Danna (Mesopotamian)

Beru (Akkadian) or Dannas (Sumerian) is a word denoting a unit of time consisting of two hours. There were twelve Berus in a day[1] Danna was first used around 2400 BC[2]

Change in length and decline

In Hellenistic times the Danna was halved with the introduction of the temporal hours and the number of daylight hours increased from twelve to twenty-four. The conversion was based on the ancient Egyptian precursors of the 24 seasonally - equal hours. A 24-hour division of the day could not be proven in inscriptions on Babylonian tablets, which is why the Babylonians cannot be used as the originators of the 24-hour division of the day.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Sumerian Questions and Answers". www.sumerian.org. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  2. Vgl. François Thureau-Dangin: Textes de l'époque d'Agadé <Fouilles d'Ernest de Sarzec en 1895> - Inventaire des tablettes de Tello (Teil 1) -, Leroux, Paris 1910, 11, 1175; Otto Neugebauer: Astronomy and history - Selected essays -, Springer, New York 1983, S. 8.
  3. Vgl. Friedrich-Karl Ginzel: Handbuch der mathematischen und technischen Chronologie, Bd. 1 - Zeitrechnung der Babylonier, Ägypter, Mohammedaner, Perser, Inder, Südostasiaten, Chinesen, Japaner und Zentralamerikaner -, Deutsche Buch-Ex- und Import, Leipzig 1958 (Nachdruck Leipzig 1906), S. 123.
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