Today, each of us, when designating certain measures of measurement, uses only modern terms. And this is considered normal and natural. However, when studying history or reading literary works, we often come across such words as “spans”, “arshins”, “elbows”, etc.
And this use of terms is also normal, since it is nothing but old measures of measurement. What they mean, everyone should know. Why? First, it is the history of our ancestors. Secondly, such knowledge is an indicator of our intellectual level.
History of measures
The development of human society was impossible without comprehending the art of counting. But even this was not enough. To conduct many cases, certain units of length, mass and area were also needed. Their man invented in the most unexpected forms. For example, any distances were determined by transitions, or steps. ancient measuresmeasurements relating to a person's height or specification of the amount of tissue corresponded to the length of a finger or joint, arm span, etc., that is, everything that was a kind of measuring device that was always with you.
We learn about very interesting ways of determining the length of our ancestors from chronicles and ancient letters. This is “throwing a stone”, that is, throwing it, and “cannon shot”, and “shooting” (range of the arrow), and much more. Sometimes a unit of measurement indicated the distance at which the cry of one or another animal was still heard. It was the “cock crow”, “bull roar”, etc. An interesting measure of length existed among the peoples of Siberia. She was called "beech", and she meant by herself the distance at which a person visually merged the horns of a bull into a single whole.
From the chronicles that have come down to us, we can conclude that the ancient measures of measurement in Russia appeared in the 11-12 centuries. These were such units as verst, sazhen, cubit and span. However, in those days, the methods of determining the length invented by man were still extremely unstable. They differed somewhat depending on the principality and constantly changed over time.
From the annals of the 13th-15th centuries, we learn that the ancient measures for measuring bulk solids (usually cereals) are kad, halves, quarters and octopuses. In the 16-17 centuries. these terms have disappeared from everyday life. Since the indicated period, the main measure of bulk solids has become a quarter, which approximately corresponded to six pounds.
In a number of documents of the era of Kievan Rus, the word "spool" is found. This weightthe unit had the same distribution as Berkovets and pud.
Determination of length
Ancient measures of measurement of physical quantities were not particularly accurate. The same applies to determining the length in steps. Such a unit was used in ancient Rome, ancient Greece, Persia and Egypt. With a human step, the average length of which is 71 cm, distances were determined even between cities. A similar unit is used today. However, today special pedometer devices determine not the distance, but the number of steps taken by a person.
Measure of length, which was used in the countries of the Mediterranean, was such a unit as stages. The mention of it can be found in manuscripts dating back to the first millennium BC. e. A stadion was equal to the distance that a person at a calm pace could walk from dawn to the moment when the sun's disk appeared completely above the horizon.
As society developed, people needed larger quantities. In this regard, the ancient Roman mile, equal to 1000 steps, appeared.
Ancient measures of measuring the length of different peoples differed from each other. So, Estonian sailors determined the distance with tubes. This was the path the ship took during the time it took to smoke a pipe full of tobacco. The Spaniards called the same measure of length a cigar. The Japanese determined the distance with "horse shoes". This was the path that an animal could travel until the straw sole that replaced its horseshoe was completely abraded.
Basic values for determining the length in Russia
Rememberproverbs with ancient measures of measurement. One of them is well known to us since childhood: "From the pot two inches, and already the pointer." What is this unit of length? In Russia, it was equal to the width of the index and middle fingers. At the same time, one vershok corresponded to one sixteenth of an arshin. Today, this value is 4.44 cm. But the Russian old measure - a nail - was 11 mm. Taken four times, it was equal to one inch.
In Russia, some ancient measures of measurement came into use in connection with the development of trade relations with other countries. So there was a quantity called arshin. The name comes from the Persian word for elbow. In this language, it sounds like "arsh". Arshin, equal to 71.12 cm, came along with merchants from distant countries who brought Chinese silks, velvets and Indian brocades.
