Sefdaanian Ethnography Chapter 2 - Time

Pronunciation table

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	õ	o	u			ĭ	ĕ	ŭ
/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/	/ĕ/	/ʊ/

Written history - ȝa̋raþa festĕsa̋a̋r̈a

• 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.

Calendar - áhluxta̋ga

• The Sefdaanian calendar system was devised by Ȝumm̃a̋ku Ma̋nu, the mage 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 and 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)

• Sefdaanian history/mythology is divided into seven eons (ȝı̋ka) of 225,000,000 years each.
  • The First Eon was that of Yumu (ȝumȝı̋ka), the Self-existent (mi-ese̋ntu), the Ancient-One-Who-Is (sénese̋ntu) and, in reality, stretches back eternally. At the end of that eon, he created light.
  • The Second Eon was that of light (f̨oþȝı̋ka). At the end of the Second Eon, he created the cosmos.
  • The Third Eon was that of the cosmos (álmeiȝı̋ka). At the end of the Third Eon, he created the elements.
  • The Fourth Eon was that of the elements (þééxesȝı̋ka). At the end of the Fourth Eon, he created the sentient beings.
  • The Fifth Eon was that of the sentient beings (útantĕȝı̋ka). The Fifth Eon is divided into six eras of 26,000 years each. At the beginning of each era, he created one of the loquent beings.
  • The Sixth Eon was that of the loquent beings (sám̃antĕȝı̋ka). The Sixth Eon is divided into six eras of 26,000 years each. At the beginning of each era, he created one of the loquent beings.
    • The First Era was that of the Ethrans (gál̨onþ̨űda), the Children of Air, 200,000 BP.
    • The Second Era was that of the Pyrans (ááþ̨onþ̨űda), the Children of Fire, 174,000 BP.
    • The Third Era was that of the Hydorans (hur̨onþ̨űda), the Children of Water, 148,000 BP.
    • The Fourth Era was that of the Humans (tál̨onþ̨űda), the Children of Earth, 122,000 BP.
    • The Fifth Era was that of the Xylans (máát̨onþ̨űda), the Children of Wood, 96,000 BP.
    • The Sixth Era was that of the Lithans (táin̨onþ̨űda), the Children of Stone, 70,000 BP. It was during this Era that the Great Sundering (mezpűla) occurred, during which many fell out of harmony.
  • After the Great Sundering the Seventh Eon began, the Final Eon (muƣƣȝı̋ka), the one in which we live today. This Seventh Eon extends as far into the future as the First Eon extends back into the past.

The Solar Cycle – suulmőda

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

The Seasons - ȝe̋e̋ra

• The solar year is divided into six seasons (ȝe̋e̋ra), each consisting of two periods of approximately 45 days. These ȝe̋e̋ras begin every 30° on the ecliptic (suulf̨őőlo).
• The underlined names are those used when only four seasons are recognized.
  • he̋ma (winter) 11/23-1/20 – cold to freezing; heavy snow, sometimes sleet or rain; heavy cloud cover most of the time.
  • kı̋ða (spring) 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 (early-summer) 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 (summer) 5/22-7/22 – hot and dry; rains infrequently with little cloud cover; grass turns brown.
  • kűűra (autumn) 7/23-9/23 – cooler; clouds in morning and evening often with light rain; leaves begin to change color; crops ready to harvest.
  • ı̋fa (early-winter) 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	12/22	0°	42 days↓
spring festival	kiðsa̋rno	2/2	45°	46 days↓
vernal equinox	kiðpa̋ra	3/21	90°	44 days↓
early-summer festival	kes̈a̋rno	5/5	135°	46 days↓
summer solstice	leeþsűka	6/21	180°	47 days↓
autumn festival	kuursa̋rno	8/6	225°	48 days↓
early-winter equinox	ifpa̋ra	9/23	270°	44 days↓
early-winter festival	ifsa̋rno	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

