Abantu abaningi baseYurophu nabaseMedithera bamukela indlela yakudala yamaSumerian-Babylonian yokubala isikhathi, esebenzisa amahora angu-24 ngosuku, ngamahora angu-60 ngalinye, nemizuzu engu-60 ngomzuzu ngamunye.  Namuhla kusekhona amadigri angu-360 esiyingini ngenxa yonyaka wakudala waseBhabhiloni wama-360 izinsuku. (Lokho konke kwashintsha ngemva kwenhlekelele ka-701 B.C.) Manje unyaka wethu cishe unama-365 1/4 izinsuku ubude.

Abaningi basebenzisa imijikelezo yenyanga, kumakhalenda enyanga angu-28 kuya kwangu-29, bezama ukuvumelanisa lolu hambo olujwayelekile (lwenyanga) nemijikelezo yelanga yonyaka.

Ikhalenda yamaShayina, isibonelo, isesikhathini sango-4723 (ngo-2025). Kubonakala ifaka uphawu usuku lokuzalwa lukaNowa (noma omunye umcimbi obalulekile), cishe eminyakeni engu-300 ngaphambi kweSikhukhula Esikhulu. Impucuko yabo ayisukeli ngaphambi kwalelo sikhathi nhlobo. Kodwa bamemezele ukuthi leli phuzu elithile lokuqala noma imvelaphi yomuntu wokuqala liyikho.

Ikhalenda lamaMaya yasethwa kabusha ngo-2012. Vele, abanye babikezele ukuphela komhlaba ngaleso sikhathi, kodwa imvelaphi yayo ibuyela emuva iminyaka engu-5,125 edlule, noma cishe iminyaka engu-400 ngaphambi kokubala kwamaShayina.

Amakhalenda amaningi adluliselwe avela eNdiya Yakudala. Ikhalenda yeMahabharat yaqala cishe ngonyaka ka-3,200 B.C. Lokho kungabeka ukuqala kwayo phakathi kwamakhalenda amaMaya nawamaShayina, okusho ukuthi kwaqala ngenxa yesigameko esithile ngesikhathi sangaphambi komhlanga.

Umsuka wekhalenda lasendulo laseGibhithe usaqhubeka uphikiswa. Abanye bathi laqala cishe eminyakeni engu-4,500 eyedlule, abanye bathi laqala kancane ngaphambi kweminyaka engu-6,000 eyedlule (4236 B.C.). (Zombili ziyahambisana nohlu lwezikhathi lweBhayibheli.)

Akukho isizwe esinelanga elibhalwe phansi elibuyela emuva iminyaka engu-15,000 noma engu-20,000.  Kodwa ithiyori yokuziphendukela kwezinto ithi abantu sebeyibo abantu (ngokwengqondo nangokomzimba) iminyaka engaphezu kuka-100,000. Manje linda, uma lokho kuyiqiniso, akubonakali sengathi othile kwenye indawo wayezoklama ikhalenda enembile kudala kakhulu ngaphambi kwesikhathi esiphikiswa yiBhayibheli seminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-6,000 edlule? Futhi-ke, isayensi yangempela nomlando wangempela kuhambisana kahle nezimfundiso zeBhayibheli.  Kodwa abalandeli bokuziphendukela kwemvelo kumele bangayinaki ubufakazi ukuze bazifake sengathi ithiyori yabo iyamukeleka. Bazothi abantu bazulazula (bethola indlela yokwenza umlilo namavili) iminyaka eyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ambalwa - bese "poof!" ngokuzumayo kuzo zonke izwekazi, kungakapheli iminyaka engamakhulu komunye nomunye - bonke banquma ukuqala ukudala amakhalenda?

Izindaba zeparadesi lasendulo langempela (njengeGadi yase-Edeni) zisakhona emhlabeni wonke. Ukudala kukaNkulunkulu (noma oonkulunkulu), ukuphila isikhathi eside, indawo ephelele, nabantu bokuqala abahlakaniphile abathi kamuva bawela ebunzimeni nasebubiweni, konke kuyingxenye yalezi zindaba. Bheka incwadi kaFrazier.  Kwathi-ke uNkulunkulu (noma oonkulunkulu) wabangela Umkhukhula womhlaba wonke, njengoba sekurekhodiwe emhlabeni jikelele emasikweni ahlukene; kunezinganekwane ezingamakhulu ngomkhukhula.

Hhayi amasiko kuphela, kodwa nezinhlangano zifuna ukusungula ukuzinza kwazo komlando. E-Italy abanye bangalandelela imvelaphi yabo baya ezinsalela zamaRoma lasendulo. EJapane imindeni eminingi ingalandelela imvelaphi yayo ibuyele ezikhathini zamaShogun. Noma eMelika ngokwesibonelo, "Amadodakazi eNguquko yaseMelika" (njengenhlangano eyodwa) angakhomba ifa elide. Ukufuna ukusungula umlando oqinile kube kubalulekile kubantu abaningi.

Ukuzakhela ubuqotho noma ubudala - lokhu kwenzeka namuhla. Impela abantu basendulo nabo benza kanjalo. AmaGibhithe abonakala sengathi azame ukwenza "imvelaphi" yawo ibonakale indala kunaleyo yabanye. Ingabe benza ngokweqile? AmaSumeriya ngandlela thile abala iminyaka yokuphila yababusi bokuqala eyayifika ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka. Lokhu kuwukweqa okuthakazelisayo ekulindeleni impilo kwangempela kwabakhokho ngaphambi kwesikhukhula. Empeleni baphila cishe iminyaka engu-900 kuya kwengu-950, ngokwezirekhodi eziseNcwadini kaGenesise.