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The Reckoning of Time
Note as to below date listings: For humans and hobbits these will remain the same in relation to our own calendar, with the exception of a one-day shift in dates between our Feb 29 and their Midsummer extra day on leap years. We might as well see this as happening on the same year as our leap year, instead of a year apart or etc, since we do not know the (likely there is one) difference as to when it falls within the four-year cycle - this could be calculated however if anyone could tell me exactly how long the Fourth Age was! It is known that since the Fifth began with the Industrial Revolution (officially 1713 so for lack of other info this is the year I'm working with) and the Fourth began somewhere around 1000 BC, the Fourth Age was approximately 2700 years long, but since it is not known when exactly the Fourth started in relation to our calendar, the information given in the Red Book as to dates is of little use in this matter. When dealing with the elven calendar this dating can become a little more complicated, because their leap year comes every 12 years. Therefore I went into more detail for this chart. The elven reckoning shifts one day off 3 times in that 12-year period, looping back to match again during the Eldarin leap year. Individual leap year systems are explained in more detail under each section.
Note on Quenya vs Sindarin names for days, months, and seasons: Which names are used in the Third Age is not entirely a matter of primary language spoken, although that does have an influence, but also is a matter of the heritage of each place. The Silvan use Sindarin and their own Silvan as languages, and the Sindarin names. The Sindar scattered across Ennor use Sindarin as a language, and the Sindarin names. The people of Lothlórien use a mix of Quenya and Sindarin as a language, and the Quenya names. The people of Imladris use Sindarin as the common language, Quenya in formalities, the Quenya names for days, and the Sindarin names for seasons. As for Imladris months, I am uncertain at this point as to Q or S. Therefore, although Sindarin is the language worked with here, the Quenya names are also provided. ****** In some fashions, human and Eldar reckon time and days much the same. In others, the races are very different indeed. In this area as well, the Eldarin propensity and preference for counting in multiples of six and twelve becomes evident.
Increments of Time a second/moment: tiva (indeterminate very short period of time) a minute: hanté (indeterminate short period of time not a literal minute) a time-period (see below): a day: ré a week: enquié a month: asta a season: a year: idhrinn a century (100 years): haranin a long-year (144 years): yén a millenium (1000 years): menegil an Age: andrann
A single day is counted either from sunrise to sunrise (as in Imladris) or sunset to sunset (as among the Silvan). Number of hour-equivalents in a day are unknown. Perhaps it is not even an issue; instead of counting specific numerical increments of a day, the Eldar seem to speak of what general period of day (ie. mid-morning, sunset, deep night, etc) it is. Known names for these periods, near as they can be understood, are: arad (aurë) "day", "daylight", daytime" dû (lómë) "night", "nighttime" ** rûn (anarórë) "sunrise" aur (arin) "morning" (after sunrise) arie (arya) "mid-morning" (before noon) enedhór (peraurë) "mid-day" (noon and early afternoon) haid (sána) "late-day" (mid- to late afternoon) nûn (anarúntë) "sunset" aduial (yúkalë) "dusk" (after sunset; before first stars) undomé (undomë) "star-opening" (getting dark) thin (andúnë) "evening" (after dark) loem (ló, perlómë) "night" (before midnight, midnight) fuin (lómin) "deep night" (after midnight) tindomé (tindomë) "star-fading" (getting light) minuial (ára) "dawn" (before sunrise)
The Week An Eldarin week employs six days rather than seven. The days all are named after important things to the culture of the people. There is no known division into "weekdays" and "weekends"; all days incorporate work and play both. Vacations or rest days are not scheduled but taken when needed, if such will not cause trouble to other people. Somehow, this loose system does not seem to fall apart into laziness as it often would with humans. Day 1 - Orgilion (Elenya) "stars-day" Day 2 - Oranor (Anarya) "sun-day" Day 3 - Orithil (Isilya) "moon-day" Day 4 - Orgelaidh (Aldúya) "trees-day" Day 5 - Ormenel (Menelya) "Heavens-day" Day 6 - Orbelain (Valanya) "Powers-day" A seventh day, introduced by Men and picked up later in a few of the scattered Eldarin communities of Ennor, is Oraeron (Ëarenya), the "sea-day".