Measuring the fabric, the oriental merchants pulled it over their arm to the shoulder. In other words, they measured the goods in arshins. It was very convenient, because such a measuring device was always with him. However, cunning merchants were looking for clerks with shorter arms, so that there was less fabric per arshin. But this was soon put an end to. The authorities introduced the official arshin, which everyone without exception had to use. It turned out to be a wooden ruler, which was made in Moscow. Copies of such a device were sent throughout Russia. And so that no one could cheat and shorten the arshin a little, the ends of the ruler were bound with iron, on which the state brand was affixed. On theToday, this unit of measurement is no longer used. However, the word denoting such a value is familiar to each of us. Proverbs with ancient measures of measurement also tell about it. So, they say about a shrewd person that he “sees three arshins underground.”
How else was distance determined in Russia?
There are other old measures of length. These include a sazhen. The mention of this term is first found in the "Word about the beginning of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery", dating from the 11th century. Moreover, there were two types of sazhens. One of them is flywheel, equal to the distance between the tips of the middle fingers of the hands, spread out in different directions. The value of ancient measures of this type was equal to 1 m 76 cm. The second type of fathom is oblique. It was the length from the heel of the shoe on the right foot to the tip of the middle finger of the left hand, stretched up. The size of an oblique sazhen was approximately 248 cm. Sometimes this term is mentioned when describing a person of a heroic physique. They say that he has a slanting fathom in his shoulders.
Ancient Russian measures for measuring long distances - a field or a mile. The first mention of these quantities are found in manuscripts of the 11th century. The length of a verst is 1060 m. Moreover, initially this term was used to measure arable land. It meant the distance between the turns of the plow.
The old measures of measuring quantities sometimes had a playful name. So, since the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich (1645-1676), a very tall person began to be called the Kolomna verst. This playful term is not forgotten even today.
Until the 18th c. in Russia, such a unit of measurement as a boundary verst was used. She measured the distance between the boundaries of settlements. The length of this verst was 1000 fathoms. Today it is 2, 13 km.
Another ancient measure of length in Russia was the span. Its size was approximately a quarter of an arshin and was approximately 18 cm. There were:
- “smaller span”, equal to the distance between the tips of the extended index and thumb;
- “large span”, equal to the length between the spaced thumb and middle fingers.
Many proverbs about old measures of measurement point us to this value. For example, "seven spans in the forehead." This is what they say about a very smart person.
The smallest ancient unit of length is the line. It is equal to the width of a wheat grain and is 2.54 mm. Until now, watch factories use this unit of measurement. Only the Swiss size is accepted - 2.08 mm. For example, the value of the men's watch "Victory" is 12 lines, and the women's "Dawn" - 8.
European units of length
From the 18th c. Russia has significantly expanded its trade relations with Western countries. That is why there was a need for new measures of measurement that could be compared with European ones. And then Peter I carried out a metrological reform. By his decree, some English values \u200b\u200bfor measuring distances were introduced in the country. These were feet, inches and yards. These units are especially widespread in shipbuilding and the navy.
PoAccording to the existing legend, the yard was first identified back in 101. It was a value equal to the length from the nose of Henry I (King of England) to the tip of the middle finger of his hand, extended in a horizontal position. Today this distance is 0.91 m.
Foot and yard are old measures of measurement, closely related. Derived from the English word "foot" - foot, this value is equal to one third of a yard. Today a foot is 30.48 centimeters.
Inch is the name given to the Dutch word for thumb. How was this distance originally measured? It was equal to the length of three dried grains of barley or the phalanx of the thumb. Today, one inch is 2.54 cm and is used to determine the inner diameter of car tires, pipes, etc.
Ordering the system of measures
In order to ensure the ease of transition from one unit of measurement to another, special tables were published in Russia. On the one hand, ancient measures were brought into them. Units of measurement of foreign origin, which corresponded to Russian, were placed through the equal sign. The same tables also included those units that should have been used in the country.
However, the confusion with the system of measures in Russia did not end there. Different cities used their own units. This ended only in 1918, when Russia switched to the metric system of measures.
Volume measurement
A person needed to measure bulkphysical quantities and liquids. To do this, he began to use everything that he had in his life (buckets, vessels and other containers).
What ancient measures of volume measurement took place in Russia? Loose bodies our ancestors measured:
1. Octopus, or octopus. This is an old unit equal to 104.956 liters. A similar term was applied to the area, which was 1365.675 square meters. For the first time, the octopus is mentioned in documents of the 15th century. It was widely used in Russia because of its practicality, as it had a volume half that of a quarter. There was even a certain standard for such a measure. It was a container to which an iron rower was attached. The grain was poured into such a measured octopus with a top. And then, with the help of rowing, the contents of the form were trimmed to the edges. Samples of such containers were made of copper and sent throughout Russia.
