Antiquities

Ancient Armenian calendar

Ancient Armenian calendar. The material is selected from different sources, so I hope I didn’t make any mistakes. If anything is wrong, please correct me.

So: In pagan times, Armenians named the days of the week after the Sun, Moon, and the then-known five planets.

  1. Sunday – Aregaki
  2. Monday – Lusni
  3. Tuesday – Grati
  4. Wednesday – Paylatsu’i
  5. Thursday – Lusntag’i
  6. Friday – Arus’yaki
  7. Saturday – Erevaki

As for the months, Armenians had thirteen of them. 12 months with 30 days each and the 13th month, which could have 5 or 6 days depending on whether it was a leap year or not.

  1. Navasard – 30 days
  2. Gorr – 30 days
  3. Sam – 30 days
  4. Tre – 30 days
  5. Kagots – 30 days
  6. Aryats – 30 days
  7. Megheki – 30 days
  8. Aregi – 30 days
  9. Ageki – 30 days
  10. Mareri – 30 days
  11. Margats – 30 days
  12. Grotits – 30 days
  13. Havelyats – 5(6) days

Interestingly, in the ancient Armenian calendar, not only the months, but also the days of the month had their names. Each day was named after one of the gods of the Armenian pantheon.

  1. Areg
  2. Grand
  3. Aram
  4. Margar
  5. Aghrank
  6. Madegh
  7. Astghik
  8. Mihr
  9. Dzopaber
  10. Murts
  11. Erezkan
  12. Ani
  13. Parkhar
  14. Vanat
  15. Aramazd
  16. Mani
  17. Asak
  18. Masis
  19. Anahit
  20. Aragats
  21. Grgor
  22. Korduik
  23. Tsmak
  24. Lusnak
  25. Tsron
  26. Npat
  27. Vahagn
  28. Sein
  29. Varag
  30. Gisheravar

The 24 hours of the day also had their own names

  1. Khavarakan
  2. Agdjamugdzhn
  3. Mtats’yaln
  4. Shaguvotn
  5. Kamavotn
  6. Bavakann
  7. Gavtap’yaln
  8. Gizkan
  9. Lusachemn
  10. ARAVOTN
  11. Lusapayln
  12. Paylatsumn
  13. Aygn
  14. Tsaygn
  15. Zoryats’yaln
  16. Charagaytyaln
  17. Sharavig’yaln
  18. Erkratesn
  19. Shantakaln
  20. Grakatn
  21. Gurtap’yaln
  22. Tagant’yaln
  23. ARAVARN
  24. Arpogn

Author: Alexander Bakulin

Translated by Vigen Avetisyan

Vigen Avetisyan

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