Months and the Year An Eldarin month is composed of exactly 30 days, or 5 weeks, with a new week beginning with each month. There are twelve months in a year but they do not correspond to human ones; rather, one Eldarin month will span approximately the last half of a human month and the first half of the next. There are also 5 special holidays that appear outside of and between the months themselves, giving each year a total of 365 days. Rather than accounting for a "leap year" day every four years, instead an extra three days are added to the Midsummer holiday of Erulaitalé every twelve years (which ends up having the same effect eventually). Among some groups, however, instead one day was added to each of the holidays of Erulaitalé, Eruhantalé, and Eruchermé; this appears to be the case in Imladris. Every 144 years (on the last year of each yén, which is a leap year) one of these extra days is omitted. Like months, the beginning and end of the Eldarin year is not the same as on a human calendar. Rather than beginning around the same time as January, after the winter solstice, the year begins just after the spring equinox, as the world begins to come alive. Here we see a listing of the Eldarin months and the 5 special days, in order, using the Imladris system of leap year days. Below there is a chart with modern human year/month correspondents. Yestaré First Day; the beginning of a new year Month 1 - Gwirith (Víressë) Month 2 - Lothron (Lótessë) "flowering" Month 3 - Nórui (Nárië) "sunny" Erulaitalé "praise to Eru" Midsummer Day; the summer solstice Erulaitalé 2 extra festival day on leap years Month 4 - Cerveth (Cermië) Month 5 - Urui (Úrimë) "hot" Month 6 - Ivanneth (Yavannië) "harvest-time" Eruhantalé "thanksgiving to Eru" Harvest Day; the fall equinox Eruhantalé 2 extra festival day on leap years Month 7 - Narbeleth (Narquelië) "sun-waning" Month 8 - Hithui (Hísimë) "misty" Month 9 - Girithron (Ringarë) "shivering" Eruchermé "prayer to Eru" Midwinter Day; the winter solstice Eruchermé 2 extra festival day on leap years Month 10 - Narwain (Narvinyë) "new sun" Month 11 - Nínui (Nénimë) "watery" Month 12 - Gwaeron (Súlimë) "great wind" Mettaré Last Day; the spring equinox
In example of how a date could be translated into a modern one, or vice versa, let us take, randomly, April 25 (in the year before leap-year). The month of Lothron begins with the equivalent of April 21 in that year, so therefore April 25 would translate as "Lothron 4", which incidentally, seeing as there are exactly 5 weeks to each month and each month begins a new week, would be Orgelaidh / Aldúya.
Seasons Although the Eldarin year may have 12 months, even if those months be counted differently, it differs even more from the human year by the understanding of seasons. In the Eldarin mindset, there are six seasons in a year rather than four, and they are not at all identical in length although from one year to the next the length of a single season tends to be close to the same. Neither do they begin on certain dates. They are not judged by date but rather by weather; spring begins when it begins to look and feel like spring, and so on. Nevertheless, to the Eldar, seasons are not merely a vague concept, but about as important to their concept of calendar as months and years. Season 1 - Ethuil (Tuilë) "spring" Weather is warming, rain is plentiful, plants are sprouted and growing Tends to span from near the beginning of Gwirith to near the end of Lothron Season 2 - Laer (Lairë) "summer" Weather is hot, plants dry out if there is not enough rain Tends to span from near the beginning of Nórui to near the end of Urui Season 3 - Iavas (Yavië) "autumn" Weather cools somewhat, still warm, leaves begin to fall from trees Tends to span from near the beginning of Ivanneth to near the end of Narbeleth Season 4 - Firith (Quellë) "fading" Weather is cool, often rainy, trees and many bushes lose all leaves Tends to span from near the beginning of Hithui to near the middle of Girithron Season 5 - Rhîw (Hrívë) "winter" Weather is cold, snow falls Tends to span from near the middle of Girithron to near the middle of Nínui Season 6 - Echuir (Coirë) "stirring" Weather is chill, snow melts, rain is plentiful, plants begin to sprout Tends to span from near the middle of Nínui to near the end of Gwaeron These seasons, although not entirely regular, still play a role in dating. While this may seem pointless to a human, from the perspective of a race that has a lifespan of thousands of years, or from the perspective of a historian, such dating technique could prove to provide interesting information. For example, stating that an event happened in the month of Girithron tells a reader that the weather was cold, but adding that it was the season of Firith would paint an added picture of rain and bare trees, whereas stating that it was the season of Rhîw would tell the reader that there was snow. Since seasons do not follow months or days precisely, the latter would not provide setting information while the mentioning of season with a date would do so very succinctly. Therefore, using the previous example of April 25, the properly-written Eldarin date might be "Aldúya, Lothron 4, Ethuil".
