The calendar below represents two years (and counting) of research that will eventually take dedicated book form. Because this current list acts as a supplement to our main Kemetic Reform calendar, which officially starts on July 18th, it begins three months into the Standard Babylonian Year and will end three months into the next liturgical year. Such variations aside, it should present a fairly general idea of regular observances in Mesopotamian – which includes Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian – Pagan practice.
Each month begins with the first lunar crescent. Here, calculated dates (as opposed to estimated sightings) are used. Standard Babylonian month names and major holidays, such as theAkitu Festivals and the Feast of Dumuzi, are given in bold print. In ancient times, major lunar phases marked regular observances that were held in temples; today, simple readings of prayers or offerings can be performed by an individual on the quarter phases. On the eighteenth day of each month, the sun god Utu (Akkadian Shamash) was honored with a prayer and libation.
In the ancient Syrian city of Mari, the sixteenth day of each month seems to have marked a “Hunt” of the goddess Ishtar. How this was honored remains unknown, but simple prayers and offerings could certainly suffice. Here, we are extrapolating the idea of the “Hunt” to include the West Semitic goddess Anat, who shared attributes with Ishtar and could be similarly honored. (Anat came to be venerated in New Kingdom Egypt as well, so Her inclusion fits comfortably into our overall theme.)
Full moons often, but not always, marked the occasion of a Sizkur-Gula or “Great Offering” ritual. The last three days of the month, concluding with the new moon, marked the time when ancestral spirits and departed loved ones were honored with a kispum (or 'kispu') ritual in the home. Surviving kispum prayers invoke Nanna (Akkadian Suen or Sin) to act on behalf of the dead, but personal deities can also be addressed. The kispum does not have to be performed on all three days; once during that time frame is sufficient.
Full rituals and prayers for all of these observances will be included in my forthcoming book. For now, those interested can search the ETCSL (Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature) for an invaluable free resource on ancient literature. Inanna-zami! “Inanna be praised!”
June 21st (Friday) – Full moon
June 22nd (Saturday) – Sizkur-Gula (Great Offering) of Simanu; Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
June 25th (Tuesday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
June 28th (Friday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
July 1st (Monday) – Sizkur-Gula rites for the goddess Gula
July 2nd - 5th (Tuesday-Friday) – days for monthly kispum
July 13th (Saturday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
July 16th (Tuesday) – Babylonian Summer Solstice; honor the Sisters of the Esagila and Ezida
July 21st (Sunday) – Full moon; read shu-ila (“hand-raising”) prayers
July 22nd (Monday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
July 24th (Wednesday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
July 27th (Saturday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
August 1st - 3rd (Thursday-Saturday) – Feast of Dumuzi
Aug. 1st (Thursday) – Day of Wailing; read lamentations at sunset
Aug. 2nd (Friday) – Day of Redemption; perform healing or cleansing rites
Aug. 3rd (Saturday) – Day of Dumuzi; host elunum (memorial) feast as part of kispum
August 12th (Monday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
August 15th (Thursday) – Wailing (er-gula) for Ishtar begins at sundown
August 16th (Friday) – Day of tirum (“return”) for Ishtar; offer prayers
(Note: Sumerian Pagans online have a differing, but still valid, interpretation of the elum and tirum of Inanna. The entry given here will be exlained in the forthcoming book.)
August 18th (Sunday) – Feast of Abu (Sumerian “Feast of Ghosts”) observed. Offer to Ereshkigal and Nergal. Honor Gilgamesh.
August 19th (Monday) – Full moon; actual date for Feast of Abu.
August 21st (Wednesday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
August 23rd (Friday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
August 26th (Monday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
September 1st - 2nd (Sunday-Monday) – Maqlu (fire cleansing) rites; days for monthly kispum
September 7th (Saturday) – Ishtar visits Ninlil
September 9th (Monday) – Ishtar visits Nanna/Suen
September 11th (Wednesday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
September 15th (Sunday) – Feast of Kin-Inanna observed; Sizkur-Gula, fire purification for Ishtar and other goddesses; honor historical en-priestesses such as Enheduanna
September 17th (Tuesday) – Full moon; actual Kin-Inanna date
September 19th (Thursday) – Akitu feast for Ishtar of Arbela; Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
September 21st (Saturday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
September 29th-October 1st (Sunday-Tuesday) – days for monthly kispum
October 9th (Wednesday) – Sebut Sebim (“Seventh of the Seventh”); perform purification rites
October 10th (Thursday) – First quarter; Fall Akitu begins
October 12th - 13th (Saturday-Sunday) – weekend observance for Fall Akitu
October 17th (Thursday) – Full moon; read shu-ila (“hand-raising”) prayers
October 19th (Saturday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
October 21st (Monday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
October 24th (Thursday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
October 27th (Sunday) – Elunum (memorial) Feast for the Sacred Mound and the Ancestors of Enlil observed
October 29th (Tuesday) – actual date, elunum for the Sacred Mound
October 30th – November 1st (Wednesday-Friday) – days for monthly kispum
(Note that Halloween/Samhain coincides neatly with the monthly observances for ancestors and a memorial feast for the primeval divine ancestors this year. Take advantage of the good timing!)