2. Okov, or kadyu. These measuring containers were common in the 16th and 17th centuries. In later periods, they were extremely rare. Okov was the main measure of loose bodies in Russia. Moreover, the name of this unit comes from a special barrel (vat), which was adapted for measurements. The measuring container was covered with a metal hoop on top, which did not allow the cunning to cut its edges and sell a smaller amount of grain.
3. quarter. This measure of volume was used to determine the amount of flour, cereals and grains. In everyday life, a quarter was more common than luggage, as it had more practical dimensions (1/4 of the fetter). Such a unitmeasurements in Russia were used from the 14th to the 19th centuries.
4. Kulem. This ancient Russian measure, used for bulk bodies, was equal to 5-9 pounds. Some researchers believe that the word "kul" once meant "fur". This term was used for a receptacle sewn from the skin of animals. Later, similar containers began to be made from woven materials.
5. Buckets. By such a measure, our ancestors determined the amount of liquid. It was believed that 8 mugs were placed in a trading bucket, the volume of each of which was equal to 10 cups.
6. Barrels. A similar unit of measure was used by Russian merchants when selling wine to foreigners. It was believed that one barrel contained 10 buckets.
7. Korchagami. This large clay pot found its use in measuring the volume of grape wine. For different parts of Russia, the korchaga ranged from 12 to 15 liters.
Weight measurement
The old Russian system of measures included units for measuring mass. Without them, trading activity was impossible. There are various ancient measures of mass measurement. Among them:
1. Spool. Initially, this word meant a small gold coin, which was the unit of measure. Comparing its weight with other precious items, they determined the purity of the noble metal from which they were made.
2. Pud. This unit of weight was equal to 3840 spools and corresponded to 16, 3804964 kg. Ivan the Terrible also ordered that any goods be weighed only at pudovschiks. And since 1797, after the release of the Law on Weights and Measures, they began to make spherical weights corresponding to one and twopoods.
3. Berkovets. The name of this unit of mass comes from the commercial Swedish city of Bjerke. One Berkovets corresponded to 10 pounds or 164 kg. Initially, merchants used such a large value to determine the weight of wax and honey.
4. share. This unit of measurement in Russia was the smallest. Its weight was 14.435 mg, which could be compared to 1/96 of a spool. Most often, the share was used in the work of mints.
5. Lb. Initially, this unit of mass was called "hryvnia". Its value corresponded to 96 spools. Since 1747, the pound becomes the standard weight, which was used until 1918
Area measurement
Some standards were invented by our ancestors to determine the size of land. These are ancient measures of area, among which:
1. Square miles. The mention of this unit, equal to 1, 138 sq. kilometers, found in documents dated 11-17 centuries.
2. Tithing. This is an old Russian unit, the value of which corresponds to 2400 square meters. meters of arable land. Today, the tithe is 1.0925 hectares. This unit has been used since the 14th century. She was known as a rectangle, the sides of which were 80 by 30 or 60 by 40 fathoms. Such a tithe was considered government and was the main land measure.
3. Quarter. This measure of arable land was a unit representing half a tithe. A quarter is known from the end of the 15th century, and its official use continueduntil 1766. This unit got its name from a measure of the area on which it was possible to sow rye in the amount of ¼ of the qadi volume.
4. Sokha. This unit of area measurement was used in Russia from the 13th to the 17th centuries. Used it for tax purposes. Moreover, several types of plow were distinguished, depending on the area of the best lands. So, a similar unit was:
- service, containing 800 quarters of good plowing;
- church (600 quarters);
- black (400 quarters).
In order to find out how many sukhs are available in the Russian state, censuses of taxable lands were carried out. And only in 1678-1679. this area unit has been replaced by a yard number.
Modern application of ancient measures
About some units of determination of volume, area and distance, which were widely used by our ancestors, we know today. So, in some countries, the length is still measured in miles, yards, feet and inches, and in cooking the pound and spool are used.
However, most often we find old units in literary works, historical stories and proverbs.
