Традиционный календарь алтайцев в начале XXI века

Traditional Calendar of Altaians at the Beginning of XXI Century

In modern Altai culture coexist two calendars: state (Gregorian) and traditional ritual (Central Asian). The Altai folk calendar is widely known in the Altai society and is actively used in ritual life. According to the traditional calendar, based on the phases of the moon, people determine the “positive” and “defective” time. Knowledge of the phases of the moon allows us to talk about the quality of time. Knowledge of the quality of time is crucial in human decision-making. The traditional calendar consists of a large 12-year-old animal and a small 12-month-old. Animal calendar counts the year. The monthly calendar counts months. The most widespread in the life periods of a month, a year. The year consists of two seasons, warm and cold, in turn divided into two periods: autumn-winter, spring-summer. The names of the months reflect the economic activities of the Altaians and their observations of nature. For example, September is called maral (deer) sygyn, which traditionally corresponded to the beginning of the hunting season. Sub-ethnic group of Altaians also in their calendars keep the household names of the months and seasons. From large units of time are well preserved ideas about the centuries where the century is equal 100 years, and 60. At the same time, the Altaians also knew long periods of time in 120, 600, 1800, 2400, 3600 years, but little used such intervals in everyday life.