November 8th (Friday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
November 15th (Friday) – Full moon; perform Sizkur-Gula rites
November 18th (Monday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
November 20th (Wednesday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
November 22nd (Friday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
November 29th-December 1st (Friday-Sunday) – days for monthly kispum
December 2nd (Monday) – Month of Kislimu begins; Week of honoring Ishtar, December 2nd - 9th
December 4th (Wednesday) – Ishtar wears the robes of Marduk
December 12th (Thurday) – Brazier Festival (actual date)
December 15th (Sunday) – Full moon; Sizkur-Gula ritual; observe Brazier Festival, perform nabru divinations
December 18th (Wednesday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
December 20th (Friday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
December 22nd (Sunday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
December 28th-30th (Saturday-Monday) – days for monthly kispum
January 2nd (Thursday) – Babylonian Winter Solstice; honor the Sisters of the Ezida and the Esagila
January 13th (Monday) – Full moon; perform Sizkur-Gula rites and nabru divinations
January 15th (Wednesday) – Awakening of Ishtar; Fire Festival in Uruk; Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
January 17th (Friday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
January 21st (Tuesday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
January 25th (Saturday) – Feast of the Boat of Heaven
January 27th-29th (Monday-Wednesday) – days for monthly kispum
February 5th (Wednesday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
February 12th (Wednesday) – Full moon; Feast of the Early Grass; honor personal goddesses
February 14th (Friday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
February 16th (Sunday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
February 20th (Thursday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
February 25th-27th (Tuesday-Thursday) – days for monthly kispum
March 6th (Thursday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
March 14th (Friday) – Full moon; read shu-ila (“hand-raising”) prayers, host buru-mash (harvest) feast
March 15th (Saturday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
March 17th (Monday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
March 22nd (Saturday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
March 27th-29th (Thursday-Saturday) – days for monthly kispum
April 4th (Friday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
April 5th-6th (Saturday-Sunday) – Observe Spring Akitu Feast; Read Sacred Marriage poetry
April 12th (Saturday) – Full moon; perform Sizkur-Gula, Enthronement rites
April 14th (Monday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
April 16th (Wednesday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
April 20th (Sunday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
April 25th-27th (Friday-Sunday) – days for monthly kispum
May 4th (Sunday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
May 12th (Monday) – Full moon; read shu-ila (“hand-raising”) prayers, perform Sizkur-Gula rites
May 13th (Tuesday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
May 15th (Thursday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
May 18th (Sunday) – Gusisu Feast For Ninurta; perform divinations, offer beer to Ishtar
May 20th (Tuesday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
May 24th-26th (Saturday-Monday) – days for monthly kispum
June 2nd (Monday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
June 4th (Wednesday) – Sizkur-Gula for Ishtar of Uruk; Blessing of the Brick Molds (actual date)
June 7th-8th (Saturday-Sunday) – Sizkur-Gula and Blessing of Brick Molds observed
June 11th (Wednesday) – Full moon; read shu-ila (“hand-raising”) prayers; Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
June 13th (Friday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
June 18th (Wednesday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
June 21st (Saturday) – Sizkur-Gula rites for the goddess Gula
June 23rd-25th (Monday-Wednesday) – days for monthly kispum
July 2nd (Wednesday) – First quarter; read lamentation hymns
July 6th (Sunday) – Babylonian Summer Solstice; honor the Sisters of the Esagila and Ezida
July 10th (Thursday) – Full moon; read shu-ila (“hand-raising”) prayers
July 11th (Friday) – Hunt of Ishtar, Anat
July 13th (Sunday) – Honor Utu/Shamash
Juy 17th (Thursday) – Last quarter; read prayers or lamentations
July 22nd-24th (Tuesday-Thursday) – Feast of Dumuzi
July 22nd (Tuesday) – Day of Wailing; read lamentations at sunset
July 23rd (Wednesday) – Day of Redemption; perform healing or cleansing rites
July 24th (Thursday) – Day of Dumuzi; host elunum (memorial) feast as part of kispum