“U , Rekh your mind, see Djet.”
Blog 1 - Time
The nuclear family and modern ways to tell time is we’ve been taught , has not always been, the way we told time as children of the universe to now pre-teen life in cosmic scaling, we’ve changed our ways much needed but most unnecessary, time is our souls life on this earth, we can not extend nor end prematurely our souls endurance and life, we will continue until the soul has accomplished “enough” the Sumerians and Egyptians hail from a similar time , related if you will, Sumerians understood the lunar cycle, Egyptians the solar, polarity yet so nearby? The true “nuclear family” many want is what the Sumerians and Egyptians had, here’s why;
The Sumerians and ancient Egyptians, like many early civilizations, structured their lives and societies around natural cycles and celestial observations, but their relationship with time was profoundly different from the modern American concept of time tied to work schedules and the "nuclear family" model. Here's a breakdown of how these ancient cultures approached time, planning, and life:
Time Cycles Tied to Nature and the Cosmos
Sumerians: They were among the first to develop a sophisticated calendar, primarily based on the lunar cycle. Time was deeply connected to the phases of the moon, seasonal changes, and agricultural cycles. The Sumerians divided the day into 12 double hours and developed a sexagesimal (base-60) system, which still influences our modern way of counting time (60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in a minute).
Egyptians: They were early pioneers in timekeeping, especially when it came to measuring solar time. They used sundials and water clocks, and their calendar was based on the solar year, closely tied to the annual flooding of the Nile, which was essential for agriculture. This event shaped their concept of time, marking the beginning of the agricultural year and life cycles in Egyptian society. Egyptians also aligned their time with celestial bodies, particularly the star Sirius, whose heliacal rising heralded the start of the Nile's flood and the new year.
Integration of Time with Religious and Agricultural Life
Time was not seen as something to control or be controlled by, as it is in modern societies. Instead, it was seen as cyclical, with the rhythms of life following the rhythms of the earth, stars, and gods.
Religious Rituals: Both the Sumerians and Egyptians lived in societies where time was intertwined with religion and ritual. Religious festivals and daily offerings to gods followed celestial patterns. Temples played central roles in measuring and interpreting time. The rising and setting of the sun, and other celestial events, marked significant rituals, reinforcing a strong connection between time and spiritual life.
Agricultural Planning: Time was closely linked to farming cycles, which dictated much of everyday life. Planting and harvesting were tied to the movements of celestial bodies and seasonal cycles. The lives of most people revolved around ensuring food production and survival through these natural cycles.
Life Was Organized Around Community and Survival, Not Individualism
In both Sumerian and Egyptian societies, the family structure was extended, often including multiple generations living together. Their lives were organized around community and survival, rather than individual success or the "nuclear family" concept that modern Western societies often focus on.
Sumerians: Their social structure revolved around city-states, where labor was communal. There was a sense of shared responsibility in working the land, building infrastructure, and maintaining the gods' favor. Their time was also organized around large-scale projects, like constructing temples or ziggurats, and sustaining irrigation systems.
Egyptians: Egyptian society was hierarchical, with the pharaoh seen as the earthly representative of the gods, responsible for maintaining order (ma'at). Their lives were planned around the greater good of society, contributing to large state projects like building pyramids, temples, and tombs, all of which were tied to religious beliefs about time, the afterlife, and immortality.
Time as Cyclical, Not Linear
Unlike the modern sense of time, which is linear and often tied to the idea of progress (e.g., working toward retirement, a career, family goals), ancient cultures often viewed time as cyclical.
Sumerians: They believed in cycles of death and rebirth, both in the agricultural sense and in their myths. Their mythology spoke of a cyclical universe, where gods and humans had roles in maintaining the cosmos' balance.
Egyptians: Time for the Egyptians was also cyclical. Their concept of eternity (djet) coexisted with the flowing, cyclical time (neheh) represented by the daily rising and setting of the sun and the annual flooding of the Nile. The afterlife was seen as a continuation of life on earth, and their monumental architecture (pyramids, tombs) was built to last for eternity, further reflecting their unique approach to time.
Time as a Guiding Principle for Art and Knowledge
In both cultures, time was connected to knowledge and wisdom passed down through generations. Before knowledge and art were lost or altered by future invasions and conquests, these civilizations took a much more spiritual and holistic approach to how they treated life’s cycles.
Sumerians:Their cuneiform tablets were some of the earliest records of human thought, documenting not only practical matters (like law, trade, and governance) but also myths, poems, and hymns that reflected their deep understanding of human existence within cosmic cycles.
Egyptians: The Egyptian understanding of time influenced their art, architecture, and writing. Their monumental art was meant to stand the test of time and represent eternity. Hieroglyphs, tomb paintings, and sculptures often illustrated the passage of time and the journey to the afterlife.
Conclusion: Living in Harmony with Tim
In ancient Sumerian and Egyptian societies, time wasn’t something to be dominated by, nor was it as rigidly measured as it is today. Instead, it was an organic part of life, deeply tied to natural, celestial, and spiritual cycles. Life revolved around the community and the larger cosmic order rather than individual goals like career success or nuclear family ideals. Time was seen as cyclical, something to move through harmoniously, with a focus on maintaining balance with nature, the gods, and the broader society. In a sense, they treated life more as a journey of coexistence with time, rather than a race against it.
I chose some of the oldest civilizations we have history of in the Middle East, they are the ones I’ve learned of the most and would love to learn more about other early civilizations around the world , perhaps traveling and honoring there structures they deemed worthy also built around the world.
