Sefdaanian Ethnography Chapter 2 - Time

Pronunciation table

peműko (labial)								riisűko (dental)								muitűko (alveolar)								vainűko (palatal)							ṡ̨uuše̋nos (vowels with प)								nı̋þo ṡ̨uuše̋nos (weak vowels)
p	b	f	v	m̃	m			t	d	þ	ð	ɫ	l			ṡ	ż	s	z	r	n			k	g	x	ƣ	h	ȝ			š	s̨			i	e	a	ɔ	o	u			ı	ɛ	y
प	ब	फ	भ	म़	म			त	द	थ	ध	ल़	ल			च	ज	स	स़	र	न			क	ग	क़	ग़	ह	य			स्व	स्य			इ ई पि पी	ए एै ए पै	अ आ प पा	ऒ ॵ पॊ पॏ	ओ औ पो पौ	उ ऊ पु पू			पं	पऺ	पॅ
/p/	/b/	/ɸ/	/β/	/m̥/	/m/			/t/	/d/	/θ/	/ð/	/l̥/	/l/			/ʦ/	/ʣ/	/s/	/z/	/ɾ̥/	/n/			/k/	/g/	/ç/	/ʝ/	/j̊/	/j/			/sʷ/	/sʲ/			/i/	/e/	/ä/	/ɒ/	/o/	/u/			/ɪ/	/ɛ/	/ʊ/

Written history - ȝa̋raþa postɛsa̋a̋r̈a य॓रथ पोस्तऺसआ॓र

• The Loquent Peoples have no written accounts of historical facts. There is, however, a detailed mythology of their creation which is related in Chapter 8 – Faith.

Calendar - áhluxta̋ga अ॑ह्लुक़्त॓ग

• The Sefdaanian calendar system was devised by Ȝumm̃a̋ku Ma̋nu, the archimage of astronomy. Both the solar cycle and the lunar cycle are used in the ancient original calendar, without an attempt to reconcile the two. The solar cycle is used to number the months, to mark the solar festivals and to establish dates, whereas the lunar cycle is used exclusively for marking the semimonthly lunar celebrations.

The Eons and the Eras - ȝı̋kask̬e þ̨űdask̬e यि॓कस्क्वे थ्यु॓दस्क्वे

• Sefdaanian history/mythology is divided into three eons (ȝı̋ka यि॓क) and fourteen eras (þ̨űda थ्यु॓द). An era is 25,920 years long.
• The First Eon was that of Yumu (ȝumȝı̋ka युम्यि॓क), the Self-existent (mi-bűȝantu मि-बु॓यन्तु), the Ancient-One-Who-Is (sene̋santu सेने॓यन्तु) and, in reality, extends back eternally.
• The end of this eon is marked by the creation of air, the first element. This is reckoned to have taken place in the year 358,560 B.C.E.
  • This is the Era of Air (gaalþ̨űda गआथ्यु॓द). The creation of air marks the beginning of the Second Eon, that of the Elements (þééxesȝı̋ka धैक़ेस्यि॓क).
  • The Era of Fire (aaþ̨̈űda आथ्थ्यु॓द) begins with the creation of the second element, fire, in the year 332,640.
  • The Era of Water (hurþ̨űda हुर्थ्यु॓द) begins with the creation of the third element, water, in the year 306,720.
  • The Era of Earth (talþ̨űda) begins with the creation of the fourth element, earth, in the year 280,800.
  • The Era of Wood (maaþ̨̈űda मआथ्थ्यु॓द) begins with the creation of the fifth element, wood, in the year 254,880.
  • The Era of Stone (taainþ̨űda तआइन्थ्यु॓द) begins with the creation of the sixth element, stone, in the year 228,960.
• The Eon of Life (ǧiiȝı̋ka ग्वीयि॓क) begins with the creation of the plants.
  • The Era of Plants (muulþ̨űda मूल्थ्यु॓द) begins with the creation of plants in the year 203,040.
  • The Era of Animals (tasþ̨űda तस्थ्यु॓द) begins with the creation of the animals in the year 177,120.
  • The Era of the Ethrans (gáál̨onþ̨űda गआ॔ल्योन्थ्यु॓द), the Children of Air, begins with the creation of the Ethrans in the year 151,200.
  • The Era of the Pyrans (ááþ̨onþ̨űda आ॓थ्योन्थ्यु॓द ), the Children of Fire, begins with the creation of the Pyrans in the year 125,280.
  • The Era of the Hydorans (húr̨onþ̨űda हु॔र्योन्थयु॓द), the Children of Water, begins with the creation of the Hydorans in the year 99,360.
    • It was half way through this Era, in the year 86,400, that the Great Sundering (me̋ża pűlra मे॓ज पु॓ल्र) occurred, when many fell out of harmony.
  • The Era of the Humans (tál̨onþ̨űda त॓ल्योन्थ्यु॓द), the Children of Earth, begins with the creation of the Humans in the year 73,440.
  • The Era of the Xylans (máát̨onþ̨̈űda मआ॓त्योन्थ्यु॓द), the Children of Wood, begins with the creation of the Xylans in the year 47,520.
  • The Era of the Lithans (tááin̨onþ̨űda तआ॓इन्योन्थ्यु॓द), the Children of Stone, begins with the creation of the Lithans in the year 21,600.
• In the year 11,500, the Ethrans revised the calendar and, regressing, started the era on the winter solstice of 21,600 in the Domain of the Tur. This became the first year of the renamed Present Era (nı̋ka þ̨űda) which extends into the future as far as the First Eon extends back into the past.