Years, Long-years, and Ages A year, as stated before, is simply 12 months, beginning at the spring equinox. However, when speaking of numbers of years, and especially when dating, it becomes important to ask, which year is it? First of all, it must be understood in which Age an event occurred. This is very important; obviously, the year 1200 of the Second Age is not the same as the year 1200 of the Third Age! The Ages break up the events of history into large periods, a new Age usually starting with a major change in the world. (See: The Ages) Ages are also broken up into "long-years", or yéni, each of which is 144 solar years long. Each new Age begins a new yén, even if the last was not complete. In dating, this is a means of breaking down the history of an Age into more understandable chunks, much like humans do with centuries. It is merely that the Eldar, while they speak of and even count in 100-year centuries, instead write events and dates in terms of yéni. It is rather a simple matter to discover which yén an event happened in. Merely count how many 144-year periods have passed since the beginning of that Age. Continuing with the April 25 example, let us say now that we know it took place in the year 2135 of the Third Age, assuming that this year was again the year before leap year. The date would now be written, in full, "Aldúya, Lothron 4, Ethuil, 2135, yén 14, T.A.". Or, would a more relevant example be preferred? On Wednesday, October 22, 2003 A.D. in the modern, Gregorian calendar, the days were still quite warm. Therefore, in the Eldarin calendar, it would instead, in full, be Isilya, Hithui 3, Iavas, 291, yén 3, Ft.A (Fifth Age). A shortened version, which might be used for journals and the like, would be Hithui 3, 5-291, Iavas. ****** Alternate Season/Months An alternate Eldarin dividing of the year, known only as a thing of some past time and using only Quenya, uses the six season names instead of the twelve months to count days with. Often called in what histories we have left the Calendar of Imladris, or the Reckoning of Rivendell, the name is rather misleading as the people of Imladris did not actually use this calendar. Possibly the name came from the fact that at some point Imladris gained some calendar-tapestries of indeterminate and possibly ancient origin which remained hanging rather noticably in the Hall of Fire as a part of the near-museum that parts of Rivendell became. All that can be known with certainty is that it was not an Avarin/Silvan culture that used this system, nor the peoples that were influenced by the Avari after the Helcaraxë. The common calendar of the later Second Age and since is a combination of the original Avarin and Noldorin reckonings; the holidays at the least (with the exception of the two New-Year days) are known to have Avarin origin. It is conjecture alone, but there is a possibility that the origins of this alternate system may even have been Valinorian, possibly used by the followers and descendants of Fëanor. This method involves setting specific dates for the seasons, contrary to the common calendar discussed previously in detail, and has an rather different set of special holidays although there are still five of them. It is not known to be used in the Third Age. Yestarë The first day of the year Mar 28 Season/Month 1 - Tuilë 54 days Mar 29 - May 21 Season/Month 2 - Lairë 72 days May 22 - Aug 1 Season/Month 3 - Yavië 54 days Aug 2 - Sept 25 Enderi 3 special days in the middle of the Eldarin year Possibly a Midyear festival Season/Month 4 - Quellë 54 days Sept 28 - Nov 20 Season/Month 5 - Hrívë 72 days Nov 21 - Jan 31 Season/Month 6 - Coirë 54 days Feb 1 - Mar 26 Mettarë The last day of the year Mar 27 For a general example of how this might have been used, let us take again the previously used examples. April 25 (Lothron 2) would translate here as Tuilë 28, and October 22 (Hithui 1) would be Quellë 25. To demonstrate the larger numbers, July 27 (Urui 7) would be Lairë 67. It is unknown how years themselves were counted with this system, if at all differently.
