AKET-season (Inundation)
Third month: Athyr
Day 1—17th September: Feast of Hathor, the Mistress of Heaven. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 2 – 18th September: Return of Wedjet from Dep. [Dep is the pre-Dynastic name for Buto, of which Wedjet was the patron goddess.] Prayer or divinatory time: noon.
Day 3 – 19th September: If you see anything it will be good on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 4 – 20th September: The trembling of the earth under Nun [the god who personified the original formless ocean of Chaos]. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 5 – 21st September: Do not keep fire burning in the house on this day. The turning of the year with the Autumn (Spring in Egypt) Equinox. In Egypt traditionally the time for planting – in the Northern hemisphere, harvest and the end of summer. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 6 – 22nd September: The encouragement of the gods of the Two Lands [Set and Horus]. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 7 – 23rd September: If you see anything it will be good on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: noon.
Day 8 – 24th September: Isis goes forth unto her son, Horus. Sun rises in Libra. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 9 – 25th September: Do not go outside on any road from your house on this day. Do not let light fall on your face until Re is set in his horizon. It is the day of blaming the great ones … who were in his presence. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 10 – 26th September: Great rejoicing in heaven; the crew of Re are in peace, his Ennead is cheerful [lit. ‘shout loudly’]. Those in the fields are working. It is the day of judgement between Horus and Set. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 11 – 27th September: If you see anything it will be good on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
Day 12 – 28th September: Do not go to your antagonist but go to answer the neighbours [Obviously a time of strife in ancient Egypt]. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 13 – 29th September: This is the day of cutting into pieces ...This neshmet-boat of Osiris is sailing up-stream to Abydos to the great town of Onnophris. Set entered the embalming booth … to announce the god’s limbs. Then they became fresh [Opening of the Mouth Ceremony]. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 14 – 30th September: Do not do anything on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 15 – 1st October: Let a man sleep with his wife on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 16 – 2nd October: The appearance of the Great Ones of the Ogduad [The Hermopolitan group of eight deities connected to the Creation myth]. A happy day of infinity and eternity. Do not go out of your house on this day. Let not a man sleep with his wife. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 17 – 3rd October: Landing of the Great Ones, the Upper and Lower Ones at Abydos; loud weeping and wailing by Isis and Nephthys, her sister, over Onnophris [Osiris] in Sais. The weeping and crying isheard in Abydos. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 18 – 4th October: It is the day of strife by the children of Geb … do not approach any road for making a journey on it. Prayer or divinatory time: at dawn and in the afternoon.
Day 19 – 5th October: Beware the children of the storm … Let a man eat bread in his house. Do not go outside on the road on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 20 – 6th October: The Going Forth of Bastet. Offer to the gods on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 21 – 7th October: The Feast of Shu, son of Re. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
Day 22 – 8th October: The raising of Ma’at in order to see Re, when she is summoned by the gods in the presence of Re. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
Day 23 – 9th October: [Damaged] Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 24 – 10th October: Isis goes forth, her heart being happy and Nephthys being also in jubilation when they see Onnophris [Osiris]. He had given his throne to his son, Horus, in front of Re. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 25 – 11th October: If you see anything, it will be good on this day. Do not offer to the gods on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 26 – 12th October: Establishing the Djed … of Atum in the heaven and land of Heliopolis reconciliation of the Two Lords and causing the land to be in peace. The whole of Egypt is given to Horus, and all the desert land to Set. Going forth of Thoth in order to judge in the presence of Re. Do not offer to the gods. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
Day 27 – 13th October: Judging of Horus and Set; stopping the fighting. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 28 – 14th October: The gods are in jubilation and in joy … The land is in festivity and the gods are pleased. If you see anything, it will be good. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 29 – 15th October: The going forth of the three noble ladies in the presence of Ptah, beautiful of face, while giving praise to Re, him who belongs to the throne of truth of the temples of the goddesses. Giving the White Crown to Horus, and the Red Crown to Set. [Usually Horus represents Lower Egypt and Set Upper Egypt, so the ascription of the Crowns may seem puzzling. But as ‘all the desert land’ is assigned to Set, perhaps the association of the same word, now applies to the Red Crown, and explains the previous statement.] Do not dispute with your antagonist on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 30 – 16th October: If you see anything, it will be good on this day. Do not offer to the male gods. Do not offer to the goddesses on this day. House of Re, House of Osiris, House of Horus. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
The Calendar of Ancient Egypt - the revised and expanded edition compiled by Melusine Draco, is published by Ignotus Press UK ISBN 978 1 78876 583 1. Order direct from the publisher to qualify for the special price.
