#National calendar

[atlaculture]

how do you think the calendar is organized in the atla universe? they have a twelve-month system like we do but what would those months each be called? do you think they have leap years?

Right off the bat, let me just say that hypothetical calendars and alternative timekeeping is one of my favorite topics to talk about so this reply is going to be lengthy.

First off, everything we know about the calendar system in Avatar comes from the planetary calendar room in Wan Shi Tong's library.

The innermost ring indicates the number of months in a year (12), the second ring indicates the number of days in a month (30), the third ring indicates the different Avatar eras (16 shown), and the outermost ring showcases all of the animals of the zodiac cycle (12). For this reply, we're only going to be focusing on the innermost and second innermost rings.

According to the episode, the ATLAverse appears to have only 12-month years, so no leap year 13th month like the East Asian lunar calendar. There also doesn't appear to be any months with more than 30 days, judging by the number of days shown on the calendar. This means that the maximum number of possible days for an Avatar year is 360. So it's safe to say that there are probably no leap years like ours in the ATLAverse. I guess their Earth's orbit is slightly shorter and more suited for timekeeping than ours.

As for what each month would be called in the ATLAverse, there's a couple of options. One option is to simply call the months by order: First month, second month, third month, etc. This actually ties back to Avatar's Chinese influence, as that's literally how months are named in Mandarin. This is straightforward, practical, and doesn't require any complex etymology or extensive worldbuilding.

However, I also think it would be fun to weave motifs into the calendar. Since there's so much emphasis on balance and cycles, why not divide the twelve months between the four elements? I imagine these months would be referred to as:

The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Water Month

The 1st, 2nd & 3rd Earth Month

The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Fire Month

The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Air Month

For example, a person might say "I was born during the first water month, in the year of the rabbit." Naturally, there would be plenty of superstitions and horoscopes related to the combination of birth month and birth year.

The show also canonically mentions weeks passing by, although they never specify the number of days in their weeks. In a previous post, I mentioned that government officials during the Qin & Han Dynasty were given a day off every five days to bathe themselves. I think this would be a good basis for a week in the ATLAverse, four days of work and one day of rest. Each working day would be named after a cardinal direction (East-day, North-day, West-day, South-day) and the resting day would be called "Center-day", paralleling a compass.

In short, an ATLA month would be comprised of 6 five-day weeks and a year would be made up of 12 thirty-day months; the days would be themed around the cardinal directions and the months would be themed around the four elements. I think this would be a good way of adding texture to the world of Avatar, without weighing the setting down with too much worldbuilding or cultural baggage.

...And that would just be the default "world" calendar that spirit libraries and world travelers and international organizations would use. I think each nation would probably have their own unique calendar tailored to suit their own cultural and seasonal needs.

I might make a few posts on what each nation's calendar system might be, if anyone would like to read that.

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture

[lionfloss]

National Geographic

[floridaboiler]

[miwiheroes]

LMAO I LOVE MY GF SHE GOT ME THE FUCKING 2023 CALENDAR FOR CHRISTMAS

ALL BECAUSE SAYING “I HATE HIGH SCHOOL” IS OUR KINDA VOCAL STIM WE ARE….. an interesting couple

thankyou to my pookie wookie @eimi-in-the-woods

[spiocean]

Yeah no... What if Solomon doesn't tell his age not because of any sacred reasons, but because the ancient chronology is so fucked up that he just can't recalculate it in normal years.

[goldenpinof]

they are slavic now

[edenfire]

💝🎁 Advent Calendar RESTOCK 🎁💝

I have restocked my shuake advent calendars, and now I only have 3 left!! thank you so much to everyone who has supported me so far, and if you haven't yet, make sure to grab one while you can~🌟✨️✨️

link > here! <

[lionofchaeronea]

Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet, Benvenuto Tisi, ca. 1520-1525

[jeyneofpoole]

harlaween is going to fuck so hard this year

[fionnemrys]

Still here, still queer.🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

[saquesha13]

It’s Steddie September bitches!!!

My mom bought this calendar & this month is the best one yet, i’m never throwing this in the trash.

Steddie nation will never die!

[many-sparrows]

O Christ, what can it mean for us To claim you as our king? What royal face have you revealed Whose praise the church would sing? Aspiring not to glory's height To power, wealth, and fame You walked a different, lowly way Another's will your aim You came, the image of our God To heal and to forgive To shed your blood for sinners' sake That we might rise and live To break the law of death you came The law of love to bring A diff'rent rule of righteousness A diff'rent kind of king

[oxnardsart]

It's National Burger Day! And my burger fox buddies are enjoying it together. :3 @foxune recommended @azhire for today, he devours many doubles! But food's always better with company, so here are my dear supportive pals chowin' down together~ :3

[floridaboiler]

[vampcompany]

my personal faves from the btvs tarot deck (proves that giles loves sharp things)

[nationaldaysbydigitalhygge]

November 11