Calendar & Chronology

Month of En'Kara -The First Turning
Mar 21 - Mar 25 First Hand
Mar 26 - Mar 30 Second Hand
Mar 31 - Apr 4 Third Hand
Apr 5 - Apr 9 Fourth Hand
Apr 10 - Apr 14 Fifth Hand
Apr 15 - Apr 19 First Passage Hand

Month of Hesius
Apr 20 - Apr 24 First Hand
Apr 25 - Apr 29 Second Hand
Apr 30 - May 4 Third Hand
May 5 - May 9 Fourth Hand
May 10 - May 14 Fifth Hand
May 15 - May 19 Second Passage Hand

Month of Camerius (Ar) Month of Selnar (Ko-ro-ba) 5:234-235
May 20 - May 24 First Hand
May 25 - May 29 Second Hand
May 30 - Jun 3 Third Hand
Jun 4 - Jun 8 Fourth Hand
Jun 9 - Jun 13 Fifth Hand
Jun 14 - Jun 18 Third Passage Hand

Month of En'Var -The First Resting
Jun 19 - Jun 23 First Hand
Jun 24 - Jun 28 Second Hand
Jun 29 - Jul 3 Third Hand
Jul 4 - Jul 8 Fourth Hand
Jul 9 - Jul 13 Fifth Hand
Jul 14 - Jul 18 Fourth Passage Hand

The Fifth Month
Jul 19 - Jul 23 First Hand
Jul 24 - Jul 28 Second Hand
Jul 29 - Aug 2 Third Hand
Aug 3 - Aug 7 Fourth Hand
Aug 8 - Aug 12 Fifth Hand
Aug 13 - Aug 17 Fifth Passage Hand

The Sixth Month
Aug 18 - Aug 22 First Hand
Aug 23 - Aug 27 Second Hand
Aug 28 - Sep 1 Third Hand
Sep 2 - Sep 6 Fourth Hand
Sep 7 - Sep 11 Fifth Hand
Sep 12 - Sep 16 Sixth Passage Hand

Month of Se'Kara -The Second Turning
Sep 17 - Sep 21 First Hand
Sep 22 - Sep 26 Second Hand
Sep 27 - Oct 1 Third Hand
Oct 2 - Oct 6 Fourth Hand
Oct 7 - Oct 11 Fifth Hand
Oct 12 - Oct 16 Seventh Passage Hand

The Eighth Month
Oct 17 - Oct 21 First Hand
Oct 22 - Oct 26 Second Hand
Oct 27 - Oct 31 Third Hand
Nov 1 - Nov 5 Fourth Hand
Nov 6 - Nov 10 Fifth Hand
Nov 11 - Nov 15 Eighth Passage Hand

The Ninth Month
Nov 16 - Nov 20 First Hand
Nov 21 - Nov 25 Second Hand
Nov 26 - Nov 30 Third Hand
Dec 1 - Dec 5 Fourth Hand
Dec 6 - Dec 10 Fifth Hand
Dec 11 - Dec 15 Ninth Passage Hand

Month of Se'Var -The Second Resting
Dec 16 - Dec 20 First Hand
Dec 21 - Dec 25 Second Hand
Dec 26 - Dec 30 Third Hand
Dec 31 - Jan 4 Fourth Hand
Jan 5 - Jan 9 Fifth Hand
Jan 10 - Jan 14 Tenth Passage Hand

The Eleventh Month
Jan 15 - Jan 19 First Hand
Jan 20 - Jan 24 Second Hand
Jan 25 - Jan 29 Third Hand
Jan 30 - Feb 3 Fourth Hand
Feb 4 - Feb 8 Fifth Hand
Feb 9 - Feb 13 Eleventh Passage Hand

The Twelfth Month
Feb 14 - Feb 18 First Hand
Feb 19 - Feb 23 Second Hand
Feb 24 - Feb 28* Third Hand
Mar 1 - Mar 5 Fourth Hand
Mar 6 - Mar 10 Fifth Hand
Mar 11 - Mar 15 Twelfth Passage Hand
Mar 16 - Mar 20 The Waiting Hand

Goreans seem, for the most part, not too particular about the manner in which they tell time. The Wagon Peoples and Torvaldslanders, as well as the Tribesmen of the Tahari, the Black Tribes of the jungled south, and the Red Peoples, depend almost entirely upon their interpretation of the various positions of the sun, the moons and the stars to keep track of such matters.

