Читать книгу Primitive Time-reckoning. A study in the origins and first development of the art of counting time among the primitive and early culture peoples онлайн

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How such seasons and the year formed out of them may be developed under the influence of the improved calendar into periods of definite numbers of days is shewn by the Javanese peasant calendar which is still used in Bali and Java. The year is an embolimic year of 360 days and is divided into 12 periods of unequal length. These are:—koso, 41 days; karo, 23; katigo, 24; kapat, 24 (25)[316]; kalimo, 26 (27); kanam, 41 (43); kapitu, 41 (43); kawolu, 26 (in leapyear 27); kasongo, 25; kasapuluh, 25 (24); dasto, 23; sodo, 41. The first ten of these names are the ordinal numerals of the Javanese vernacular, the last two, according to Wilken, are corruptions of Sanskrit words. In Bali the year begins with the eleventh season (April), in Java with the winter solstice. The different divisions correspond to the following occupations and natural events:—1, the falling of the leaves, burning of dry grass, and cutting of trees for the cultivation of mountain rice; 2, beginning of vegetation; 3, blossoming of wild plants, planting of yams and other secondary crops; 4, rutting season, high winds, the rivers swell; 5, preparations for rice-planting; 6, ploughing and rice-sowing; 7, rice is planted, the canals are repaired; 8, rice grows and flowers; 9, the seeds form in the rice-plants; 10, rice turning yellow; 11, the rice-crop is ripe, harvest begins; 12, cold weather begins, the harvest is finished and the rice housed. This is almost literally translated from the language of the natives[317]. Wilken gives to certain periods a different number of days (see note 1); according to him the year has 365 days, but every fourth year is a leapyear with 366 days. The calendar was regulated in 1855 by Pakoe Boewånå III, naturally according to the Gregorian calendar: hence the variation from Crawfurd’s statements. This is the only instance of an attempt to bring a natural calendar into agreement with the demands of a modern one; it is however unpractical and inconvenient on account of the varying length of the divisions. It is still used in eastern Java and in the Tengge mountains[318].