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Measuring length in Ancient Egypt Page by Digitalegypt (University College London). Irrational numbers and pyramids Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine Article by Gay Robins and C. C. D. Shute; Introduction to Egyptian Mathematics, with photographs of Maya's cubit rod from the Louvre and land surveying scenes from the tomb of Menna.
The ancient Egyptian royal cubit (meh niswt) is the earliest attested standard measure.Cubit rods were used for the measurement of length.A number of these rods have survived: two are known from the tomb of Maya, the treasurer of the 18th dynasty pharaoh Tutankhamun, in Saqqara; another was found in the tomb of Kha in Thebes.
Graeco-Egyptian God Serapis with measuring rod Gudea of Lagash with measuring rod and surveyors' tools. A measuring rod is a tool used to physically measure lengths and survey areas of various sizes. Most measuring rods are round or square sectioned; however, they can also be flat boards. Some have markings at regular intervals.
Detail of the Ancient Egyptian cubit rod in the Museo Egizio of Turin, showing digit, palm, hand and fist lengths Some hand-based measurements, including the digit (6) The digit or finger is an ancient and obsolete non-SI unit of measurement of length. It was originally based on the breadth of a human finger. [1]
Detail of the cubit rod in the Museo Egizio of Turin, showing digit, palm, hand and fist lengths. The Ancient Egyptian palm (Ancient Egyptian: shesep) has been reconstructed as about 75 mm or 3 in. [c] The unit is attested as early as the reign of Djer, third pharaoh of the First Dynasty, [5] and appears on many surviving cubit-rods.
However, if they are mounted on a suitable scale the instrument may also be used as an inclinometer to measure angles to the vertical. Ancient Egyptians used a plumb line attached to the top outer part of a tool resembling a letter E ; when placed against a wall, the plumb line would indicate a vertical line.
A number of units were used to measure length. One derah baladi was equal to 0.58 m and one kassabah was equal to 3.55 m, according to the metric equivalences defined in 1891. [1] [2] Some other units according to the metric equivalences defined in 1891 are given below: [1] [2] [3] 1 kirat = 1 ⁄ 24 dirra 1 abdat = 1 ⁄ 6 dirra 1 kadam = 1 ...
The word canon (from Ancient Greek κανών (kanṓn) 'measuring rod, standard') was first used for this type of rule in Classical Greece, where it set a reference standard for body proportions, to produce a harmoniously formed figure appropriate to depict gods or kings. Other art styles have similar rules that apply particularly to the ...