Third month: Athyr
Day 1—17th September: Feast of Hathor, the Mistress of Heaven. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 2 – 18th September: Return of Wedjet from Dep. [Dep is the pre-Dynastic name for Buto, of which Wedjet was the patron goddess.] Prayer or divinatory time: noon.
Day 3 – 19th September: If you see anything it will be good on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 4 – 20th September: The trembling of the earth under Nun [the god who personified the original formless ocean of Chaos]. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 5 – 21st September: Do not keep fire burning in the house on this day. The turning of the year with the Autumn (Spring in Egypt) Equinox. In Egypt traditionally the time for planting – in the Northern hemisphere, harvest and the end of summer. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 6 – 22nd September: The encouragement of the gods of the Two Lands [Set and Horus]. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 7 – 23rd September: If you see anything it will be good on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: noon.
Day 8 – 24th September: Isis goes forth unto her son, Horus. Sun rises in Libra. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 9 – 25th September: Do not go outside on any road from your house on this day. Do not let light fall on your face until Re is set in his horizon. It is the day of blaming the great ones … who were in his presence. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 10 – 26th September: Great rejoicing in heaven; the crew of Re are in peace, his Ennead is cheerful [lit. ‘shout loudly’]. Those in the fields are working. It is the day of judgement between Horus and Set. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 11 – 27th September: If you see anything it will be good on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
Day 12 – 28th September: Do not go to your antagonist but go to answer the neighbours [Obviously a time of strife in ancient Egypt]. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 13 – 29th September: This is the day of cutting into pieces ...This neshmet-boat of Osiris is sailing up-stream to Abydos to the great town of Onnophris. Set entered the embalming booth … to announce the god’s limbs. Then they became fresh [Opening of the Mouth Ceremony]. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 14 – 30th September: Do not do anything on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 15 – 1st October: Let a man sleep with his wife on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 16 – 2nd October: The appearance of the Great Ones of the Ogduad [The Hermopolitan group of eight deities connected to the Creation myth]. A happy day of infinity and eternity. Do not go out of your house on this day. Let not a man sleep with his wife. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 17 – 3rd October: Landing of the Great Ones, the Upper and Lower Ones at Abydos; loud weeping and wailing by Isis and Nephthys, her sister, over Onnophris [Osiris] in Sais. The weeping and crying isheard in Abydos. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 18 – 4th October: It is the day of strife by the children of Geb … do not approach any road for making a journey on it. Prayer or divinatory time: at dawn and in the afternoon.
Day 19 – 5th October: Beware the children of the storm … Let a man eat bread in his house. Do not go outside on the road on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 20 – 6th October: The Going Forth of Bastet. Offer to the gods on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 21 – 7th October: The Feast of Shu, son of Re. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
Day 22 – 8th October: The raising of Ma’at in order to see Re, when she is summoned by the gods in the presence of Re. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
Day 23 – 9th October: [Damaged] Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 24 – 10th October: Isis goes forth, her heart being happy and Nephthys being also in jubilation when they see Onnophris [Osiris]. He had given his throne to his son, Horus, in front of Re. Prayer or divinatory time: dawn.
Day 25 – 11th October: If you see anything, it will be good on this day. Do not offer to the gods on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: do not observe – not a suitable day.
Day 26 – 12th October: Establishing the Djed … of Atum in the heaven and land of Heliopolis reconciliation of the Two Lords and causing the land to be in peace. The whole of Egypt is given to Horus, and all the desert land to Set. Going forth of Thoth in order to judge in the presence of Re. Do not offer to the gods. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
Day 27 – 13th October: Judging of Horus and Set; stopping the fighting. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 28 – 14th October: The gods are in jubilation and in joy … The land is in festivity and the gods are pleased. If you see anything, it will be good. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 29 – 15th October: The going forth of the three noble ladies in the presence of Ptah, beautiful of face, while giving praise to Re, him who belongs to the throne of truth of the temples of the goddesses. Giving the White Crown to Horus, and the Red Crown to Set. [Usually Horus represents Lower Egypt and Set Upper Egypt, so the ascription of the Crowns may seem puzzling. But as ‘all the desert land’ is assigned to Set, perhaps the association of the same word, now applies to the Red Crown, and explains the previous statement.] Do not dispute with your antagonist on this day. Prayer or divinatory time: throughout the day.
Day 30 – 16th October: If you see anything, it will be good on this day. Do not offer to the male gods. Do not offer to the goddesses on this day. House of Re, House of Osiris, House of Horus. Prayer or divinatory time: in the afternoon.
The Calendar of Ancient Egypt - the revised and expanded edition compiled by Melusine Draco, is published by Ignotus Press UK ISBN 978 1 78876 583 1. Order direct from the publisher to qualify for the special price.
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