GPS coordinates: N 41.887173, E 23.466892
If you take a walk in the park of Razlog you will certainly see the 12 marble figures of animals, each weighing between 1 and 2 tons. They are all part of the restored Ancient Solar Calendar.
It was found in the lands of Razlog in the 70s of XX century by treasure hunters. The Solar Calendar has a circular shape – it is a stone discus with a diameter of 10cm; on both sides covered with low emboss with a hole in the middle – probably used as an amulet. The Calendar is a result of the thousand-year observation of our ancestors in their attempt to orientate in time and space. Bulgarians use this calendar from ancient times up until the end of the XIX century. The archaeological finding is dated about 8th century A.D. and is the only full preserved image of the ancient Bulgarian calendar, found in and originated from the lands of Bulgaria today.
In ancient times when man was not able to rely on accurate measuring instruments to determine the time of the longest night and the beginning of early growth of the day (i.e. the beginning of the astronomical year – 22nd December), one relied on the observation of additional factors – the position of the Earth to other planets – the Moon or Jupiter.
Even then some people noticed that Jupiter (named by the ancient Bulgarians “Yankul”) makes his round around the Sun for almost 12 Earth years, i.e. while Jupiter makes a round, the Earth makes 12 rounds around the Sun (with a difference of only 20 days). The ambition was to accurately detect the duration of the Earth year by reporting it at a long period of time, which the Jupiter year had.
Is there a way to follow Jupiter/Yankul in space? Yes, by identifying those 12 constellations through which the planet “travels” or figuratively “visits” each year.Bulgarians named these constellations after animals in order todistinguish thembetter.
The contingent names Year of the Horse, Year of the Rabbit mean only that in the relevant year Jupiter/Yankul “visited” the constellation Horse, Rabbit, etc.
The full scientific description of the Ancient Bulgarian Calendar is: 12-year, cyclic, sun-determined, Jupiter-related, animalistic.
The mathematical method for determining the current year based on the Ancient Bulgarian Calendar is as follows: divide the number of the year to 12 and with the remain count clockwise from Rooster (incl.), thus reaching the relevant constellation – year (The Rooster year happened to be the first year A.D.). For example 2013 is the Year of the Snake: 2013 / 12 = 167 with remain 9. We count to nine in the cycle of the discus from Rooster and we reach the year/constellation – Snake.
Traditional way for presenting the calendar knowledge is portrayinganimals on buildings, associated with the year of construction, reconstruction, etc. (source: Petko Kolev).