Ancient weights and measures: Difference between revisions

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	The first measures were the lengths of the ditches that bordered and defined the fields. Since people tend to pace off a distance differently, knotted cords were used to measure their sides and cord stretchers became the first surveyors.		The first measures were the lengths of the ditches that bordered and defined the fields. Since people tend to pace off a distance differently, knotted cords were used to measure their sides and cord stretchers became the first surveyors.

	== Mesopotamian system ==		== ] ==

			== ] ==

	== ~~Persian~~ system ==		== ] ==



	== Egyptian system ==

	== Indus Valley system ==		== Indus Valley system ==
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	The people of the ] (ca. ]) achieved great accuracy in measuring length, mass, and time. They were among the first to develop a system of uniform weights and measures. Their measurements were extremely precise. Their smallest division, which is marked on an ivory scale found in ], was approximately 1.704 mm, the smallest division ever recorded on a scale of the ]. The ] system was used. ]n ]s followed the decimal division of measurement for all practical purposes, including the measurement of mass as revealed by their hexahedron weights. Weights were based on units of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500, with each unit weighing approximately 28 grams, similar to the ] or ]<!--Greek or Roman?-->, and smaller objects were weighed in similar ratios with the units of 0.871.		The people of the ] (ca. ]) achieved great accuracy in measuring length, mass, and time. They were among the first to develop a system of uniform weights and measures. Their measurements were extremely precise. Their smallest division, which is marked on an ivory scale found in ], was approximately 1.704 mm, the smallest division ever recorded on a scale of the ]. The ] system was used. ]n ]s followed the decimal division of measurement for all practical purposes, including the measurement of mass as revealed by their hexahedron weights. Weights were based on units of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500, with each unit weighing approximately 28 grams, similar to the ] or ]<!--Greek or Roman?-->, and smaller objects were weighed in similar ratios with the units of 0.871.

			== ] ==

	== ~~Greek~~ system ==		== ] ==


	== Roman system ==

	The ] system of measurement was built on the Greek system with Egyptian influences.
	The Roman units were generally accurate and well documented.

	=== Roman length ===
	; 1 digit, ''digitus'' := 1/16 ''pedes'' ≈ 18.5 mm
	; 1 palm, ''palmus'' := ¼ ''pedes'' = 4 ''digiti'' ≈ 74 mm
	; 1 foot, ''pes'' := 1 ] ≈ 296 mm
	; 1 cubit, ''cubitus'' := 1½ ''pedes'' = 24 ''digiti'' ≈ 444 mm
	; 1 step, ''gradus'' := 2½ ''pedes'' ≈ 740 mm
	; 1 pace, ''passus'' := 5 ''pedes'' = 2 ''gradi'' ≈ 1.480 m
	; 1 perch, ''pertica'' := 10 ''pedes'' = 2 ''passūs'' ≈ 2.960 m
	; 1 arpent, ''actus'' := 120 ''pedes'' = 12 ''perticæ'' ≈ 35.52 m
	; 1 stadion, ''stadium'' := 625 ''pedes'' = 125 ''passūs'' ≈ 185 m = 1 Greek ''stadion''
	; 1 mile, ''milliarus'' := 5000 ''pedes'' = 1000 ''passūs'' = 8 ''stadii'' ≈ 1.480 km
	; 1 league, ''leuga'' := 7500 ''pedes'' = 1½ ''milliari'' ≈ 2.22 km
	The Roman ''pes'' (foot) was first divided into 12 ''uncia'' (inches) or 16 ''digiti'' (fingers)
	by the Ionian Greeks (see ]).

