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Nisan-years is an ancient calendar system used around Mesopotamia. Its beginning was from the prehistorical era. Ever since Mesopotamia had historical writings, even before the First Babylonian dynasty of Hammurabi, its calendar used the Nisan-years.James B. Pritchard, ed. Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1969), 269-317.D. J. Wiseman, Chronicles of Chaldean Kings (625-556 B.C.) in the British Museum (London: The Trustees of the British Museum, 1961).Jack Finegan, Handbook of Biblical Chronology, rev ed. (Peabody MA: Hendrickson Publishers), 25-42.
Nisan-years is a lunisolar calendar system, in which the and the Tropical year are synchronized by adding in an intercalary month in leap year of nineteen years (called the Metonic cycle). Since a tropical year is 365.2422 days,Colin, Alister Ronan, Measurement of Time and Types of Calendars, from 'Calendar', in Encyclopædia Britannica, vol 3 (Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc, 1984), 596 and a synodic month is averaged 29.53059 days,"Month" in Encyclopædia Britannica, vol VI (Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc, 1986), 1024. in nineteen years the solar calendar and the will only differ by about two hours, or 1 part in 80,000.
Nisan-years begin in the Spring season. Technically, its New Year's Day is the day after the New Moon closest to (within fifteen days before or after) the March equinox, when the day and the night is of equal length, typically March 20 in the Gregorian Calendar). It begins the first month, named Nisanu/Nisan/Abib.
The way to determine whether or not an intercalary month should be added was by agricultural observation in Israel. If by the end of a Nisan-year barley did not grow spikes a month was added so that barley can be harvested in the month of Nisan.
Jewish tradition fixed Nisan 16, the second day after Passover (Nisan 15), as the wave offering or omer offering in Israel, when a portion of the harvested barley is dedicated to God as a Thanksgiving. Karaites and Sadducees, however, fixed it on the first day after the Shabbat based on their interpretation of "Shabbat" in (Leviticus 23:9-14), which simply means day of rest, which can mean either the seventh day of the week, or alternatively a holy convocation on a weekday depending on the context.
| First | Nisanu | Nisan | Abib | Zib | March–April |
| Second | Aianu | Iyyar | Ziv | Mattan | April–May |
| Third | Simanu | Sivan | Zabh Shamash | May–June | |
| Fourth | Duzu | Tammuz | Kirar | June–July | |
| Fifth | Abu | Av | Mopa' Lepani | July–August | |
| Sixth | Ululu | Elul | Mopa' | August–September | |
| Seventh | Tishritu | Tishri | Ethanim | Attanim | September–October |
| Eighth | Arahsamnu | Heshvan/Macheshvan | Bul | Bul | October–November |
| Ninth | Kislimu | Kislev | Merape' | November–December | |
| Tenth | Tebetu | Tevet | Pagarim | December–January | |
| Eleventh | Shabatu | Shevat | Tsakh | Pa'alat | January–February |
| Twelfth | Addaru | Adar | Hiyar | February–March |
The observation of the New Moon may be influenced by the weather condition, so the Rosh Chodesh may be delayed for one or two days. But over all the errors cancel each other, and the calendar system remains accurate.
The intercalary month could be a second Sixth Month (Ululu II), as often practiced in Mesopotamia, or a second Twelfth Month (Adar II, Adar Sheni, or ve-Adar) as consistently practices in Israel.Richard A. Parker and Waldo H. Dubberstein, Babylonian Chronology, 626 B.C. - A.D. 75 (Providence, RI: Brown University Press, 1956)
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