“When the cows return downhill” meant late afternoon. “When goats seek shade” was the hottest hour. Such observations were passed down orally.

This system shows how pre-modern Georgians blended astronomy, ecology, and faith. Unlike modern “clock time,” tamazhisbis gadmowera was fluid, local, and social — a forgotten way of experiencing life not by minutes, but by meaningful moments. If you’d like, I can also write this as a short blog-style article or an academic abstract in Georgian. Just let me know.

Time wasn’t uniform: winter hours were shorter (less work outdoors), summer hours longer. A “day” was from sunrise to sunset, divided into tasks (e.g., “time to plow two furrows”).