Even in the Old Babylonian times, metrology had a rich collection of units. Most of the conversion factors are simple fractions or multiples of the base 60. Key units are the kush (cubit) for length, sar (garden-plot) for area and volume, sila for capacity and mana for weight. At the base of the system is the barleycorn, she, used for the smallest unit in length, area, volume and weight.
Akkadian made use of a letter š called a shin, pronounced as 'sh'. The barleycorn is a 'še', pronounced 'shay' and which we shall write as 'she.'
| 6 she | = | 1 shu-si (finger) |
| 30 shu-si | = | 1 kush (cubit - about 1/2 m.) |
| 6 kush | = | 1 gi / qanu (reed) |
| 12 kush | = | 1 nindan/ GAR (rod - 6 m.) |
| 10 nindan | = | 1 eshe (rope) |
| 60 nindan | = | 1 USH (360 m.) |
| 30 USH | = | 1 beru (10.8 km.) |
| 180 she | = | 1 gin |
| 60 gin | = | 1 sar (garden plot 1 sq. nindan - 36 sq. m.) |
| 50 sar | = | 1 ubu |
| 100 sar | = | 1 iku (1 sq. eshe - 0.9 acre, 0.36 ha.) |
| 6 iku | = | 1 eshe |
| 18 iku | = | 1 bur |
Bricks are considered to be rectangular solids such that 720 bricks make one brick-sar. There are numerous (fairly standard) sizes of bricks in use in Old Babylonian mathematics texts.
Capacity: used for measuring volumes of grain, oil, beer, etc. The basic unit is the sila, about 1 liter. The semi-standard Old Babylonian system used in mathematical texts is derived from the ferociously complex mensuration systems used in the Sumerian period.
| 180 she | = | 1 gin |
| 60 gin | = | 1 sila - 1 liter |
| 10 sila | = | 1 ban |
| 6 ban | = | 1 bariga |
| 5 bariga | = | 1 gur |
| 180 she | = | 1 gin/ shiqlu (shekel) |
| 60 gin | = | 1 mana (mina - 500 gm.) |
| 60 mana | = | 1 gu/ biltu (talent, load - 30 kg.) |
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Last modified: 6 June 2001
Duncan J. Melville