time

is not a measuring device but gives a rhythmic form to social life. Periodized and segmented qualitatively rather than quantitatively. Modern quantitative time might be due to the separation of temporality from the 'things' of social life.

For Hubert, the calendric periodization of time, established in religio-magic practices, segments time but does so qualitatively: Periods are defined by specific social activities or 'facts' (choses) whoseparticularities andvaryingintensities give 'active qualities' to these categories of duration. Calendars do not so much measure time as give it rhythmic form. In his view, the homogeneous notion of time maybe due to the separation of temporality from the 'things' of social life (91:129... cf 96:202). Thus Hubert turns Bergson on his head, grounding qualitative temporalrhythmsin objective, social life and giving them a morphologyof segmenting categories that Bergson regardedas quantified, static 'spatialization.' (Munn 1992: 95)

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Hubert