed the ancient Kemites to observe the decans in the night sky in conjunction with the phases of the moon.

The earth revolution around the sun and the moon revolution around the earth provides the equation for the 12 months and 5 epagomenal days. The moon completes 12.2 cycles in one solar cycle. This averages to the twelve months plus the five days or 360 +5 = 365.

I believe the concept for the 5 epagomenal days comes from the moon’s cycle of illumination. There are five days when the moon is not visible, the new moon being the third day of complete darkness or zero per cent illumination.

Now we bring it all together.

The Ancient Kemites being astute and attuned to nature were not bothered by a calendar that moved and were able to observe multiple cycles at different stages with no problem.

Nowruz, Persian New Year, falls on the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere around March 21, the same day the sun crosses the 0-degree in Aries in modern western tropical astrology. Instead of the sun in Aries marking the new Kemetic year, the sun crossing into the sign of Leo would have shown the Kemites the new year was soon to come.

Now all that is needed to mark the new year is the moon. The first sighting of the crescent should be visible in the western sky 2.5 days after the new moon in Leo. That sighting usually corresponds with the moon being in Virgo, the sign immediately after Leo. The role the moon plays in calculating time is the reason the Kemites named the first month of the year for Djehuty. I believe the zodiac signs were just place holders for the kemetic months brought over by the Persians, but the zodiac signs meanings did not take the place of the ancient Kemites’ cosmology.

The deep understanding of the cosmos and nature is the key to centering and renewing our common human spirit. If anyone is interested in more, please feel free to reach out.

Reference

Beatty, M. H. (1998). The image of celestial phenomena in the book of coming forth by day: An astronomical and philological analysis. (Publication No. 9838461) [ Doctoral dissertation, Temple University]. UMI Company.