Persian Calendar

The Persian Calendar

Months:

Farvardin

Ordibehesht

Khordad

Tir

Mordad

Shahrivar

Mehr

Abaan

Aazar

Day

Bahman

Esfand

Persians have always been keen on the idea and importance of the calendar system for as long as their documented history has been recorded. They were among the first cultures to use solar calendar systems and have always favoured the solar calendar. In general, the sun has always, even to this day, had a special meaning and great symbolic significance in the Persian culture.

The first calendar was found in Persepolis inscriptions. It consisted of twelve months, probably beginning in autumn. This calendar was a solar calendar, including leap years. The second calendar was the Avesta calendar which was the origin of the current Persian calendar. In ancient Persia, months were used in a different way. The week, which was one of the bases of the Semitic calendar, did not exist. Instead, the month was divided into thirty days, each month having a specific name. The year in the Avestaian calendar was comprised of 365 days which made up twelve 30-day months. The five remaining days were called "Panjeh".

Nowadays , Persia uses a solar calendar with a leap day system which is older but more scientifically accurate than the Gregorian calendar (The one used now in Western world ). The present Iranian calendar's leap day system was devised in the 11th century by a panel of scientists including Omar Khayyam, who was one of the foremost leading mathematicians and astronomers of his time, but today is well-known in the West for his poetry.

The Persian solar calendar year begins with the midnight closest to the instant of vernal equinox ( March or Spring equinox), when the sun enters the northern hemisphere; in other words, the start of Spring in the northern hemisphere. The first day of this calendar year is also the day of the greatest festival of the year in Persia called Norouz (a single word made up of two parts, no and rouz, meaning "new day"). The calendar consists of 12 months which have Persian names. The first six months are 31 days each, the next five 30 days, and the last month has 29 days but 30 days in leap years. The reason the first 6 months have 31 days and the rest 30, is not a random decision -- it has to do with the fact that the earth moves slightly more slowly along its ecliptic orbit in the northern spring and summer than in the northern autumn and winter.

The Persian new year is determined by noon-time observation of the Northern spring equinox. If between two consecutive noons the sun's altitude rises through its equinoctial altitude then the first noon is on the last day of one calendar year and the second noon is on the first day (Norouz) of the next calendar year.

The Oxford Persian Society – Norouz 1383