Oddly enough, Gorean chronometer run backwards, their spinning hands rotating in a counter-clockwise direction.Perhaps this is because Gor is the Counter-Earth, this also filters down to reading books.Instead of reading and writing from left to right, Goreans do it from left to right on the first line,then on the next line they continue from right to left,then back to left to right on the line after that,and so on,alternating the direction of the text of each line.

Listed below are the standard Gorean measurements for time, along with their Earth equivalents.
Ihn is equal to 1.35 Earth seconds
Ehn is { 80 Ihn } equal to 108 Earth seconds
Ahn is { 40 Ehn } equal to 72 Earth minutes
Day is { 20 Ahn } equal to 24 Earth hours
Contasta is a means of determining chronology = Earth form of AD {Anno Domini}

Ahn of the Gorean Day
Earth Hour Gorean Ahn
12:01 am - 1:12 am 1st Ahn
1:13 am - 2:24 am 2nd Ahn
2:25 am - 3:36 am 3rd Ahn
3:37 am - 4:48 am 4th Ahn
4:49 am - 6:00 am 5th Ahn
6:01 am - 7:12 am 6th Ahn
7:13 am - 8:24 am 7th Ahn
8:25 am - 9:36 am 8th Ahn
9:37 am - 10:48 am 9th Ahn
10:49 am - 12:00 pm 10th Ahn {Gorean Noon}
12:01 pm - 1:12 pm 11th Ahn
1:13 pm - 2:24 pm 12th Ahn
2:25 pm - 3:36 pm 13th Ahn
3:37 pm - 4:48 pm 14th Ahn
4:49 pm - 6:00 pm 15th Ahn
6:01 PM - 7:12 pm 16th Ahn
7:13 pm - 8:24 pm 17th Ahn
8:25 pm - 9:36 pm 18th Ahn
9:37 pm -10:48 pm 19th Ahn
10:49 pm -12:00 am 20th Ahn {Gorean Midnight}

Gorean Years: Annual Chronology
Due to the many different calendar systems in use by the cities and peoples of Gor, it would be virtually impossible to choose one such system as the primary means of measuring and listing Gorean years. Therefore, included are eight such systems, each of which is in use in a particular geographical region of Gor, or is utilized by a particular city or culture. In such a way,it is possible to discern the particular year in which an important event occurred upon Gor, and assign it to its corresponding Earth date.Listed is no more than a few events from each city or culture, along with the Earth year in which they occurred as well as the present Earth year according to that system.

Chronology of Ar
This is far and away the most often used and quoted system of chronology in the books; it is therefore assumed that this system is in use, or at least is understood, throughout most of the civilized regions of Gor. The abbreviation "CA" stands for the phrase "Contasta Ar," which can be translated as "from the founding of Ar."

10,110 CA {Year of Pa Kur's Horde} 1960 AD
10,119 CA {Restoration of Marlenus} 1969 AD
10,137 CA {Cosian Invasion of Ar} 1987 AD
10,150 CA {Current Year} 1999 AD

Chronology of Ko-ro-ba
Although no actual reference is made to the formal reckoning of years in the city of Tarl Cabot's training, it is a reasonable assumption that since the entire city was destroyed {only to be rebuilt years later}, that they would formulate a new calender based upon the year in which that climactic event occurred. In any case, that is how it is presented below. Note that Year 1 {1969 AD} is the first year AFTER Ko-ro-ba's Home Stone was returned to the city site by Matthew Cabot. Therefore, the events of the third book
{Priest-Kings of Gor} actually took place during the preceding year.

