World’s Oldest Calendar
Context:
Archaeologists at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey have uncovered the world’s oldest calendar, dating back nearly 13,000 years.
More on News:
- Also referred to as the world’s first temple, Göbekli Tepe features a series of large stone pillars adorned with ornate carvings.
- The carvings on the stone pillars indicate a sophisticated solar-lunar calendar, likely used to track time and celestial events, including a comet strike around 10,850 BCE.
- The carvings include a series of V-shaped symbols, each representing a single day. This system closely resembles the modern calendar.
- Most important aspect of the discovery is the depiction of the summer solstice.
- This discovery challenges earlier views on early human technology, revealing advanced astronomical knowledge long before the advent of written language.
India’s National Calendar: Key Features of the Saka Calendar:
Types of Calendars:
Calendars are systems of organising days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. They are primarily based on the predictable movements of the sun, moon, and Earth.
Based on Celestial Bodies:
Solar Calendars:
- These calendars are based on the Earth’s revolution around the sun. They are typically more accurate in aligning with seasons.
- Gregorian Calendar: The most widely used calendar today.
- Julian Calendar: Predecessor to the Gregorian calendar.
- Lunar Calendars: These calendars are based on the phases of the moon. They are shorter than solar years.
- Islamic Calendar: Used by Muslims worldwide.
- Hebrew Calendar: Used by Jewish people.
- Lunisolar Calendars: These calendars combine elements of both solar and lunar calendars. They attempt to align both lunar months and solar years.
- Chinese Calendar: A complex system incorporating both lunar and solar elements.
- Hindu Calendar: Various Hindu calendars, like Vikram Samvat and Saka Samvat, fall into this category.