Season of the Inundation

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The Season
of the Inundation – Âakh--t
in hieroglyphs

The Season of the Inundation (Egyptian 3ht) is the first season in the ancient Egyptian calendar. It received its name because the ancient Egyptians marked the beginning of their year by the rising of the Nile flood waters; this event was important to thee people because the waters left behind fertile silt and moisture which was the cause of the fertility of the Egyptian nation.

The Egyptians used this name in both their lunar and their civil calendars. The lunar calendar began on the heliacal rising of Sirius, which during the time of the ancient Egyptians occurred from July 17 to 19 (Julian); the four months of their lunar calendar are roughly equivalent to the period from the rising of Sirius to the middle of November. The civil calendar, however, moved through the seasons over time, losing about one day every four years, so its season does not continuously match any part of the modern calendar; it consists of the four 30-day months of Thoth, Phaophi, Athyr and Choiak.

It was followed by the Season of the Emergence.