Akhet (hieroglyph and season)

Akhet (horizon) in hieroglyphs

The Egyptian language word Akhet is both a hieroglyph and an Ancient Egyptian season.

The two uses for akhet:

• In ancient Egyptian, the place where the sun rises and sets; often translated as "horizon" or "mountain of light". It is included in names like "Akhet Khufu" (Ancient Egyptian name for the Great Pyramid) and Akhetaten. Betrò's book names the hieroglyph: 'Mountain with the Rising Sun', and the hieroglyph is used as an ideogram for "horizon".^[1] In ancient Egyptian religion, the Pylon mirrored the hieroglyph for 'horizon' - akhet, which also was associated with recreation and rebirth.

Akhet (season) in hieroglyphs

• The "Akhet season" ran approximately from mid-July to mid-November in Ancient Egypt, and was followed by Peret and Shemu.^[2] It is the first of three seasons of the ancient Egyptian calendar—the inundation season. This was the time of the Egyptian calendar year when the Nile waters flooded farmland and brought much nutrients to the tilled soil.
  The Year
  The world's 365-day year is a result of the Egyptian three seasons, 120 days, three times, and an annual New Year 5-day festival. The Canopus Stone of Ptolemy III, in the Rosetta Stone-(Ptolemy V) decree series, added a 6th Epagomenal day in 238 BC, every four years. The leap year additions were formalized by Caesar in 55 BC.

See also

• Temple of Kom Ombo

Footnotes

References

• Betrò, Maria Carmela. Hieroglyphics: The Writings of Ancient Egypt, c. 1995, 1996-(English), Abbeville Press Publishers, New York, London, Paris (hardcover, ISBN 0-7892-0232-8)