The earliest calendars in the world were found on the African continent. They were based on star or celestial maps containing solar arks known as zodiacs. In South Africa, the Blaauboschkraal stone ruins also called Adam’s Calendar dated around 75,000 years which became the calendar on which days and weeks were marked as the movement of the sun stretched perfectly from one edge to the other, left to right, and than back again. African Stonehenge (aka dancing stones of Namoratunga) in present-day Kenya at Namoratunga in Kalokol near L. Turkana (constructed around 300 B.C.) was a remarkably accurate calendar to number 12 months of the year and in so doing helped the people know when to plant, when rains could come and how to prepare for various seasons.
The ancient Kemetians used a lunar calendar exclusively until they adopted their solar calendar which contained 365 days per year. Each year was comprised of three, four-month seasons, which were named after significant events related to their agrarian lifestyle. The tribe of Dogon used a set of four calendars. The three are priestly-functional calendars wizarding-priests and tribal chiefs of the race: the calendar of Venus, the solar calendar and the calendar of Sirius. The fourth is the simple lunar calendar, which the farmers and the breeders of the tribe use. Akan calendar is lunar-based interspersed with sacred days. The ancient year comprised 13 moons of 28 days each. The Akan month is Adaduanan, a cycle that in actuality is 42 days or six weeks. Nine Adaduanan make up a year, called afirihyia or afe no ahyia, literally “the year has gone through a cycle and met.”
The African Calendar Year in the Zulu Culture is divided into Four Seasons: namely Spring (Intwasahlobo), Summer (Ihlobo), Autumn (Ikwindla) and Winter (Ubusika). The yearly months are all named after these events which happen at that particular time. The year in the Zulu Tradition starts in August and ends in July.
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