	=== Roman area ===

	: 1 pes = 296 mm
	: 1 square foot, pes quatratus ≈ 876.16 mm²
	: 1 square perch, scripulum = 1 pertica quadrata ≈ 8.76 m²
	: 1 aune of furrows, actus minimus = 1/30 actus quadratus ≈ 42 m²
	: 1 rood, clima = ¼ actus quadratus = 36 scripuli ≈ 315.42 m²
	: 1 acre, actus quadratus ≈ 1261.67 m²
	: 1 yoke, iugerum = 2 actūs quadratus ≈ 2523.34 m²
	: 1 morn, heredium= 2 iugera ≈ 5,046.64 m²
	: 1 centurie, centuria = 100 heredia ≈ 504,664 m²
	: 1 “quadruplex”, saltus = 4 centuriæ ≈ 2,018,656 m²

	=== Roman volume ===
	==== Roman liquid volume ====
	; 1 spoonfull, ''ligula'' := ¼ ''cyathus'' ≈ 11.2 ml
	; 1 dose, ''cyathus'' := ½ ''sextans'' ≈ 45 ml
	; 1 sixth-sester, ''sextans'' := 1/6 ''sextarius'' ≈ 90 ml
	; 1 third-sester, ''triens'' := 1/3 ''sextarius'' ≈ 180 ml
	; 1 half-sester, ''hemina'' := ½ ''sextarius'' ≈ 270 ml
	; 1 double third-sester, ''cheonix'': 2/3 ''sextarius'' ≈ 360 ml
	; 1 sester, ''sextarius'' :≈ 540 ml
	; 1 ''congius'' := 6 ''sextaria'' = (½ ''pes'')³ ≈ 3.25 l
	; 1 urn, ''urna'' := 4 ''congii'' = ½ ''amphora'' ≈ 13 l
	; 1 jar, ''amphora'' := 1 ''pes''³ = 8 ''congii'' ≈ 26 l
	; 1 hose, ''culleus'' := 20 ''amphoræ'' ≈ 520 l
	The Roman jar, so-called “amphora quadrantal” is the cubic foot. The ''congius'' is half-a-foot cube. The Roman sester is the sixth of a congius.

	==== Roman dry volume ====
	; 1 drawing-spoon, ''acetabulum'' := ½ ''quartarius'' ≈ 67.5 ml
	; 1 quarter-sester, ''quartarius'' := ¼ ''sextarius'' ≈ 135 ml
	; 1 half-sester, ''hemina'' := ½ ''sextarius'' ≈ 270 ml
	; 1 sester, ''sextarius'' := 1/16 ''modius'' ≈ 540 ml
	; 1 gallon, ''semodius'' := ½ ''modius'' ≈ 4.67 l
	; 1 peck, ''modius'' := 1 ≈ 8.67 l
	; 1 bushel, ''quadrantal'' := 1 ''pes''³ = 3 ''modia'' ≈ 26 l
	Like the jar, the Roman bushel or “quadrantal” is one cubic foot. It is almost 26.027 liters. The third part of this quadrantal is the Roman ].

	=== Roman weight ===
	The Roman units of weight varied significantly throughout the times, since most of the standards were obtained from the weight of particular coins. The values listed are based on the gold ''aureus'' of ] which were in use from ] to ]. The earliest bronze coins of Rome ] to ] were 273 g.
	; 1 ''chalcus'' := 1/8 ''obolus'' ≈ 0.071 g
	; 1 ''siliqua'' := 1/3 ''obolus'' ≈ 0.189 g
	; 1 ''obolus'' := ½ ''scrupulum'' ≈ 0.57 g
	; 1 scruple, ''scrupulum'' := 1/3 ≈ 1.14 g
	; 1 drachm, ''drachma'' :≈ 3.4 g
	; 1 shekel, ''sicilicus'' := 2 ''drachmæ'' ≈ 6.8 g
	; 1 ounce, ''uncia'' := 4 ''sicilici'' ≈ 27.25 g
	; 1 pound, ''libra'' := 12 ''unciæ'' ≈ 327 g
	; 1 mine, ''mina'' := 16 ''unciæ'' ≈ 436 g
	All the multiples of the Roman ounce have their proper names.
	# uncia
	# sextans
	# quadrans
	# trians
	# quincunx
	# semis
	# septunx
	# bes
	# dodrans
	# dextans
	# deunx
	# as
	One and a half ounce was called ''sescuncia''.