• The agrarian Peoples (zõ̋ðm̃us), 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	snowstorm month	12/22-1/20
piiþf̨a̋ga	sap-tapping month	1/21-2/19	kiða
ṡerf̨a̋ga	antler-growing month	2/20-3/21
tivf̨a̋ga	grass-sprouting month	3/22-4/20	ke̋sa
nanf̨a̋ga	flower-blooming month	4/21-5/20
tiiþf̨a̋ga	heating month	5/21-6/19	le̋e̋ta
gaþf̨a̋ga	berry-picking month	6/20-7/19
b̬aaþf̨a̋ga	velvet-shedding month	7/20-8/18	kűűra
aaxf̨a̋ga	colored-leaf month	8/19-9/17
ṡaðf̨a̋ga	rutting month	9/18-10/17	ı̋fa
gusf̨a̋ga	leaf-falling month	10/18-11/16
luuf̨̈a̋ga	snow-falling month	11/17-12/16	he̋ma
	m̃óóƣpena̋ha	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
ȝőinf̨a̋ga	juniper	12/22-1/20
oim̃f̨a̋ga	wild service tree	1/21-2/19	kiða
s̨ulf̨a̋ga	Swiss pine	2/20-3/21
tı̋lf̨a̋ga	linden	3/22-4/20	ke̋sa
uƣf̨a̋ga	silver birch	4/21-5/20
kõnf̨a̋ga	cornelian cherry	5/21-6/19	le̋e̋ta
xivf̨a̋ga	ash	6/20-7/19
aizf̨a̋ga	sessile oak	7/20-8/18	kűűra
vaazf̨a̋ga	beech	8/19-9/17
leezf̨a̋ga	Turkish hazelnut	9/18-10/17	ı̋ı̋fa
iim̃f̨a̋ga	yew	10/18-11/16
toof̨̈a̋ga	elm	11/17-12/16	he̋ma
	m̃óóƣpena̋ha	12/17-12/21

System of Dating – ahluka̋m pa̋a̋so

• 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 d̬őfoos pe̋n.
• The years are numbered according to their order in the era or eon. The current era is called the present era and dates from the winter solstice of 42,000 B.C. Thus the present year dated from 22 December 2016 is N.T. (N.Þ.) 44,016. N.T. (N.Þ.) stands for nı̋ka þ̨uda̋s, of the present era.

The Zodiac – þasmőda

• 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 (a̋a̋a̋ra) 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°	tur kı̋te	Capra caucasica	12/22
30°	cave bear ȝőlże	†Ursus spelaeus	1/20
60°	imperial eagle őre	Aquila heliaca	2/19
90°	horse mőre	†Equus ferus przewalskii	3/21
120°	hare ṡe̋ṡe	Lepus europaeus	4/20
150°	turtle kűe	Emys orbicularis	5/21
180°	aurochs ta̋ure	†Bos primigenius	6/21
210°	lion bı̋ı̋re	†Panthera leo spelaea	7/23
240°	dragon m̨űde	†Draco volans	8/24
270°	boar epe̋re	Sus scrofa	9/23
300°	squirrel om̃e̋re	Sciurus vulgaris	10/23
330°	salmon la̋ṡe	Salmo labrax	11/22

The Sexagenary Cycle – saaðfóósdila̋s mőda

• By combining the twelve zodiac signs (þásmoðne̋uo) with the names of the five 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 Week - saada̋ha

• After the creation of all six of the Loquent Peoples, the days of the week (which were formerly 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 ilmĕȝı̋ta, Ilmus’ eve. The week is then sefa̋ha.

ilma̋ha	Ilmus' day	Ethrans	Sunday
púúsana̋ha	Puusenus' day	Pyrans	Monday
neera̋ha	Neerus' day	Hydorans	Tuesday
tárona̋ha	Taronus' day	Humans	Wednesday
pérkuna̋ha	Perkunus' day	Xylans	Thursday
kábeira̋ha	Kabeirus' day	Lithans	Friday
ilmĕȝı̋ta	Ilmus’ eve		Saturday

The Day - a̋ha

• 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). In modern times this is considered to be 6:00 a.m. Each of the hours is named for a bird or flying insect, as follows:

1st hour (6:00 a.m.)	hoopoe	Upupa epops	ópofte̋na
2nd hour	quail	C. coturnix	réékinte̋na
3rd hour	grebe	Podiceps cristatus	kuite̋na
4th hour	stork		guzte̋na
5th hour	swan	†Cygnus falconeri	kuuƣte̋na
6th hour	honey bee	Apis mellifera	viite̋na
7th hour (noon)	eagle	Aquila heliaca	orte̋na
8th hour	swift	A. apus	ƣelte̋na
9th hour	loon	Gavia immer	axte̋na
10th hour	heron	Ardea cinerea	rooðte̋na
11th hour	goose	Anser fabalis	gaarte̋na
12th hour	butterfly	Papilio machaon	páápilte̋na
13th hour (6:00 p.m.)	woodpecker	Picus viridis	piixte̋na
14th hour	snipe	G. gallinago	tiste̋na
15th hour	gull	Larus canus	mem̃te̋na
16th hour	osprey	Pandion haliaëtus	gaste̋na
17th hour	grasshopper	Chorthippus brunneus	fefte̋na
18th hour	nightingale	Luscinia megarhynchos	ám̃eeðte̋na
19th hour (midnight)	owl	B. bubo	simte̋na
20th hour	gyrfalcon	Falco rusticolus	árgifte̋na
21st hour	jay	Garrulus glandarius	ṡeihte̋na
22nd hour	dove	Columba l. livia	álunte̋na
23rd hour	mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	naþte̋na
24th hour	kingfisher	Alcedo atthis	ceérolte̋na

• The daylight hours are comprised of eight unequal sections:

1	daybreak	ahtőda
2	dawn	va̋iƣa	daybreak to sunrise
3	sunrise	ne̋e̋da
4	morning	a̋a̋ȝa	sunrise to noon
5	noon	lőuna
6	afternoon	sı̋xa	noon to sunset
7	sunset	dűűa
8	evening	ȝı̋ta	sunset to nightfall
	nightfall	laaþtőda
	midnight	meðla̋a̋ta

• Telling time is always done by addition, never by subtraction; thus, 2:45, not 15 minutes (a quarter) to 3. The hour (te̋na) is told by the ordinal number. Thus 2:00 is d̬őta te̋na, the second hour. The minutes (te̋nka) are told by the cardinal numbers. Thus 2:45 is d̬őta te̋na na̋a̋lfoos 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 te̋na na̋a̋lfoos 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 – zeermőda

• The lunar cycle contains twelve or thirteen months (e̋ida). The first month begins at midnight of the day on which the first crescent of the first full moon after hemsűka is sighted. The other months begin at midnight on the day of the successive new moons. These months are merely numbered.
• The lunar months are divided into halves. The waxing moon (m̃ooge̋ida) extends from the date of the new moon to the date of the full moon. The waning moon (pine̋ida) extends from the date of the full moon to the date of the new moon.

Calendar summary - ahlúxtaga̋s ı̋sra

• 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	tur kı̋te Capricorn	air ga̋a̋lo	rose ṁõ̋di Rosa rubiginosa	0°/270°		hemsűka winter solstice
1/21	piiþf̨a̋ga	bear ve̋re Aquarius	fire a̋a̋þe	poppy ma̋a̋ki Papaver rhoeas	30°/300°	kı̋ða late winter
2/2					45°/315°		kiðsa̋rno late winter festival
2/20	ṡerf̨a̋ga	eagle őre Pisces	water huro	primrose pűi Primula vulgaris	60°/330°
3/22	tivf̨a̋ga	horse mőre Aries	earth ta̋le	lavender ha̋di Lavandula angustifolia	90°/0°	ke̋sa spring	kespa̋ra vernal equinox
4/21	nanf̨a̋ga	hare ṡe̋ṡe Taurus	wood ma̋a̋to	hollyhock eba̋ki Alcea rosea	120°/30°
5/5					135°/45°		kes̈a̋rno spring festival
5/22	tiiþf̨a̋ga	turtle he̋le Gemini	stone ta̋ino	clematis labűżi Clematis vitalba	150°/60°	le̋e̋ta summer
6/21	gaþf̨a̋ga	aurochs ta̋ure Cancer	air	red clover dőbi Trifolium pratense	180°/90°		leeþsűka summer solstice
7/20	b̬aaþf̨a̋ga	lion bı̋ı̋re Leo	fire	white water lily la̋a̋ki Nymphaea alba	210°/120°	kuűra late summer
8/6					225°/135°		kuursa̋rno late summer festival
8/19	aakf̨a̋ga		water	columbine ṡõ̋ri Aquilegia vulgaris
8/23		pa̋a̋me dragon Virgo			240°/150°
9/18	ṡaðf̨a̋ga		earth	lady slipper aṡe̋nti Cypripedium calceolus
9/23		boar epe̋re Libra			270°/180°	ı̋fa autumn	ifpa̋ra autumn equinox
10/18	gűsf̨a̋ga		wood	sweet violet s̨űmi Viola odorata
10/23		squirrel epe̋re Scorpius			300°/210°
11/5					315°/225°		ifsa̋rno autumn festival
11/17	luuf̨̈a̋ga			crocus sı̋zi Crocus cartwrightianus
11/22		salmon la̋ṡe Sagittarius			330°/240°	he̋ma winter
12/17						m̃óóƣpena̋ha intercalary