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Martin P. Nilsson. Primitive Time-reckoning
Primitive Time-reckoning
Table of Contents
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I. THE DAY
CHAPTER II. THE SEASONS
CHAPTER III. THE YEAR
CHAPTER IV. THE STARS
CHAPTER V. THE MONTH
CHAPTER VI. THE MONTHS
CHAPTER VII. CONCLUSIONS
CHAPTER VIII. OLD SEMITIC MONTHS
1. BABYLONIA
2. THE ISRAELITES
3. THE PRE-MOHAMMEDAN ARABIANS
CHAPTER IX. CALENDAR REGULATION. 1. THE INTERCALATION
CHAPTER X. CALENDAR REGULATION. 2. BEGINNING OF THE YEAR
APPENDIX: THE EGYPTIAN YEAR
CHAPTER XI. POPULAR MONTHS OF THE EUROPEAN PEOPLES
CHAPTER XII. SOLSTICES AND EQUINOXES. AIDS TO THE DETERMINATION OF TIME
CHAPTER XIII. ARTIFICIAL PERIODS OF TIME. FEASTS
CHAPTER XIV. THE CALENDAR-MAKERS
CHAPTER XV. CONCLUSION
1. SUMMARY OF RESULTS
2. THE GREEK TIME-RECKONING[1191]
ADDENDUM TO P. 78 NOTE 2 (P. 80)
LIST OF AUTHORITIES QUOTED
INDEX
Footnote
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Martin P. Nilsson
A study in the origins and first development of the art of counting time among the primitive and early culture peoples
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These smaller seasons have seldom developed into an annual cycle otherwise than among some agricultural peoples[227], unless they have been fitted into the larger seasons. This is the case with the western tribes of the Torres Straits, who also determine the seasons from the stars. In the counting of the seasons they commonly begin with surlal (mid-October to the end of November). This name is given to the turtles when copulating: while in this state they float on the sea and are readily caught. The constellation known as the Shark arises. Everything is dried up, the yams are ripe. The sounding of the first thunder is the sign for planting yams. Raz (December to February) is described as ‘the time of death’, i. e. the season when the leaves die down. The first part of this season is called in Mabuiag duau-urma, ‘the falling of the cashew nuts’. There is an interval of fine weather and the wind is shifty: this coincides with Christmas-time. This is the time when the yams which have been planted begin to sprout. In Muralug this period is called malgui, which is the exact equivalent of our word ‘spring’. The next division is called dob, ‘the last of growing things’, or kusikuki, ‘medusae of the north-west’, the latter name being due to the large numbers of jelly-fish that float on the sea. The runners of the yams now grow. The time immediately after this is called purimugo, in Muralug apagap or keme. The longer season following raz is kuki, (March to May), the time when strong winds blow intermittently from the north-west, accompanied by deluges of rain, and the time of the damp heat. The appearance of the constellation dogai kukilaig (Altair, together with β, γ aquilae) heralded the beginning of this season. It has the sub-divisions kuki, kupa kuki, and gugad arai. The dry season, aibaud, forms the remaining part of the year. The south-west wind, waur, blows steadily: for this reason the first part of this period is known as waur and perhaps merits a distinctive name as much as raz. It is marked by the appearance of the constellation magi Dogai (Vega with β, γ lyrae). Food is abundant and festivals are celebrated. The divisions of aibaud are sasiwaur (‘child’, i. e. lesser south-east), piepe, tati waur (‘father’, i. e. greater south-east), and birubiru, a bird which at this time migrates from New Guinea to Australia[228].
The Kiwai Papuans who dwell on the opposite coast of New Guinea have the same star myths as the inhabitants of the Torres Straits Islands: for them, however, no smaller but only two greater seasons are mentioned[229]; on the other hand they have months[230]. The smaller seasons have clashed with the reckoning by moons, and have surrendered their names to describe the latter. They have therefore in great measure become merged in the counting of the months, which will be dealt with later. The greater seasons on the other hand, on account of their length, could not be merged in the reckoning by months, and these have therefore everywhere remained. The number of the longer seasons varies considerably, and is of course connected not only with the climatic conditions but also with the fundamental phenomena which for one reason or another attract attention; a larger season may also be divided into two or three smaller ones.
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