Stewards' Reckoning
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Stewards' Reckoning or Revised Calendar was the calendar system introduced in Gondor by Mardil Voronwë, its first Ruling Steward around Third Age 2000.
It survived until the end of the Third Age, and was thus the calendar in use at the time of the War of the Ring.
Background
Arnor and Gondor used a Númenórean calendar called King's Reckoningbut even after the fall of Sauron at the end of that Age, the old calendar was maintained by the Exiles of Númenor in Middle-earth into the Third Age. When the era of the Kings passed with the fall of Arnor and the loss of King Eärnur, the King's Reckoning presented (through the continued accumulation of the millenial deficits) an offset of about 1.6 days[1] out of synchronicity with the astronomical observations.
History
Steward Mardil made all months of equal length (30 days) and arranged the two days gained such symmetrically to the other holidays and also inserted two leap-days in T.A. 2059. However this still left a minor deficit of about 8 hours[1] in advance. It is possible that the leap-day of 2060 was dropped in consequence.
In 2360 Steward Hador added 1 day to that year though this deficiency had not quite reached that amount being now a delay of only 0.3 day[1]. By 3020 the deficit had once again accumulated to 0.77 days[2].
The Stewards' Reckoning was eventually adoped by most speakers of Westron such as the Dwarves and even the Elves (who maintained their former traditions only for ritual purposes).
In the Fourth Age, the calendar was replaced by the New Reckoning
The Calendar
- yestarë
- Narwain, Ninui, Gwaeron
- tuilérë or Spring-day
- Gwirith, Lothron, Nórui
- loëndë (in leap-years replaced by two enderi)
- Cerveth, Úrui, Ivanneth
- yáviérë or Autumn-day
- Narbeleth, Hithui,Girithron
- mettarë
The names of the months and days were now popularly used in Quenya (though Dale and Rohan, retained old names, at least among the lower population); the Dúnedain adhered to Sindarin versions.
Observations
- Yestarë: Winter Solstice
- 28 Gwaeron: Vernal Equinox
- 30 Gwirith: Erukyermë
- Loëndë: Summer Solstice/Erulaitalë
- 10 October: Automnal Equinox
- ?? Eruhantalë
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Reckoning of Time by Andreas Moehn
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "not yet amounted to 1 day"
