calendars

A monumental site in Mexico

Investigations at Aguada Fénix, in the lowlands of Tabasco, south-east Mexico, are uncovering evidence of a vast ritual complex constructed c.3,000 years ago. The site was first discovered via LiDAR in 2017, and initial explorations uncovered a large artificial platform…

Left Like their modern counterparts, medieval calendars could be illustrated with temporally appropriate images. This leaf, from a lavish 15th century manuscript from Bruges, is decorated with an agricultural scene featuring peasants harvesting grain using sickles. Saints’ feast days are listed in the centre of the page.

Seasons, saints, and feast days

When exactly did we begin to lose touch with the natural cycle of the sun, the stars, and the seasons? Was it at the start of the Industrial Revolution, when people moved from land-based activities to working in factories?