Year 1, Post-Reconstruction 1969 AD
Year 31, Post-Reconstruction {Current Year} 1999 AD

Chronology of Torvaldsland
In Torvaldsland the years are numbered by Rune-Priests, and the starting date {Year 1} of their chronology dates from the legendary event "Thor's Gift to Torvald," when the god Thor supposedly traded the spring of Torvaldsland to the hero Torvald in exchange for a ring of gold.

1,006 Rune-Priest Year {Year of the War Arrow} 1972 AD
1,030 Rune-Priest Year {Current Year} 1999 AD

Chronology of Port Kar
The books are very specific about the manner in which years are numbered in Port Kar, and Tarl Cabot often makes use of the term which have been abbreviated below as "SCC." This actually represents the designation "Of the Sovereignty of the Council of Captains," meaning that the chronology of Port Kar was revised almost thirty years ago to refer specifically to the year of the Council's assumption of power in that city.

Year 1 SCC {Year of Victory over Cos and Tyros} 1970 AD
Year 30 SCC {Current Year} 1999 AD

Chronology of Turia
As in the case of Ko-ro-ba, above, the Turian reckoning of years have been dated from a definitive event in the city's history, namely Turia's invasion and defeat and the subsequent restoration of her Home Stone by the Ubar-San of the Wagon Peoples.

Year 1 The Sparing of Turia 1969 AD
Year 30, Post-Invasion {Current Year} 1999 AD

Chronology of Tharna
The chronology of Tharna has been dated from the dethronement and enslavement of the freewomen once known as the "Silver Masks." Each year since therefore bears the title "Sa`ng-fori" after it, acknowledging that each year since that event is a year of freedom for its male inhabitants.

Year 1 Sa'ng-fori {"without chains"} 1968 AD
Year 32, Sa'ng-fori {Current Year} 1999 AD

Chronology of the Wagon Peoples
The Wagon Peoples are an unusual case, as they do not number their years at all; instead they give each year a specific name relating to the most important event which occurred during that particular period. These names are not written down, but rather are entrusted to individuals known as "Year Keepers" who commit them permanently to memory to be passed down to their descendants. Fortunately, we are given the names of at least two such years in the fourth book of the series, "Nomads of Gor."

"The Year in Which Tarl Cabot Came to the Wagon Peoples" 1968 AD
"The Year in which Tarl Cabot Commanded a Thousand" 1969 AD
31st Year of the Ubar-San {Current Year} 1999 AD

Time and the Days
a gorean year has 12 months.
a gorean month has 5 hands (week), then comes the passage hand.
a hand has 5 days.
a gorean day consists of 20 Ahn (hour).
an Ahn has 40 Ehn. (minute)
an Ihn has 80 Ihn (second)

En'Kara: The first month of the Gorean calendar, that of the vernal equinox, which is the Gorean new year; roughly equivalent to the Earth calendar month of March
Camerius: The third month of the Gorean calendar (in Ar and some other cities)
Selnar: The third month of the Gorean calendar (in Ko-ro-ba and some other cities)
En'Var: The fourth month of the Gorean calendar, that of the summer solstice, roughly equivalent with the Earth calendar month of June
Se'Kara: The seventh month of the Gorean calendar, that of the autumnal equinox, roughly equivalent to the Earth calendar month of September
Se'Var: (noun; lit. 'second resting'): the tenth month of the Gorean calendar, that of the winter solstice, roughly equivalent with the Earth calendar month of December

Kajuralia: A festival, similar to the Feast of Fools, is which slaves trade places with their masters and have much freedom to play tricks on free persons; celebrated in most cities on the last day of the 12th Passage Hand, but in Ar and some other cities on the last day of the 5th month, the day before the Love Feast

