A calendar helps us keep track of time, and people in ancient times made their calendars by looking at the Sun, Moon, and stars. They used these calendars to know when to plant and harvest crops. Different groups of people created their calendars based on what they needed and believed in.
The Sumerians, who lived in ancient Mesopotamia (now Iraq), had a calendar with 12 lunar months and added an extra month every four years. This also influenced early Greek and Jewish calendars.
Early Egyptians started with a lunar calendar but later made one that matched the seasons better. They had 12 months with 30 days each and added five extra days at the end.
The early Romans had a lunar year of 355 days. To make the lunar year agree with the solar year, priests added extra months. The calendar became increasingly out of phase with the seasons. In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar created the Julian calendar with 365.25 days and a leap year every four years. 2024 is a leap year, so you’ll see February 29th added to the PDF download.
The Julian calendar caused some problems, so in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII fixed it by dropping 10 days and adjusting leap years. This became the Gregorian calendar we use today, except in some Islamic countries.
The Maya and the Aztec had a cycle of 260 days for religious rituals and a year of 365 days. Their year had 18 months of 20 days each, with an extra five days.
Apart from the Gregorian calendar, there are others that are still used. The Muslim calendar has 12 lunar months totalling 354 or 355 days, and it doesn’t adjust for the solar year, meaning major festivals can occur in any season. The Chinese calendar is used in China alongside the Gregorian calendar, and Hindu and Jewish calendars are still used for religious reasons.
Create your own archaeology-themed calendar with this activity!
Bristol and Bath YAC
Adult supervision is not required for this activity.
Type of Activity : Craft
How many people required (minimum) : 1
Safety Measures : Be careful using scissors and ask an adult for help if needed
Ages : 8+
Time Required: 1 hour
