Features of the time account of the peoples of Asia

Here we at least briefly dwell on some notable features of the time account that existed in the recent past among the peoples of the Asian part of the USSR.It is known, for example, that the peoples of Central Asia who have adopted Mohammedanism have long used two ways of counting time: the official lunar Muslim calendar and the unofficial, popular lunisolar sun, which was better coordinated with the rhythm of their agricultural work.

Here is how, in particular, the agricultural calendar of Tajiks looked like. The first, spring month was called gray( with the beginning around March 22), because during this period the land is freed from snow;the second month - green( fresh greens appear), the third - brown( the plants darken).Then there is a month of maturation( this is about August in our calendar), etc. The time span from December 2 to March 24 was divided into a large and a small forty days( respectively, for 40 and 20 days) and for the period "Sun in a man"35 days, in which the account of the days was conducted from the soles and nails of the legs up to the knee and further to the waist. The last two days of this period belonged to the new year.

In Khorezm, until 1920, a solar calendar was used, the months of which were named zodiacal constellations: Aries, Taurus, etc.

In some peoples of Western Siberia, the year was 13 months, the duration of which varied and depended on external natural features, according to whichthey were installed. For example, in the Chulym Tatars, August was the "month of white fish", October - "month of red leaves".In the calendar of this people there was also a "month of bare leaves", "a month of little frost," "a month of great frost," etc. The Upper Kolyma Yukaghirs divided the year into six different periods: winter, first spring, second spring,summer and autumn. Nizhnekolymskiy Yukaghirs in the XVIII century.used such names of the months as "hunting"( March), "watery"( August), "fish"( September).The account of the months they led on the joints of the fingers "over the head" - from the first joints of the fingers of the right hand to the first joints of the fingers of the left hand. Yukagir designation of the year - nemolgil - and means "all joints together". ..