Gâhanbâr Calendar
The oldest calendar that has found in Persia
(Iran)
Reza Moradi
Ghiasabadi
Translator:
Saam Sheikh-ol eslam
In Old Persian (Iranian) epigones there are six
yearly celebrations that are called “Gâhanbâr
celebrations”. Name and time of these celebrations
has been recorded differently that shows their long
history. These celebrations they start at summer. In
order are these: “Midyu- shem” that means middle of
summer. “Patyah- shahim” means end of summer.
“Ayâthrema” coldness starting, middle of fall. “Mid-
yârem” means middle of year, end of fall (year
starts in summer). “Hamaspat- madam” that means
equality between day and night or equality between
coldness and warmness, end of winter, spring
equinox. “Midyu- zarem” means middle of green season
or spring.
Writer's idea about these celebrations is that these
ceremonies were parts of an old calendar that length
of the year instead of 12 months had 4 seasons and 4
half seasons and each period had its name and one
celebration.
Gâhanbâr year starts at summer first day of summer
or summer solstice and after seven periods. Three
season ending and four half seasons would reach next
year (end of spring or summer's starting didn't have
celebrations and that was only New Year
celebration).
In later times and during sassanid garbles they
tried to amend new celebration to “Mazda- yasna”
calendar to compare celebrations with their belives.
They made religious reasons for celebrations like
creation of water earth, herbals, animals and human.
They changed the times of thee happenings to
achieved their ideological goals. Because of Sassanid calendar changes we have different
calendars with different celebration times.
Structured of Gâhanbâr calendar is simple and still
most of Persian (Iranian) farmers use this calendar.
Farmers mostly count days from start of seasons that
month of years. “Biruni” says in “khârazm” they call
half season “Ajghâr” and among people this day is an
important day.
They believe this day was an ancient important day
that all parts of calendar have forgotten and the
only thing that has remained is Ajghâr.
Another reason that writer's consist on are name and
meaning of Gâhanbâr that shows their exact time in
starting season and half seasons.
According to the six based counting of Gâhanbâr two
of them are missed that end of spring and middle of
winter.
End of spring corresponds new year ceremonies and
it's not like other seasons which have special
ceremonies. But about middle of spring there is
nothing and no evidence has found about it there is
a possibility that this Gâhanbâr has been omitted
deliberately by Sassanid clergymen. Because of their
ideology about creation of world. But some people
from different part have ceremony at middle of
winter. Special happening for “Pire-e Shâliyâr/
Shahriyâr” at “Urâmânât of Kurdistan. “Mirmâ”
celebration at mountains of “Tapouristan/
Tabaristan” (in last centuries called
“Mâzandarân”)and northwest of “Hindukosh” mountains
of “Afghanistan” (Takhâr, Baghlân and Samangân
states). Also in some calendars like “Vahâr Kurdi”
new year starts at this time. This calendar is used
at “Loristan”, “Kurdistan” and “Bakhtiyâri.
Ther are signs of summer starting and
New Year
Gâhanbâr in “Farâhân” and some central parts of Iran
there are some celebration that called (first of
summer). That people gather and have some fun
specially they throw water to the others in field.
At “Savâd- kuh, 29th of “khordâd” is
called at this time they make fire at high mountains
and have fun and some time weddings happen at this
time.
There is a forgotten celebration called “Niloufar”
at 6th of “Tir” and Zoroastrian “Porseh”
a ceremony which is for sprit if death at first day
of Tir is the other ancient ceremonies.
Writer has fount some old calendars which are based
upon Gâhanbâr system that start and ends in seasonal
periods. One of them is the collar calendar that is
near “Tchogâ- zanbil” Zigurat at “Shush” city.
