Outline of Calendar Studies Conducted at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory in 1983-2021

Abstract

The calendar studies conducted at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory in 1983-2021 are the result of Grigor Broutian’s initiation and scientific activity. The approaches used by him have raised a number of new issues and provided extremely important results that are a serious incentive for the future development of this multilayered and multifaceted field in terms of astronomy and historical culture. Almost all the problems of the Armenian and adjacent calendars of the Christian period have been discussed and finally resolved. The Armenian calendar attributed to Hayk Nahapet has been thoroughly researched and brought to an astronomically grounded comprehensive solution. The preliminary, so-called Protohaykian calendar has been revealed with its main and key aspects, and received astronomical as well as archaeological real evidence. All in all, in general the 11,000- year-old Armenian calendar-astronomical traditional historical culture has been deciphered in its continuity. Some new data have been obtained in favor of the existence of an earlier, the so-called “Initial Calendar” as well. Moreover, common close relations have been revealed in the field of natural-philosophical-religious and their historical-cultural-astronomical traditional perception of the creation of the ancient Armenian “Vishap” (“dragon”) stone monuments, the “Zorats Qarer” megalithic ensemble, the “Sasnay Tsrer” (Daredevils of Sassoun) epic poem, the Armenian folk tales and archaeological materials.