“For earth... sky. For winter... summer. For darkness... light.” ―Threnodies 5
Astronomical calendar written in ancient Tevene
There are several calendars in use throughout Thedas.
Calendars of Thedas[]
Chantry calendar[]
- See also: Timeline
The most common calendar in Thedas is the Chantry calendar, which is used everywhere outside Tevinter. Its first year honors the appointment of the first head of the Chantry, Divine Justinia I. Anything prior to 1:01 Divine is known as the Ancient Era and denoted using negative numbers. The Chantry calendar is further divided into Ages, each a hundred years long and named by the incumbent Divine in the last year of the preceding age based on predictions of things to come. There have been nine ages since the formation of the Chantry.[1][2]
However, as lore states anything prior to 1:01 Divine is considered Ancient in the Chantry Timeline, and is the Epoch Year for the Chantry Calendar, the Divine Age is assumed to be the exception and the only age that starts with year 1 and in fact only comprises ninety-nine years.
Tevinter calendar[]
The Tevinter Imperium uses its own calendar, known as either the Tevinter calendar or the Imperial calendar, which predates the Chantry calendar by over a thousand years. It starts at the date the Imperium was founded and the first Archon crowned, marked as 0 TE (-1195 Ancient). Tevinter temporarily switched to using the Chantry calendar shortly after its creation but returned to using its own calendar after the Schism of 3:87 Towers and the separation of the Orlesian and Tevinter Chantry. Anything prior to 0 TE is denoted using negative numbers.[3][2]
Elven calendar[]
The oldest known calendar is the elven calendar, which has gone almost entirely unused outside of scholarly circles after Tevinter enslaved the elven race and banned its use. It begins with the founding of Arlathan, capital of the elven empire, and is marked as 1 FA (-6405 TE or -7600 Ancient), the earliest recorded date in the history of Thedas, though it is only a rough estimate.[3][2]
Calendar conversion[]
| Elven calendar | Imperial calendar | Chantry calendar | Major event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 FA | -6405 TE | -7600 Ancient | Founding of Arlathan |
| 3000 FA | -3405 TE | -4600 Ancient | First contact between Elves and Dwarves |
| 4500 FA | -1905 TE | -3100 Ancient | Humans explore Thedas |
| 6405 FA | 0 TE | -1195 Ancient | Tevinter Imperium founded |
| 7205 FA | 800 TE | -395 Ancient | The First Blight begins |
| 7430 FA | 1025 TE | -170 Ancient | The death of Andraste |
| 7600 FA | 1195 TE | 1:01 Divine | Justinia I is elected the first Divine |
| 7604 FA | 1199 TE | 1:05 Divine | The Second Blight begins |
| 7809 FA | 1404 TE | 3:10 Towers | The Third Blight begins |
| 7886 FA | 1481 TE | 3:87 Towers | The Chantry Schism |
| 8011 FA | 1606 TE | 5:12 Exalted | The Fourth Blight begins |
| 8429 FA | 2024 TE | 9:30 Dragon | The Fifth Blight begins |
| 8440 FA | 2035 TE | 9:41 Dragon | The Breach and War against the Elder One |
List of months and holidays[]
Both the Chantry and Tevinter calendars consist of twelve thirty-day months with an additional five days known as annums which are used to mark the transition between the four seasons and the first day of the year. The annums are major holidays celebrated throughout most of Thedas, from the Tevinter Imperium to Ferelden. The system was developed in the early years of the Tevinter Imperium. Although each month has a name in the language of Ancient Tevinter, commonfolk primarily use the "low" names, whereas courts and scholars use the official "high" names for months. The arrangement of months and primary seasonal holidays remained unchanged in the last two thousand years, except for the addition of Chantry holidays following the Second Blight.[4][5]
The system was developed with influence from elves.[5]
The Tevinter names are listed first, followed by the more common name for the month.[4][5]
- 1st month: Verimensis / Wintermarch (Annum: First Day)
- 2nd month: Pluitanis / Guardian (Annum: Wintersend)
- 3rd month: Nubulis / Drakonis
- 4th month: Eluviesta / Cloudreach
- 5th month: Molioris / Bloomingtide (Annum: Summerday)
- 6th month: Ferventis / Justinian
- 7th month: Solis / Solace
- 8th month: Matrinalis / August (Annum: All Soul's Day)
- 9th month: Parvulis / Kingsway
- 10th month: Frumentum / Harvestmere
- 11th month: Umbralis / Firstfall (Annum: Satinalia)
- 12th month: Cassus / Haring
The five holidays, or annums, take place at the beginning of the month within which they fall.[4][note]
The five "annums" exist without a month of their own.[5][note]
Thedosians use the following date format: day, month, year, age name. For example: "13 Justinian, 9:39 Dragon".[6]
Days of the week[]
Most, if not all, weekday names are based on the real-world Gregorian calendar:
Description of holidays[]
First Day[]
The traditional start of the year, this holiday involves visits to neighbors and family (in remote areas, this was once an annual check to ensure everyone was alive), as well as a town gathering to commemorate the year past, accompanied by drinking and merriment.[4][5][15] In some areas it's customary to eat chicken on First Day.[16]