Love Feast: Common name for the 5th Passage Hand, occuring in late summer, which time is the greatest period for the sale of slaves, esp. slavegirls

Sardar Fairs: Huge fairs held 4 times each year at the foot of the Sardar Mountains; they coincide with the equinoxes and solstices (En'Kara, En'Var, Se'Kara, & Se'Var); for the during of the Fair, the area is neutral territory: no one may be enslaved at the Fair (though slaves captured elsewhere may be sold), & no blood may be spilled; serves as a trading point for information and merchandise; every Gorean is required to visit the Fair at least once before the age of 25

Waiting Hand: The 5-day period between the 12th Passage Hand and the beginning of the New Year, which begins on the Vernal Equinox

Book 21 takes place in 10,130 Contasta Ar

On Gor there are numerous ways to measure time, from the simple 2:26 sundials which sit atop every pasang stone marker on roads, to the intricate mechanical clocks, beautiful water clocks, and even battery powered time pieces, technological masterpieces which are very rare and very expensive.

ihn 1 second
ehn 1 minute, consisting of 80 ihn
ahn 1 hour, consisting of 40 ehn, or 3200 ihn

20th ahn midnight
day consists of 20 ahn, or 800 ehn, or 64000 ihn
hand 1 week, consisting of 5 days

Date keeping varies widely from city to city, most cities calculate their time from the last major significant event. For example, in Port Kar, the year is calculated from the year that the Five Ubars were overthrown and the Council of Captains gained sovereignty. Thus, a citizen of Port Kar might reckon that a given year is Year 15 from the Sovereignty of the Council of Captains.

Contasta Ar - Meaning, "From the Founding of Ar", Ar claims a history going back over 10,000 years, the most ancient historical lineage claimed on Gor. Time is often reckoned by this measure, it is used as a standard to synchronize the otherwise very confusing time lines found from city to city across Gor.

1998 on Earth was 10,149 Contasta Ar on Gor, as calculated by the year of the first Gor novel, Tarnsman of Gor, and the year stated in that manuscript, and subtracting one year for publishing schedules on Earth.

In Captive, published in 1983, appears this:it was said to be the year 10,1217:206 . However, since the action described inCaptives is all flashback, no accurate dating can be gleaned from there.

There are 12 twenty-five day Gorean months in most of the calendars of the various cities. Each month, containing five five-day weeks, is separated by a five-day period called the Passage Hand. The Passage hand separates between every month, there being one exception which is the last month of the year. This month is separated from the first month of the next year, which begins with the Vernal Equinox, not only by a Passage Hand but by another five-day period called the Waiting Hand. During the Waiting Hand is the time doorways are painted white, little food is eaten or drunk, no singing or public rejoicing is done. In its way it is akin to a period of mourning for the old year gone. Goreans spend much of their time outdoors, on the bridges between the cylinders and in the streets. They have a reverence for nature that is not always as appreciated on earth as it is on Gor.

2:178-179 "Chronology, incidentally, is the despair of scholars on Gor, for each city keeps track of time by virtue of its own Administrator Lists; for example, a year is referred to as the Second Year when so-and-so was Administrator of the City. One might think that some stability would be provided by the Initiates who must keep a caldendar of their feasts and observances, but the Initiates of one city do not always celebrate the same feast on the same day as do those of another city. If the High Initiate of Ar should ever succeed in extending his hegemony over the High Initiates of rival cities, a hegemony which he claims he possesses already incidentally, a unified calendar might be introduced. But so far there has been no military victory of Ar over other cities and, accordingly, free of the sword, the Initiates of each city regard themselves as supreme within their own walls."

On the Vernal Equinox, which marks the first day of the New Year there is great rejoicing; the doors are painted green there is song, games, contests, visiting of friends and feasting which lasts for the first ten days of the month, thereby doubling the period taken by the Waiting Hand. Month names differ from city to city, but among the civilized cities there are four months, associated with the equinoxes and solstices and the great fairs of the Sardar.