The Solar Cycle – suulmőda सूल्मो॓द

• The solar year begins at the winter solstice (hemsűka हेम्सुक) and must begin on ilma̋ha.
• Each of the twelve solar months (f̨a̋ga फ्य॓ग) consists of five six-day weeks (saaða̋ha सआध॓ह). As this gives a total of only 360 days, an intercalary week (m̃óóƣpena̋ha मौ॔ग़्पेन॓ह) of five days is added after the twelfth month. In a leap year (iþdı̋la इथ्दि॓ल) this intercalary week has six days (m̃óóƣsaaða̋ha मौ॔ग़्सआध॓ह).

The Seasons - ȝe̋e̋ra यै॓र

• The solar year is divided into six seasons, each consisting of two periods of approximately 45 days. These ȝe̋e̋ras begin every 30° on the ecliptic (suulf̨őőlo सूल्फौ॓लो).
• The underlined names are those used when only four seasons are recognized.
  • he̋ma हे॓म (winter) 11/23-1/20 – cold to freezing; heavy snow, sometimes sleet or rain; heavy cloud cover most of the time.
  • kı̋ða कि॓ध (late-winter) 1/21-3/20 – rising temperature with melting of ice and snow; frequent and heavy rain with heavy cloud cover; plants begin to flower, trees to leaf.
  • ke̋sa के॓स (spring) 3/21-5/21 – temperature continues to rise; ground begins to dry out; plants are in full bloom and leaf; increased sun and wind; warm days and cool nights.
  • le̋e̋ta लै॓त (summer) 5/22-7/22 – hot and dry; rains infrequently with little cloud cover; grass turns brown.
  • kűűra कू॓र (late-summer) 7/23-9/23 – cooler; clouds in morning and evening often with light rain; leaves begin to change color; crops ready to harvest.
  • ı̋pa इ॓प (autumn) 9/24-11/22 – temperature continues to fall; leaves begin to fall; increasing rainfall; crisp nights with frost in the morning.
• Eight celebrations are held in conjunction with the solar year:

↓ = number of days until the next celebration.

winter solstice	hemsűka हेम्सु॓क	12/22	0°	42 days↓
late winter festival	kiðsa̋rno किध्स॓र्नो	2/2	45°	46 days↓
vernal equinox	kespa̋ra केस्प॓र	3/21	90°	44 days↓
spring festival	kes̈a̋ro केस्स॓रो	5/5	135°	46 days↓
summer solstice	leeþsűka लैथ्सु॓क	6/21	180°	47 days↓
late summer festival	kuursa̋rno कूर्स॓र्नो	8/6	225°	48 days↓
late summer equinox	kuurpa̋ra कूर्प॓र	9/23	270°	44 days↓
autumn festival	ifsa̋rno इफ्स॓र्नो	11/5	315°	45 days↓

• The dates of these cross-quarter days do not coincide with those of the contemporary festivals.