Wintersend[]
Once called “Urthalis” and dedicated to Urthemiel, the Old God of Beauty, this holiday has now become a celebration of the Maker. It stands for the end of winter in many lands and coincides with tourneys and contests at the Proving Grounds in Minrathous. In southern lands, this holiday has become a day of gathering for trade, theater, and, in some areas, the arrangement of marriages. It is celebrated at the beginning of Pluitanis.[4][5][15]
Summerday[]
Once called “Andoralis” and dedicated to Andoral, the Old God of Unity, this holiday is universally celebrated as the beginning of summer, a time for joy and, commonly, marriage. Children ready to come of age don white tunics and gowns. They then join a grand procession that crosses the settlement to the local Chantry, where they are taught the responsibilities of adulthood. Summerday is a particularly holy occasion in Orlais. It is celebrated at the beginning of Molioris.[4][5][15]
All Soul’s Day[]
Once called “Funalis” and dedicated to Dumat, the Old God of Silence. However, since Dumat’s rise during the First Blight, Thedosians turn a blind eye to any old ties between the day and the dragon. The holiday is now known across Thedas as All Soul’s Day and spent in somber remembrance of the dead. In some northern lands, the people dress as spirits and walk the streets in parade after midnight. The Chantry uses the holiday to remember the death of Andraste, with public fires that mark her immolation and plays that depict her death. It is celebrated at the beginning of Matrinalis.[4][5][15]
Satinalia[]
Once dedicated to the Old God of Chaos, Zazikel—but now attributed more to the second moon, Satina—this holiday is accompanied by wild celebration, the wearing of masks, and naming the town fool as ruler for a day. In Antiva, Satinalia lasts for a week or more, while a week of fasting follows. In more pious areas, large feasts and the giving of gifts mark the holiday. Satinalia is celebrated at the beginning of Umbralis.[4][5][15] Satinalia is also known as "Feastday".[17] Fluffy mackerel pudding is a special dish described as a "unique combination" of mackerel, eggs, onions, and celery. It is strongly associated with Feast Day and considered to be a key component of the holiday, when it is often eaten as "Feast Day Fish".[18] The recipe for this dish found in Arl Eamon's estate lists green pepper, mustard, salt, ground Antivan pepper, ground mace and ground cardamom seed as further ingredients used in Feast Day Fish.
Solstice[]
Various Thedosian cultures observe solstices. In the ancient kingdom of Barindur, winter solstice was celebrated.[19] The Avvar build altars that have a hidden opening, which aligns with the rising sun on the day of winter solstice.[20] The Chantry also celebrates solstices.[21] Commonfolk may decorate their villages for winter solstice festivities.[22] People gather at solstice dinner parties,[23] and create solstice lists, presumably for the purpose of gift-giving.[12]
Codex entries[]
Trivia[]
- There is something called a "name-day" in the dwarven commoner origin,[24] although it's not made clear what this day signifies. "Name-days" are also mentioned in the official cookbook, with Devon commenting that their mother baked chocolate cake for them every time it was their name-day, starting from the tenth one.[25] Further, an event referred to as the "naming day" is referenced elsewhere, and it is presented as an occasion for partying.[26] The term "birthday" is used in every other context including codex entries and conversations in-game.[27]
- Satinalia is also known as "Feastday".[17] It is likely based on the Roman Saturnalia, also celebrated in the onset of winter and marked with merriment and revelry.
- The month of August was originally intended to be named after Andraste. This was during a point in early development of Dragon Age: Origins when her name was Augusta.[28]
- According to Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 1 page 21, a calendar year consists of twelve months, each thirty days long, adding up to 360 days in a year. The five annums are described to be celebrated at the beginning of a given month, presumably counting towards that month's number of days. However, in the Prima Official Guide the five annums were once described as holidays that exist without a month of their own.[29] This would mean they are counted in addition to the regular month days, resulting in a year of 365 days.
- For the Chantry calendar system, the correct way to write years with a leading zero has varied throughout the series. In Dragon Age: Origins and the first volume of Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, after the first year of an age (i.e 9:00 Dragon), the leading zero is dropped (i.e. 9:1 Dragon). Starting in Dragon Age 2 and in all subsequent entries and media, the leading zero is retained when writing dates (i.e. 9:01 Dragon).
- According to Gaider, the Ages system utilized by the Chantry features an "interstitial" or transitional year which belongs to neither the preceding or following Age.[30]
