The Calendar

Observing many cultures - the ancient Greeks, Romans and Chinese, the Maya and the Aztec - and also looking at the modern western calendar, with its long and tumultuous history, this book traces the scientific, technical and political history of calendars.

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The calendar is an indispensable tool for civilized life, allowing people to order the past, present and future and to record events. Many cultures developed independent calendar systems, including the ancient Greeks, Romans and Chinese, and the Maya and Aztecs. The modern western calendar, accepted today as the global standard, is the fruit of a long and tumultuous history.