************************************************************************** This section speaks first of the Gondorian method of time-reckoning, and later of the methods of Eriador, the simpler lands of towns such as Bree. ****** The calendar system of Gondor originated from Númenor, and was built originally around the common Eldarin calendar. As such, it holds many similarities. Even most of the names are in Sindarin (Númenor's was in Quenya, though, and the special-days here are in Quenya).
The Week One noticable difference at the level of the week is that there are seven days rather than six (likely born of the 7 Biblical days of Creation, which Man as a race was more aware of). This, it would be assumed, would not lead to such a tidy ordering of day-names and weeks within a month as the Eldarin calendar does. More likely it would look more like our own Gregorian calendar. Day 1 - Orgilion "stars-day" Day 2 - Oranor "sun-day" Day 3 - Orithil "moon-day" Day 4 - Orgaladh "tree-day" Day 5 - Ormenel "Heavens-day" Day 6 - Orbelain "Powers-day" Day 7 - Oraearon "ocean-day"
Months and the Year A year starts around Midwinter. Like the Eldarin year, there are twelve months in a year, all comprised of 30 days. Also like the Eldarin year, there are 5 special holidays that appear outside of and between the months themselves, giving each year a total of 365 days. Every four years (leap-year), an extra loëndë day is added. The last year of every century, this extra day is omitted. Here we see a listing of the months and the 5 special days, in order. Below there is a chart with modern year/month correspondents. Yestarë New Year's day Month 1 - Narwain Month 2 - Nínui Month 3 - Gwaeron "great wind" Tuilë Spring festival Month 4 - Gwirith Month 5 - Lothron "flowering" Month 6 - Nórui "sunny" Loëndë Midsummer Day, Mid-Year Loëndë 2 Festival-day on leap-years Month 7 - Cerveth Month 8 - Urui "hot" Month 9 - Ivanneth "harvest-time" Yáviérë Harvest festival Month 10 - Narbeleth "sun-waning" Month 11 - Hithui "misty" Month 12 - Girithron "shivering" Mettarë Midwinter Day; the last day of the year
When translating modern dates into ancient human ones, about half the time the date name and number ends up the same as its Eldarin equivalent, even though where the year ends and begins is different. For example, let us take again April 25. Both the Gondorian and Eldarin month of Lothron begin with the equivalent of April 23, so therefore April 25 would still translate as "Lothron 2". However, September 22 would translate "Narbeleth 1" in the Gondorian calendar, and "Narbeleth 2" in the Eldarin.
Seasons Seasons would seem to be the same four that we know today, used not for dating but only for description. Unlike ours though, they tend to not follow dates but weather instead. Season 1 - Spring Weather warms slowly, rain is plentiful, plants sprout and grow Tends to span from around Tuilë to near the end of Lothron Season 2 - Summer Weather is hot, plants dry out if there is not enough rain Tends to span from near the beginning of Nórui to near mid-Ivanneth Season 3 - Autumn Weather cools, leaves fall from trees, can be rainy Tends to span from near mid-Ivanneth to near the end of Hithui Season 4 - Winter Weather is cold, cold rain falls, then snow Tends to span from near the beginning of Girithron to around Tuilë
Years, Centuries, and Ages A year, as stated before, is simply 12 months, beginning at Midwinter. However, when speaking of numbers of years, and especially when dating, it becomes important to ask, which year is it? The concept of Ages is one shared and agreed upon by all races - in this area Men count no differently than do the Eldar. Ages are broken up into centuries, 100-year periods, but they are not used in dating as the Eldarin yéni are, only in describing a space of time, as when telling or writing about history. Keeping the April 25 example, and knowing it took place in the year 2135 of the Third Age, which was not a leap year, the date would be written, in the Gondorian method, " Lothron 2, 2135 T.A.".
****** The methods of Eriadorian time-reckoning are the same as hobbit-style; really the only differences are in month and day names. It is uncertain whether the Men or the Hobbits came up with this method first, or whether it was a joint event. Here is a list of Eriadorian names for days and months. For dating and how the system works, see Periannath.