	=== Roman time ===
	; year: The ] 365¼ day year was introduced in ].


	== Vedic system ==		== Vedic system ==
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	''See also:'' ]		''See also:'' ]


	== Chinese system ==		== Chinese system ==
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	''See also:'' ]		''See also:'' ]


	== Arabic system ==		== Arabic system ==
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	; 1 ''barid'' := 4 ''farasakh''		; 1 ''barid'' := 4 ''farasakh''
	; 1 ''marhala'' := 8 ''farasakh''		; 1 ''marhala'' := 8 ''farasakh''


	== Hebrew ==		== Hebrew ==

	''See ]''		''See ]''


	== See also ==		== See also ==
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	* ''Measure for Measure'', Richard Young and Thomas Glover, ISBN 1-889796-00-X.		* ''Measure for Measure'', Richard Young and Thomas Glover, ISBN 1-889796-00-X.
	* ''Masse und Gewichte'', Marvin A. Powell		* ''Masse und Gewichte'', Marvin A. Powell


	== External links ==		== External links ==



	===Greece===
	*
	*

	===General===
	*		*
	*		*

Revision as of 10:06, 31 July 2005

Many of the ancient weights and measures used throughout history are variations on a common theme sharing the same system. Despite a number of different civilisations making adjustments to serve their own purposes the accuracy and agreement of definitions improved over time.

Measurements that are used to define property are often used to impose taxes or tithes resulting in there being one measure for ordinary transactions and another for royal or religious transactions. Though throughout history people and their various representatives in guilds and lobbys, have been very scrupulous in defending the value of their possessions, governments and religions are even more scrupulous about getting their cut.

The first measures were the lengths of the ditches that bordered and defined the fields. Since people tend to pace off a distance differently, knotted cords were used to measure their sides and cord stretchers became the first surveyors.

Mesopotamian system

Persian system

Egyptian system

Indus Valley system

The people of the Indus Valley Civilization (ca. 2600 BC) achieved great accuracy in measuring length, mass, and time. They were among the first to develop a system of uniform weights and measures. Their measurements were extremely precise. Their smallest division, which is marked on an ivory scale found in Lothal, was approximately 1.704 mm, the smallest division ever recorded on a scale of the Bronze Age. The decimal system was used. Harappan engineers followed the decimal division of measurement for all practical purposes, including the measurement of mass as revealed by their hexahedron weights. Weights were based on units of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500, with each unit weighing approximately 28 grams, similar to the English ounce or Greek uncia, and smaller objects were weighed in similar ratios with the units of 0.871.

Greek system

Roman system

Vedic system

Vedic measures were first used by the Indian Vedic civilization, and are still in use today – primarily for religious purposes in Hinduism and Jainism.

See also: Vedic units of time

Chinese system

The traditional units used in Imperial China (市制 Pinyin: Shìzhì, “city standard”) are used to this day, albeit now rounded and bound to SI units.

See also: Chinese units

Arabic system

The Arabic system is based on the Persian system.

Arabic lLength

1 finger, assbaa: = ¼ palm
1 palm, cabda: = ¼ foot
1 foot: ≈ 0.32 m
1 cubit, arsh: = 2 feet traditionally, 1½ feet later
1 pace, orgye: = 6 feet
1 cane, qasab: = 12 feet
1 stadion, seir: = 600 feet
1 ghalva: = 720 feet
1 league, farasakh: = 18000 feet ≈ 5.76 km, from parasang
1 barid: = 4 farasakh
1 marhala: = 8 farasakh

Hebrew

See Hebrew weights

References

Measure for Measure, Richard Young and Thomas Glover, ISBN 1-889796-00-X.
Masse und Gewichte, Marvin A. Powell

External links

Categories: