How was the ancient Egyptian civil year organized?

The ancient Egyptian civil year was a 365-day system designed primarily for administrative and governmental purposes, distinct from the lunar calendars used for religious and agricultural life.12

Structure of the Civil Year

The year was organized into 12 months of 30 days each, totaling 360 days. To complete the 365-day count, five additional days, known as epagomenal days, were added at the end of the year.12

The year was further divided into three distinct seasons, each consisting of four months:
* Inundation: The period when the Nile River overflowed its banks.2
* Going Forth: The time when the waters receded, marking the planting season.2
* Deficiency: The season of low water and harvest.2

Chronological Discrepancy

Because the civil year was approximately one-quarter of a day shorter than the solar year, it did not include a leap-year mechanism. Consequently, the calendar drifted through the seasons, completing a full cycle every 1,460 years, a period known as the Sothic cycle. Dates were typically recorded by the regnal year of the reigning monarch, the season, the month, and the day.123