The Solar Months - f̨a̋ga फ्येग

• The agrarian Peoples (zɔ̋ðm̃us स़ॊ॓ध्म़ुस्), the three Peoples who grow crops and herd livestock, i.e., the Pyrans, Humans and Lithans, have a twelve-month calendar, the names of which months are taken from the natural world.

The twelve months of the year

Name of month	Translation	Dates	Season
sigf̨a̋ga सिग्फ्य॓ग	snowstorm month	12/22-1/20
piiþf̨a̋ga पीथ्फ्य॓ग	sap-tapping month	1/21-2/19	kiða
aivf̨a̋ga अइभ्फ्य॓ग	grass-sprouting month	2/20-3/21
ṡaarf̨a̋ga चआर्फ्य॓ग	antler-growing month	3/22-4/20	ke̋sa
nanf̨a̋ga नन्फ्य॓ग	flower-blooming month	4/21-5/20
tiiþf̨a̋ga तीथफ्य॓ग	heating month	5/21-6/19	le̋e̋ta
gaþf̨a̋ga गथ्फ्य॓ग	berry-picking month	6/20-7/19
b̬aaþf̨a̋ga ब्वआथ्फ्य॓ग	velvet-shedding month	7/20-8/18	kűűra
aaxf̨a̋ga आक़्फ्य॓ग	colored-leaf month	8/19-9/17
gusf̨a̋ga गुस्फ्य॓ग	leaf-falling month	9/18-10/17	ı̋fa
ṡaðf̨a̋ga चध्फ्य॓ग	rutting month	10/18-11/16
luunf̨a̋ga लून्फ्य॓ग	snow-falling month	11/17-12/16	he̋ma
m̃óóƣpena̋ha म़ौ॔ग़्पेन॓ह	intercalary week	12/17-12/21

• The Xylans also have a twelve-month calendar, the months of which are named after trees.

Name of month	Translation	Dates	Season
ȝoinf̨a̋ga योइन्फ्य॓ग	juniper	12/22-1/20
oim̃f̨a̋ga ओइम्फ्य॔ग	wild service tree	1/21-2/19	kiða
s̨ulf̨a̋ga स्युल्फ्य॓ग	Swiss pine	2/20-3/21
tilf̨a̋ga तिल्फौयृग	linden	3/22-4/20	ke̋sa
uƣf̨a̋ga उग़्फ्य॓ग	silver birch	4/21-5/20
kɔnf̨a̋ga कॊन्फ्य॓ग	cornelian cherry	5/21-6/19	le̋e̋ta
xivf̨a̋ga क़िभ्फ्य॓ग	ash	6/20-7/19
aizf̨a̋ga अइस़्फौय॓ग	sessile oak	7/20-8/18	kűűra
vaazf̨a̋ga भआस़्फ्य॓ग	beech	8/19-9/17
leezf̨a̋ga लैस़्फौयृग	hazelnut	9/18-10/17	ı̋ı̋fa
iim̃f̨a̋ga ईम़्फ्य॓ग	yew	10/18-11/16
toof̨̈a̋ga तौफ्फ्य॓ग	elm	11/17-12/16	he̋ma
m̃óóƣpena̋ha मौ॓ग़्मेन॓ह	12/17-12/21

System of Dating – ahluka̋m ta̋ga अह्लुक॓म् त॓ग

• The days of the months are numbered using the cardinal number with the name of the month in the genitive case. Thus, aaxf̨a̋ga 25th would be aaxf̨aga̋s d̬ófoos pe̋n.
• The years are numbered according to their order in the era. The current era, the Present Era, dates from the winter solstice of 21,600 B.C.E. Thus the year 2024-25, dated from 22 December 2024, is N.T. (N.Þ.) 23,625. N.T. (N.Þ.) stands for nı̋ka þ̨uda̋s नि॓क थ्यद॓स, of the present era.

