The early weights and measures of mankind / by General Sir Charles Warren.

  • Charles Warren
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The early weights and measures of mankind / by General Sir Charles Warren. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    CONTENTS CHAPTER I Binary Weights and Measures PAGE 1. The original standards of weights and measures were in terms of parts of man’s body . . . . . 1 2. The standard of length was the arms stretch, or fathom, divided into 4 cubits ..... . . 1 3. The standard of weight was probably the weight of a man, two bundles on either side of shoulders, 64 to 80 pounds each . 2 4. The standard of capacity was a cube, or cylinder of equal height and radius, of seeds or water, 64 to 80 pounds each . . 2 5. System of numbering, by early man, first by doubling or halving, then by multiples of 4 (ganda) and then by 8 . .3 6. Early standard of small weight, the rati seed, or wild liquorice seed ; earliest mention in Code of Manu . . . .3 7. Weight of the rati seed. Mr. Thomas (“ Numismata Orientalia”) has adopted 1*75 G.T. for the Indian weights. I have deduced for Geometric Rati 1*7044 G.T. or 1*6875 Old Grains Troy. 32 rati — 54*54 G.T. =54 O.G.T. This gives the Moslem rati 1*75: as 27: 28 ....... 4 8. Weight of Geometric Rati can only be considered, and is obtained from the double cubit cubed, and confirmed by early weights found over Europe, Asia, North Africa . . . .4 9. Original Ganda, or (4) system. A bean weighing 2 rati multiplied successively by 4, arriving at 2,048 rati, the half-pound or seer of India ........ 5 10. There are four binary systems : (4) Ganda, (64) Octaval, (80) Octo- gintal, (100) Decimal . . . . . .6 11. Original forms of weights and measures were cubes and cylinders . 7 12. Standard of medipin weight about fa the half load—the pound. Ganda 2,048 rati (the half-pound) ; (64) 4,096 rati (the pound) ; (80) 5,120 rati (the pint) ; (100) 4,096 and 5,120 reduced 2*4 per- cent. to 4,000 and 5,000 rati respectively . . . .7 13. (64) Octaval system: the pound of 4,096 rati, multiplied by 8 x 8, gives the original cubic foot of water . . . .7 14. (80) Octogental system : the pint of 5,120 rati, multiplied by 8x8, gives the bushel, and again by 8 gives the quarter 8
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