Ancient Egyptian Festival Calendar: Akhet
| Akhet | Peret | Shemu |
Akhet
The first season of the ancient Egyptian calendar was Akhet (appearance). This was the season in which the inundation occurred, and so it was dedicated to Hapi. it was hoped that he would ensure that the flood was not too low (resulting in a poor harvest) or too high (resulting in the destruction of mud-brick houses and paths built near to the Nile).
The inundation was also associated with the star Sirius because the star re-appeared (after a seventy day absence) at the new year heralding the flood. The star was associated with Sopdet (Sothis), Satet (Satis) and Isis .
The inundation was a quiet time for farmers as the fields were largely submerged. To earn tax relief (tax was a proportion of the food they produced) they could take on other jobs for the state. For example, during the Old Kingdom farmers could help with the construction of monuments such as the pyramids in return for living expenses and a tax rebate.
1; Tekh (Thoth, Thuti, Thout, Djwhty)
| Day | Festival |
|---|---|
| 1 | wp rnpt- New Year (lit. opening of the year) |
| 2 | HAt rnpt- "front of the year" |
| 3 | ihhy -"jubilation" |
| 10 | procession of Isis (Late Period) |
| 15 | Hapi and Amun |
| 17-18 | Wagy or Wag |
| 19 | Wag and Thoth. festival |
| 20 | Tekh (drunkenness) |
| 22 | Great Procession of Osiris. |
| 30 | Osiris and Ennead |
2; Menhet (Phaophi, Baba)
| Day | Festival |
|---|---|
| 4 | hnp Sa - pouring the sand' |
| 5 | mnht ha-hpr-ra - "cloth of Khakheperra (Senusret II)'" and festival of Osiris and Ennead |
| 15 or19 | Ipet (Opet)festival (11 to 27 day festival of Amun |
| 18 | festival of Khnum and Anuket in Elephantine |
| 27 | 2 day festival of Montu in Thebes |
| 28 | festival of Satet and Anuket in Elephantine |
3; Hwt-Hru (hathor, Athyr)
| Day | Festival |
|---|---|
| 6 | ht hAwy m Ssp itrw "evening offering in taking the river" feast of Isis(Late Period) |
| 7 | Ssp itrw 'taking the river' |
| 8 | Abd 'month' |
| 9 | festival of Amun |
| 15 | Fertility festival of Min |
| 17 | the lamentations of Isis and Nephthys (New Kingdom) |
| 21 | Feast day of Ma ´at |
| 30 | festival of Anuket in Elephantine |
4; Ka-Hr-Ka (Nehebkau, Khoiak)
| Day | Festival |
|---|---|
| 1 | hnt Hwt-Hr - sailing of Hathor. |
| 11 | Hb skr -Sokar |
| 18 | start of the Khoiak festival (Osiris) |
| 22 | Khoiak; Ploughing the Earth |
| 26 | Khoiak; Sokar |
| 30 | Khoiak; raising the Djed pillar |
| Ancient Egyptian Calendar | Peret | Shemu |
copyright J Hill 2010
