The calendars of the societies with different economic systems
A calendar as one of the culture elements is a significant sign and a source of the study of the people's worldview. The creation of the common integrated system of the calendars of world people belongs to important problems. A brief review and a comparative study of traditional calendars of societies with different economic systems is given in this paper. The aim of the article is to reveal basic peculiarities of the forming of calendars. Comparative-historical, historical and typological methods are used in the paper. The investigated societies are classified in accordance with 3 types: type 1 - hunter-fishers-gatherers, type 2 - early farmers-breeders, type 3 - developed farmers-breeders. Authors studied various calendars systems originated in these societies according to given types. Researchers give special consideration to calendars of ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Pre-Columbian America, China, South-East Asia, India. Main characteristics of the origin and structure of the calendars are investigated in the study. The authors revealed the regularities of the calendars' forming of every society type, showed the general and different features of these calendars. 1) General features. - The monoeconomical structure was served by one calendar based on activity of the people. The multieconomical structure resulted in many calendars which were connected with specific sphere of activity. - The basis of the forming of calendars was an economical activity; names of the structural elements of calendars (months, microseasons) were markings of fragments of the economical activity and climatic - natural conditions of habitation. 2) Different features. - The notions "year", "month", notions "moon", "solar" and etc. calendars were not formed in the societies of the 1 type. - The notions "year", "month", notions "moon", "solar" and etc. calendars were formed in the societies of the 2, 3 type. - The structural elements of the calendars of the 1 type societies were "microseasons" - time periods without fixed beginning, duration and end. - The structural elements of the calendars of the 2, 3 types societies were "months" - time periods with fixed beginning, duration and end. - Reasons of the calendar's forming of the societies of the 3 type were not only the economical activity, but the religious activity, developing of the authority and administrative services. - Names of the months and microseasons of the calendars of the 1 and 2 types societies were markings of fragments of the economical activity and climatic - natural conditions. Names of the months of the calendars of the 3 type society were both markings of fragments of the economical activity and climatic -natural conditions and other designations (names of gods, numerals, signs of the zodiac etc.).