The calendars of Southeast Asia. 2: Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia
Abstract
In this paper we investigate three Burmese calendars: the Arakanese, Makaranta and Thandeikta calendars. It is shown that the lunar calendar of the two first ones imply a tropical solar year, something that puts the lunar calendar out of phase with the sidereal solar calendar used and possibly indicates a Hellenistic origin. We then examine the calendars of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, which superficially are similar to the Burmese calendars but have a completely different system of intercalation (Gislén, 2018; Ôhashi, 2006). Because Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia have virtually the same luni-solar calendars, the Thai calendar is examined as a typical example.
- Publication:
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Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019JAHH...22..417G
- Keywords:
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- history of astronomy;
- calendars;
- Burma;
- Myanmar