Dekans

Dekans are a system of timekeeping used in ancient Egypt to divide the night into twelve equal parts. Each dekan was a group of stars, and their heliacal rising (the first appearance of a star just before sunrise) marked the beginning of a new dekan. These star groups were crucial for determining the hours of the night, as well as for astrological and religious purposes.

The dekans were depicted in astronomical ceilings found in tombs and temples, such as the tomb of Senenmut. These depictions often showed the dekan figures and their associated celestial bodies. The system was based on a cyclical understanding of time, with the dekans appearing in a specific order throughout the night and the year. The choice of stars for the dekans was likely based on their visibility and prominence in the night sky over Egypt.

As the Egyptian civilization evolved, so did the understanding and application of the dekan system. It influenced later astrological practices and was integrated into the broader framework of Egyptian cosmology. The dekans served as a celestial clock, allowing ancient Egyptians to track the passage of time during the dark hours and to align their religious observances with astronomical events.