Almanac
A regularly published listing of current information arranged by calendar.
An almanac (historically spelled almanack) is a regularly published listing of a set of current information about one or multiple subjects. It includes information like weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, tide tables, and other tabular data often arranged according to the calendar. Celestial figures and various statistics are found in almanacs, such as the rising and setting times of the Sun and Moon, dates of eclipses, hours of high and low tides, and religious festivals. The set of events noted in an almanac may be tailored for a specific group of readers, such as farmers, sailors, or astronomers.
- earliest_known_example
- Babylonian Almanac, middle of the second millennium BC
Lore & Background
The earliest texts considered almanacs have been found in the Near East, dating back to the middle of the second millennium BC. These include the Babylonian Almanac, which lists favorable and unfavorable days with advice, and Egyptian lists of good and bad moments. The Greek almanac, known as a parapegma, existed as an inscribed stone with movable pegs for days, and Ptolemy wrote a treatise called Phaseis, which organized weather changes and star appearances by the solar year. Surviving Roman menologia rustica combined solar information, agricultural activities, and tutelary deities.
Reader's Guide
The modern almanac differs from earlier astronomical tables in that its entries give directly the positions of celestial bodies without requiring further computation. After almanacs were devised, people saw little difference between predicting stars and tides and predicting the future; early almanacs contained general horoscopes. The etymology of the word 'almanac' remains uncertain, with suggestions of Greek, Arabic, or pseudo-Arabic origins, but no convincing candidate has been found.
Did You Know?
- The word 'almanac' may be pseudo-Arabic, invented in the West to lend prestige to astronomical tables.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an almanac as a literary form?
An almanac is a recurring publication that organizes practical, time-sensitive information—such as celestial data, planting schedules, and tide tables—into a calendar-based format. It is distinct from a general reference work because its entries are structured around the passage of time and often updated on a regular cycle.
What is the earliest known almanac in history?
The oldest identified example is the Babylonian Almanac, dating to the middle of the second millennium BC. It predates modern printed almanacs by thousands of years and already followed the pattern of listing recurring astronomical and agricultural events.
What kinds of information typically appear in an almanac?
Standard entries include sunrise and sunset times, eclipse dates, high- and low-tide hours, religious festival dates, and seasonal planting or harvesting guidance. The content is usually presented in tabular or list form so readers can quickly look up a specific date or event.
How does an almanac differ from a yearbook or a general encyclopedia?
While a yearbook records a single period's events and an encyclopedia covers broad subjects alphabetically, an almanac is specifically organized around the calendar and focuses on recurring, practical data like weather patterns and celestial cycles. Its purpose is forward-looking and cyclical rather than purely retrospective or encyclopedic.
Who are almanacs usually tailored for?
Almanacs are often crafted with a particular readership in mind, such as farmers needing planting dates or sailors relying on tide and celestial tables. This audience-specific tailoring is one of the defining features that separates an almanac from a general-interest publication.
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