The Bulgar calendar was a solar calendar system used by the Bulgars, originally from Central Asia, who from the 4th century onwards dwelt in the Eurasiansteppes north of the Caucasus and around the banks of river Volga. In 681, part of the Bulgars settled in the Balkan peninsula and established First Bulgarian Empire. The main source of information used for reconstruction of the Bulgar calendar is a short 15th century transcript in Church Slavonic called Nominalia of the Bulgarian Khans,[1] which contains 10 pairs of calendar terms. Additionally, the same dating system is used in a marginal note in a manuscript by 10th century monk Tudor Doksov and in the Chatalar Inscription by the 9th-century Bulgaria ruler Omurtag (r. 814–831), who also provides the Byzantine imperial dating equivalent (the indiction). According to the reconstructed calendar, the Bulgars used a 12-year cyclic calendar similar to the one adopted by Turkic peoples from the Chinese calendar, with names and numbers that are deciphered as in Bulgar language.[2] The reading, along with the "cyclic calendar" interpretation itself, was originally proposed by FinnishSlavistJooseppi Julius Mikkola in 1913. Later, there have been various modifications and elaborations during the 20th century by scholars such as Géza Fehér, Omeljan Pritsak, Mosko Moskov and other scientists.[3]
Reconstructions vary slightly because some of the names are unattested, and the exact form of a few is debatable. The following list is based on Mosko Moskov's and description of the average mainstream interpretation, as well as his own reconstruction, and takes into account the existing disagreements:[4]
Years:
Number
Animal
In Bulgar
1
Mouse
Somor
2
Ox
Shegor
3
Uncertain, probably Tiger / Wolf
Ver?
4
Rabbit
Dvan[sh]
5
Uncertain, probably Dragon
Ver[eni]?
6
Snake
Dilom
7
Horse
Imen[shegor]?
8
Ram
Teku[chitem]?
9
Unattested, probably Monkey
—
10
Hen or Rooster
Toh
11
Dog
Eth
12
Boar
Dohs
Comparison with Turkic calendars
The following comparison table was made based on Omeljan Pritsak's analysis.[5]
^ According to Pritsak (cit. lit.) it corresponds to Proto-Turkic. börü 'wolf', taken in mar. "puree", sensed. "biræg". But comparing the name of the year from the teleutic cycle circle, we see that "vereni" may be the tabu name for "dragon" = "rope" and be compared with chuv. "faithful", Old Turkic. örgen 'rope'.(Мудрак, цит. лит.)
^ Proto Bulgar. davlan Corresponds to the Lambdaism rule of Old Turkic. tabïšɣan.
^ Corresponds to hearing. çĕlĕn, Old Turkic. yïlan "snake".
^According to Pritsak (cit. lit.) this word is borrowed in mar. imne 'horse', deriving them from Old Turkic. emlik at – "unridden horse, colt", but later took on the meaning of "horse". Mar. "imne" is probably borrowed from Hmong. – see Fassmer (cit. lit.) under "imnyushka". See Beshevliev for the opinion that "ima" is Old Bulgarian. adj. place for a binary number.
^Corresponds to hearing. "so" "ram", Old Turkic. teke "goat".
^Corresponds to hearing. čăhă, Old Turkic. takïɣu hen < diakïɣu. Employed in ung. tyúk.
^ Corresponds to hearing. yită, Old Turkic. it "dog".
