why is the day divided into 24 hours, and we tell that time in 2 increments of 12? have there been other time-telling systems and history, and if so why didn’t they catch on?
In: Culture
There has most certainly been more ways of telling time. If I remember correctly our time telling system has to do with Egyptian astrology. Originally it was 360 days, based of the 36 decans (their most important star constellations, 10 days for each) and then 5 extra days to keep the years even (I think they considered those days to be when their most important gods were born, so Ra added a day for each child). After that they considered the night to be twelve hours, the day 10 hours and then two twilight hours (when magic was extra powerful, fyi). There is something about the number 12 that was important, I believe.
Correct me if I’m wrong on this, but this is how I remember learning it. I think this caught on like most other stuff Egyptian/Greek, by the spread of European empires and trading with the rest of the world. Unsure if there has been others.
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