The Zodiac – þasmőda थस्मो॓द

• The zodiac is the annual cycle of the sun around the ecliptic. The Ethrans saw in the star arrangements fanciful pictures of the animals that were native to Sefdaania, arranged in a more or less equal distribution around the ecliptic. They divided the ecliptic into twelve domains (zila̋a̋ra स़िलआ॓र) of 30° each.
• By the Sefdaanian reckoning, the starting point of the ecliptic is at the winter solstice which is marked 0°, although the vernal equinox is at 0° by contemporary reckoning.

degree	domain	binomial	date
0°	unicorn pı̋ṡe पि॓चे	†Alcephalus monoceros	12/22
30°	aurochs ta̋ure त॓उरष	Bos primigenius	1/21
60°	hare ṡe̋ṡe चे॓चे	Lepus timidus	2/19
90°	dragon m̨űde म्यु॓दे	†Draco volans	3/21
120°	lion bı̋ı̋re बी॓रे	†Panthera spelaea	4/20
150°	horse mőre मो॓रे	Equus ferus przewalskii	5/21
180°	tur kı̋te कि॓ते	Capra caucasica	6/21
210°	eagle műire मु॓इरे	Aquila chrysaëtos	7/23
240°	boar epe̋re एपे॓रे	Sus scrofa	8/24
270°	serpent ne̋e̋þre नै॓थरे	Vipera berus	9/23
300°	otter dage̋re दगे॓रे	L. lutra	10/23
330°	salmon la̋ṡe ल॓चे	Salmo labrax	11/23

The Week - saada̋ha सआद॓ह

• After the creation of all six of the Loquent Peoples, the days of the week (which formerly were simply numbered) were given the names of the six avatars of Ȝűmu worshipped by each people, in the order of the creation of each people.
• When a seventh day is needed for the contemporary calendar, it is named ilmɛȝı̋ta इल्मऺयित, Ilmus' eve. The week is then sefa̋ha सेफ॓ह.

ilma̋ha इल्म॓ह	Ilmus' day	Ethrans	Sunday
púúsena̋ha पू॔सेन॓ह	Puusenus' day	Pyrans	Monday
neera̋ha नैर॓ह	Neerus' day	Hydorans	Tuesday
tárona̋ha त॔रोन॓ह	Taronus' day	Humans	Wednesday
pérkuna̋ha पे॔र्कुन॓ह	Perkunus' day	Xylans	Thursday
kábeira̋ha क॔बेउर॓ह	Kabeirus' day	Lithans	Friday
ilmɛȝı̋ta इल्मऺयित	Ilmus’ eve		Saturday

The Day - a̋ha अ॓ह

• All time and calendar references are based on a duodecimal system. The day is divided into 24 sections known as te̋nas. The day begins at sunrise (ne̋e̋da नै॓द). In modern times this is considered to be 6:00 a.m. Each of the hours is named for a flying animal, as follows:

1st hour (6:00 a.m.)	eagle	Aquila heliaca	muirte̋na
2nd hour	quail	C. coturnix	réékinte̋na
3rd hour	common crane	G. grus	gérante̋na
4th hour	whooper swan	C. cygnus	elm̃ıte̋na
5th hour	chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs	fingɛte̋na
6th hour	honey bee	Apis mellifera	viite̋na
7th hour (noon)	gyrfalcon	Falco rusticolus	árgifte̋na
8th hour	grey partridge	P. perdix lucida	m̃órtoxte̋na
9th hour	stork	C. ciconia	guzte̋na
10th hour	goose	Anser fabalis	gaarte̋na
11th hour	jay	Garrulus glandarius	ṡeihte̋na
12th hour	butterfly	Papilio machaon	páápilte̋na
13th hour (6:00 p.m.)	osprey	Pandion haliaëtus	gaste̋na
14th hour	grouse	Lyrurus tetrix	gerkɛte̋na
15th hour	heron	Ardea cinerea	rooðte̋na
16th hour	shelduck	T. tadorna	ƣandɛte̋na
17th hour	nightingale	Luscinia megarhynchos	ám̃eeðte̋na
18th hour	grasshopper	Chorthippus brunneus	fefte̋na
19th hour (midnight)	owl	B. bubo	simte̋na
20th hour	hoopoe	Upupa epops	ópofte̋na
21st hour	kingfisher	Alcedo atthis	ṡéérolte̋na
22nd hour	mallard	Columba l. livia	álunte̋na
23rd hour	barn swallow	Hirundo r. rustica	ƣelte̋na
24th hour	dragonfly	Aeshna juncea	sarṡɛte̋na

