Calendar: Humanity's Epic Struggle to Determine a True and Accurate Year. This item is unavailable.
Language: English
Published by Avon Books, 1998
- Hardcover
- Used

Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Atlanta
AbeBooks seller since March 24, 2009
Condition: Used - Good
£ 5.04
Item description from seller
Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.
Seller Inventory # G0380975289I3N10
- Title
- Calendar: Humanity's Epic Struggle to Determine a True and Accurate Year
- Author
- David Ewing Duncan
- Publisher
- Avon Books
- Publication year
- 1998
- Condition
- Good
- Dust jacket
- No Jacket
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0380975289
- ISBN 13
- 9780380975280
- Item weight
- 1.13 pounds
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
The book is organised in chronological order and focuses mainly on the centuries leading up to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar (our modern calendar) by the Catholic Church in 1582. Along the way, Duncan describes the ancient calendars of many cultures all over the globe, from India to Egypt to the Mayan empire. During the Middle Ages, Christian churches discouraged scientific inquiry on the theory that it was wrong to question the nature of God's creation. This severely hampered the refinement of the calendar and the advancement of many academic pursuits. By the 16th century, Europe's calendars were 11 days out of sync with the solar year, which meant Easter was being celebrated on the wrong day. An infusion of knowledge from India and the Middle East helped Europeans get back on track. Duncan profiles the many mathematicians, philosophers, and monks who made organising time their life's work. This book honours the efforts of those scholars and examines the way politics and religion influenced societal perceptions of time through the ages. --Jill Marquis, Amazon.com
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.