Season of the Harvest
Encyclopedia
Season of the Harvest is the third and final season of the Egyptian calendar
. The word Shemu literally translates as "low-water", and falls roughly between early May and early September. During this season, the crops of the grain harvest are collected. Shemu is preceded by the Season of the Emergence
(Proyet), and is followed by the Season of the Inundation
(Akhet).
During Shemu, the Egyptian farmers would harvest their crops - in clear contrast to the practice of their contemporaries in the ancient world, who would be just beginning to plant their crops at this time of the year. Shemu is also known as the Summer Season or the Dry Season and is occasionally written as Shomu.
The ancient Egyptians
used this name in both their lunar and their civil calendars. The months of the lunar calendar are roughly equivalent to the period from early May to the heliacal rising of Sirius
around the beginning of September. Since the civil calendar moved through the seasons over time, losing about one day every four years, this season does not continuously match any part of the modern calendar.
The Season of Harvest is preceded by the Season of the Emergence
and is followed by the Season of the Inundation
.
Egyptian calendar
The ancient civil Egyptian calendar had a year that was 360 days long and was divided into 12 months of 30 days each, plus five extra days at the end of the year. The months were divided into three weeks of ten days each...
. The word Shemu literally translates as "low-water", and falls roughly between early May and early September. During this season, the crops of the grain harvest are collected. Shemu is preceded by the Season of the Emergence
Season of the Emergence
The Season of the Emergence , or Proyet, or Peret, is the second season or Winter season of the Egyptian calendar. It falls roughly between early January and early May.)...
(Proyet), and is followed by the Season of the Inundation
Season of the Inundation
The Season of the Inundation is the first season in the ancient Egyptian calendar and corresponds roughly with early September to early January....
(Akhet).
During Shemu, the Egyptian farmers would harvest their crops - in clear contrast to the practice of their contemporaries in the ancient world, who would be just beginning to plant their crops at this time of the year. Shemu is also known as the Summer Season or the Dry Season and is occasionally written as Shomu.
The ancient Egyptians
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
used this name in both their lunar and their civil calendars. The months of the lunar calendar are roughly equivalent to the period from early May to the heliacal rising of Sirius
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
around the beginning of September. Since the civil calendar moved through the seasons over time, losing about one day every four years, this season does not continuously match any part of the modern calendar.
Months
The Season of Harvest consists of four 30-day months plus one little month of 5 or 6 days. This little month was considered to be an intercalary period, which brought the season of 365 days. These months can be either referred to by number (months 9 through 13) or by names as follows:- Month 9 = PashonsPashonsPashons , also known as Bashans, is the ninth month of the Coptic calendar. It lies between May 9 and June 7 of the Gregorian calendar. The month of Pashons is also the first month of the Season of 'Shemu' in Ancient Egypt, where the Egyptians harvest their crops throughout the land of Egypt...
- Month 10 = PaoniPaoniPaoni , also known as Baona, is the tenth month of the Coptic calendar. It lies between June 8 and July 7 of the Gregorian calendar...
- Month 11 = EpipEpipEpip , also known as Abib, is the eleventh month of the Coptic calendar. It lies between July 8 and August 6 of the Gregorian calendar. The month of Epip is also the third month of the Season of 'Shemu' in Ancient Egypt, where the Egyptians harvest their crops throughout the land of Egypt....
- Month 12 = MesoriMesoriMesori , also known as Mesra, is the twelfth month of the Coptic calendar. It lies between August 7 and September 5 of the Gregorian calendar. The month of Mesori is also the fourth month of the Season of 'Shemu' in Ancient Egypt, where the Egyptians harvest their crops throughout Egypt...
- Month 13 = Pi Kogi EnavotPi Kogi EnavotPi Kogi Enavot , also known as El Nasii, is the thirteenth and last month of the Coptic calendar. It lies between September 6 and September 10 of the Gregorian calendar. That month is also incorporated in the Season of 'Shemu' in Ancient Egypt, where the Egyptians harvest their crops throughout...
(the little month)
The Season of Harvest is preceded by the Season of the Emergence
Season of the Emergence
The Season of the Emergence , or Proyet, or Peret, is the second season or Winter season of the Egyptian calendar. It falls roughly between early January and early May.)...
and is followed by the Season of the Inundation
Season of the Inundation
The Season of the Inundation is the first season in the ancient Egyptian calendar and corresponds roughly with early September to early January....
.