• The day is comprised of six divisions:

1	dawn	za̋ȝa स़॓य	first light to appearance of sun
2	morning	a̋a̋ȝa आ॓य	full sunrise to noon
3	noon	lőuna ल॓उन
4	afternoon	sı̋xa सि॓क	noon to sun touching horizon
5	dusk	ðe̋uska धे॓उस्क	disappearance of sun to darkness
6	night	la̋a̋ta लआ॓त

• Telling time is always done by addition, never by subtraction; thus, 2:45, not 15 minutes (a quarter) to 3. The hour (őrda) is told by the ordinal number. Thus 2:00 is d̬őta őrda, the second hour. The minutes (te̋nka) are told by the cardinal numbers. Thus 2:45 is d̬őta őrda náálfoos pe̋n, the second hour forty-five. If there are seconds (sa̋mpa), they are added to the minutes using the co-ordinating conjunction. Thus, 2:45:16 is d̬őta őrda náálfoos pe̋nk̬e főősaaðk̬e.
• Keeping time is the task of one of the adepts in each citadel. He is known as the tenpőőþlu, the time guardian. He is also known as the ȝa̋a̋xlu, the chandler. It is solely his task to make candles from the bees' wax, both for lighting and for keeping time.

The Lunar Cycle – eiðmőda एइध्मे॓द

• The lunar cycle contains twelve months (e̋ida). The first month begins at dawn of the day after the first sighting of the waxing crescent after hemsűka, 12/22. The other months begin at the successive first sightings. These months are named after the zodiac sign:
  • pise̋ida - Unicorn Moon
  • tunte̋ida - Reindeer Moon
  • kúrule̋ida - Ostrich Moon
  • more̋ida - Horse Moon
  • óm̃ere̋ida - Squirrel Moon
  • kite̋ida - Tur Moon
  • muire̋ida - Eagle Moon
  • la̋ṡe̋ida - Salmon Moon
  • dágere̋ida - Otter Moon
  • m̨ude̋ida - Dragon Moon
  • m̃ísonte̋ida - Wisent Moon
  • k̨afe̋ida - Tortoise Moon
• The lunar months are divided into halves. The first half (f̨őþanto zı̋no) extends from the waxing crescent to the waning crescent. The second half (re̋e̋manto zı̋no) extends from the waning crescent to the waxing crescent.

The Sexagenary Cycle – saaðfóósdila̋s mőda सआध्फौ॔स्दिल॓स् मो॓द

• By combining the twelve zodiac signs (þásmoðne̋uo) with the names of five of the precious jewels (a̋ro n̨e̋mo): ruby (x̨űűro), orange topaz (pűűṡo), emerald (mı̋lo), sapphire (d̬ı̋no), and amethyst (ɫı̋fo), a sexagenary cycle was created which is also used extensively in dating events, so that events are recorded as taking place in the year of the amethyst lion, the sapphire dragon, etc.
• The Gregorian year 2016-17 is the year of the Ruby Unicorn (x̨uurpı̋ṡa).
• The Gregorian year 2017-18 is the year of the Topaz Reindeer (puustűnta).
• The Gregorian year 2018-19 is the year of the Emerald Ostrich (mílkurűla ).
• The Gregorian year 2019-20 is the year of the Sapphire Horse (d̬inmőra ).
• The Gregorian year 2020-21 is the year of the Amethyst Squirrel (ɫífom̃e̋ra).
• The Gregorian year 2021-22 is the year of the Ruby Tur (x̨uurkı̋ta).
• The Gregorian year 2022-23 is the year of the Topaz Eagle (puusműira).
• The Gregorian year 2023-24 is the year of the Emerald Salmon (mil̤a̋ṡa).
• The Gregorian year 2024-25 is the year of the Sapphire Otter (d̬índage̋ra).
• The Gregorian year 2025-26 is the year of the Amethyst Dragon (ɫifm̨űda ).
• The Gregorian year 2026-27 is the year of the Ruby Wisent (x̨úúrm̃isőnta).
• The Gregorian year 2027-28 is the year of the Topaz Tortoise (puusk̨a̋fa).
• The Gregorian year 2028-29 is the year of the Emerald Unicorn (x̨uurpı̋ṡa).
• etc.