The Week Day 1 - Sterrendei Day 2 - Sunnendei Day 3 - Monendei Day 4 - Trewesdei Day 5 - Hevenesdei Day 6 - Meresdei Day 7 - Highdei
The Months 2 Yule New Year's day Month 1 - Frery Month 2 - Solmath Month 3 - Rethe Month 4 - Chithing Month 5 - Thrimridge Month 6 - Lithe First Summerday Second Summerday Midyear's Day High Summerday Great festival day of a leap-year Third Summerday Month 7 - Mede Month 8 - Wedmath Month 9 - Harvestmath Month 10 - Wintring Month 11 - Blooting Month 12 - Yulemath 1 Yule Midwinter Day; the last day of the year
************************************************************************** The calendar of hobbits is the closest of all Ennor's methods of dating to our own. This however is not to be unexpected, especially with the similarity between hobbit/Breeland culture and old English rural culture; in truth the latter likely descended from the former. The calendar of the Perinannath is based upon the human/Gondorian calendar described above, but special-days are different, and names are in the local dialect of Common (which also has similarities to that of Rohan), not any Eldarin tongue. ****** The Week Weekday names are based upon Dúnedain origin, which derived from Gondorian, so it is not much surprise to see that they are similar (if in a dialect) to the translation of each respective Gondorian/Eldarin name. Note however that the order of the last two days has been switched. "Highday" to the people of Eriador, including hobbits, is rather like our Sunday, a day of rest and praise. Day 1 - Sterday "star-day" Day 2 - Sunday "sun-day" Day 3 - Monday "moon-day" Day 4 - Trewsday "trees-day" Day 5 - Hevensday "Heavens-day" Day 6 - Mersday "ocean-day" Day 7 - Highday "Powers-day"
Months and the Year Months are, like Eldarin and Gondorian, 30 days long each, and there are again 5 special holidays, at the end and beginning of the year, and at Midyear. The Periannath set up their system such that every year begins on the first day of the week, Sterday, and ends on the last day of the week, Highday. Midyear's Day and Overlithe belong to no weekday; however other holidays do. All this insures a form of dating in which a date one year would have the same weekday name as the same date another year. Every fourth year, except for the last year of a century, a leap-year event happens. Below this list there is a chart with modern year/month correspondents. 2 Yule New Year's day, festival day Month 1 - Afteryule Month 2 - Solmath Month 3 - Rethe Month 4 - Astron Month 5 - Thrimidge Month 6 - Forelithe 1 Lithe Festival day Midyear's Day Festival day Overlithe Great festival day of a leap-year 2 Lithe Festival day Month 7 - Afterlithe Month 8 - Wedmath Month 9 - Halimath Month 10 - Winterfilth Month 11 - Blotmath Month 12 - Foreyule 1 Yule Midwinter Day, festival day; the last day of the year
(Names in parentheses are Eriador-human)
Seasons Seasons would seem to be the same four that we know and humans have always used, used not for dating but only for description. Season 1 - Spring Weather warms slowly, rain is plentiful, plants sprout and grow Tends to span from near the beginning of Rethe to near the end of Forelithe Season 2 - Summer Weather is hot, plants dry out if there is not enough rain Tends to span from around the Lithe-days to early-to-mid Halimath Season 3 - Autumn Weather cools, leaves fall from trees, can be rainy Tends to span from near mid-Halimath to near the end of Blotmath Season 4 - Winter Weather is cold, cold rain falls, then snow Tends to span from near the beginning of Foreyule to near the end of Rethe
Years, Centuries, and Ages A year is simply 12 months, beginning the day after Midwinter. However, when speaking of numbers of years, and especially when dating, it becomes important to ask, which year is it? The concept of Ages is one shared and agreed upon by all races - in this area hobbits count no differently than do Men or Eldar. Ages are broken up into centuries, 100-year periods, but they are not used in dating, only in describing a space of time, as when telling or writing about history. Still using the April 25 example, and knowing it took place in the year 2135 of the Third Age which was not a leap year, the date would be written, in hobbit/Eriador style, "Thrimidge (or Thrimridge) 4, 2135 T.A.".
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