calendar

In the ancient world time was divided in three main ways:

• seasons defined a pattern for work and food, activities like planting and harvesting had to be done "in their season"
• religious festivals gave a rhythm to the life of the community. This was related to the cycle of agricultural seasons but different from it
• years, months and days permitted time to be measured and defined.

The Gezer Calendar describes the pattern of seasonal activity in Palestinian agriculture. The cycle from planting through cultivation to harvest is related to the rhythm of the religious festivals - most of which occur at significant moments in the agricultural year (see diagram).

This page is part of the Hypertext Bible Commentary - Amos,

© Tim Bulkeley, 1996-2005, Tim Bulkeley. All rights reserved.