Calendar summary - ahlúxtaga̋s ı̋sra अह्लु॔क़्तग॓स् इ॓स्र

• s° = Sefdaanian degree; c° = contemporary degree.

ahlűka date	f̨a̋ga month	þasmődo zodiac	þeexe̋so element	na̋no flower	moðme̋a degree s°/c°	ȝe̋ra season	sa̋rno festival
12/22	sigf̨a̋ga ȝőinf̨a̋ga	tur kı̋te Capricorn	air ga̋a̋lo	hollyhock eba̋ki Alcea rosea	0°/270°		hemsűka winter solstice
1/21	piiþf̨a̋ga oim̃f̨a̋ga	bear ve̋re Aquarius	air ga̋a̋lo	crocus sı̋zi Crocus cartwrightianus	30°/300°	kı̋ða late winter
2/2					45°/315°		kiðsa̋rno late winter festival
2/20	ṡerf̨a̋ga s̨ulf̨a̋ga	eagle műire Pisces	fire a̋a̋þe	primrose pűi Primula vulgaris	60°/330°
3/22	tivf̨a̋ga tı̋lf̨a̋ga	horse mőre Aries	fire a̋a̋þe	sloe ṡőőfi Prunus spinosa	90°/0°	ke̋sa spring	kespa̋ra vernal equinox
4/21	nanf̨a̋ga uƣf̨a̋ga	hare ṡe̋ṡe Taurus	water hűro	columbine ṡǫ̋ri Aquilegia vulgaris	120°/30°
5/5					135°/45°		kes̈a̋rno spring festival
5/22	tiiþf̨a̋ga	turtle he̋le Gemini	water hűro	white water lily la̋a̋ki Nymphaea alba	150°/60°	le̋e̋ta summer
6/21	gaþf̨a̋ga	aurochs ta̋ure Cancer	earth ta̋le	rose m̃ǫ̋di Rosa rubiginosa	180°/90°		leeþsűka summer solstice
7/20	b̬aaþf̨a̋ga	lion bı̋ı̋re Leo	earth ta̋le	poppy ma̋a̋ki Papaver rhoeas	210°/120°	kuűra late summer
8/6					225°/135°		kuursa̋rno late summer festival
8/19	aaxf̨a̋ga		wood ma̋a̋to	anemone m̃eezı̋di Anemone nemorosa
8/23		m̨űde dragon Virgo			240°/150°
9/18	ṡaðf̨a̋ga		wood ma̋a̋to
9/23		boar epe̋re Libra		lady slipper aṡe̋nti Cypripedium calceolus	270°/180°	ı̋fa autumn	ifpa̋ra autumn equinox
10/18	gűsf̨a̋ga		stone ta̋a̋ino	sweet violet s̨űmi Viola odorata
10/23		squirrel om̃e̋re Scorpius			300°/210°
11/5					315°/225°		ifsa̋rno autumn festival
11/17	luuf̨̈a̋ga		stone ta̋a̋ino	apple abe̋li Malus sylvestris
11/22		salmon la̋ṡe Sagittarius			330°/240°	he̋ma winter
12/17						m̃óóƣpena̋ha intercalary

Sefdaanian Ethnography Chapter 3 - Race and Ethnicity