Archives: World Calendars

The Ethiopian calendar is a living civil calendar with its own era numbering and 13-month structure. Its year numbering differs from the Gregorian year.

The Coptic calendar preserves a 13-month structure derived from Egyptian/Alexandrian traditions and is closely related in structure to the Ethiopian calendar.

The fixed Hebrew calendar coordinates lunar months with the solar year. Rules for postponements and variable month lengths make it more sophisticated than a simple 19-year leap-month table.

The sexagenary system names years and other time units through repeating stem-branch combinations. It is related to, but distinct from, the 12-animal zodiac cycle.

The Chinese calendar uses astronomical relationships involving lunar phases and solar terms. It remains important for Lunar New Year and other traditional festivals even though the Gregorian calendar is used for civil purposes.

The xiuhpohualli structured the annual ceremonial cycle and interlocked with the ritual 260-day count.

The tonalpohualli combined number and day-sign cycles and operated alongside a 365-day year cycle.

Unlike the repeating ritual and solar cycles, the Long Count identifies dates within an extended chronological framework.

The 365-day Haabʼ worked together with the Tzolkʼin to form the larger Calendar Round.

The Tzolkʼin is a 260-day cycle rather than a solar year. It interlocks with other Maya cycles and remains culturally important in some Maya communities.