Since ancient times, the measure of length and weight has always been a person: how far he can stretch his arm, how much he can lift on his shoulders, etc.
The system of Old Russian measures of length included the following basic measures: verst, fathom, arshin, elbow, span and vershok.
ARSHIN- an ancient Russian measure of length, equal in modern terms to 0.7112 m. Arshin was also the name given to a measuring ruler, on which divisions in vershoks were usually applied.
There are different versions of the origin of the arshin measure of length. Perhaps, initially, “arshin” meant the length of a human step (about seventy centimeters, when walking on the plain, at an average pace) and was the base value for other major measures determining lengths, distances(fathom, verst). The root "AR" in the word a rsh i n - in the Old Russian language (and in other neighboring ones) means "EARTH", "surface of the earth", and indicates that this measure could be used in determining the length of the path traveled on foot. There was another name for this measure - STEP. In practice, counting could be done in pairs of steps of an adult ("small fathoms"; one-two - one, one-two - two, one-two - three...), or in threes ("official fathoms"; one-two-three - one, one-two-three - two...), and when measuring small distances in steps, step-by-step counting was used. Subsequently, they also began to use, under this name, an equal value - the length of the arm.
For small measures of length the basic value was the measure used from time immemorial in Rus' - “span” (from the 17th century - a length equal to a span was called differently - “quarter arshin”, “quarter”, “chet”), from which, by eye, it was easy to get smaller shares - two vershok (1/2 span) or vershok (1/4 span).
Merchants, when selling goods, as a rule, measured it with their arshin (ruler) or quickly - measuring “from the shoulder”. To exclude measurements, the authorities introduced, as a standard, the “official yardstick,” which is a wooden ruler with metal tips with a state mark riveted at the ends.
STEP- average length of a human step = 71 cm. One of the oldest measures of length.
SPAN(pyatnitsa) - an ancient Russian measure of length. SMALL SPAN(they said - “span”; since the 17th century it was called “quarter”) - the distance between the ends of the spread thumb and index (or middle) fingers = 17.78 cm.
BIG SPAN- the distance between the ends of the thumb and little finger (22-23 cm).
TUMBLING SPAND(“span with somersault”, according to Dahl - “span with somersault”) - span with the addition of two joints of the index club = 27-31 cm
Our old icon painters measured the size of icons in spans: “nine icons - seven spans (1 3/4 arshins). The Most Pure Tikhvin on gold is a pyadnitsa (4 vershoks). Icon of St. George the Great deeds of four spans (1 arshin).”
VERST- Old Russian travel measure (its early name was “field”). This word originally referred to the distance traveled from one turn of the plow to another during plowing. The two names have long been used in parallel, as synonyms. There are known mentions in written sources of the 11th century. In manuscripts of the 15th century. there is an entry: “field of 7 hundred and 50 fathoms” (750 fathoms long). Before Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, 1 verst was considered 1000 fathoms. Under Peter the Great, one verst was equal to 500 fathoms, in modern terms - 213.36 X 500 = 1066.8 m.
"Verstoy" was also called a milestone on the road.
The size of the verst changed repeatedly depending on the number of fathoms included in it and the size of the fathom. The Code of 1649 established a “boundary mile” of 1 thousand fathoms. Later, in the 18th century, along with it, a “travel mile” of 500 fathoms (“five hundredth mile”) began to be used.
Mezhevaya Versta- Old Russian unit of measurement equal to two versts. A verst of 1000 fathoms (2.16 km) was widely used as a boundary measure, usually when determining pastures around large cities, and on the outskirts of Russia, especially in Siberia, and to measure distances between populated areas.
The 500-fathom verst was used somewhat less frequently, mainly for measuring distances in the European part of Russia. Long distances, especially in Eastern Siberia, were determined in days of travel. In the 18th century boundary versts are gradually being replaced by travel ones, and the only verst in the 19th century. there remains a “travel” mileage equal to 500 fathoms.
SAZHEN- one of the most common length measures in Rus'. There were more than ten fathoms of different purposes (and, accordingly, size). “Makhovaya fathom” is the distance between the ends of the fingers of an adult man’s widely spaced hands. “Oblique fathom” is the longest: the distance from the toe of the left foot to the end of the middle finger of the raised right hand.
Used in the phrase: “he has oblique fathoms in his shoulders” (meaning - hero, giant).
This ancient measure of length was mentioned by Nestor in 1017. The name sazhen comes from the verb to reach (reach) - as far as one could reach with one’s hand. To determine the meaning of the ancient Russian fathom, a major role was played by the discovery of a stone on which the inscription was carved in Slavic letters: “In the summer of 6576 (1068) of the 6th day of indictment, Prince Gleb measured... 10,000 and 4,000 fathoms.” From a comparison of this result with the measurements of topographers, a fathom value of 151.4 cm was obtained. The results of measurements of temples and the value of Russian folk measures coincided with this value. There were fathomed measuring ropes and wooden “folds” that were used in measuring distances and in construction.
According to historians and architects, there were more than 10 fathoms and they had their own names, were incommensurable and not multiples of one another. Fathoms: city - 284.8 cm, untitled - 258.4 cm, great - 244.0 cm, Greek - 230.4 cm, state - 217.6 cm, royal - 197.4 cm, church - 186.4 cm, folk - 176.0 cm, masonry - 159.7 cm, simple - 150.8 cm, small - 142.4 cm and another one without a name - 134.5 cm (data from one source), as well as - courtyard, pavement.
Makhovaya fathom- the distance between the ends of the middle fingers of arms outstretched to the sides is 1.76 m.
OBLIQUE FATHOUS(originally "splait") - 2.48 m.
Fathoms were used before the introduction of the metric system of measures.
ELBOW equal to the length of the arm from the fingers to the elbow (according to other sources - “the distance in a straight line from the elbow to the end of the extended middle finger”). The size of this ancient measure of length, according to various sources, ranged from 38 to 47 cm. Since the 16th century, it was gradually replaced by the arshin and in the 19th century it was almost not used.
Elbow is a native ancient Russian measure of length, known already in the 11th century. The value of the Old Russian cubit of 10.25-10.5 vershoks (on average approximately 46-47 cm) was obtained from a comparison of measurements in the Jerusalem Temple made by Abbot Daniel, and later measurements of the same dimensions in an exact copy of this temple - in the main temple of the New Jerusalem Monastery on the Istra River (XVII century). The cubit was widely used in trade as a particularly convenient measure. In the retail trade of canvas, cloth, and linen, the elbow was the main measure. In large wholesale trade, linen, cloth, etc., were supplied in the form of large cuts - “postavs”, the length of which at different times and in different places ranged from 30 to 60 cubits (in places of trade these measures had a specific, well-defined meaning).
VERSHOK equaled 1/16 arshin, 1/4 quarter. In modern terms - 4.44 cm. The name "Vershok" comes from the word "top". In the literature of the 17th century. There are also fractions of an inch - half an inch and a quarter inch.
When determining the height of a person or animal, counting was carried out after two arshins (mandatory for a normal adult): if it was said that the person being measured was 15 vershoks in height, then this meant that he was 2 arshins 15 vershoks, i.e. 209 cm.
| Height in inches | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 15 |
| Height in meters | 1,47 | 1,56 | 1,65 | 1,73 | 1,82 | 1,87 | 2,09 |
For humans, two methods of fully expressing height have been used:
- combination of “height *** elbows, *** spans”
- combination "height *** arshin, *** vershoks"
from the 18th century - "*** feet, *** inches"
For small domestic animals they used - “height *** inches”
For trees - “height *** arshins”
Measures of length (used in Russia after the Decree of 1835 and before the introduction of the metric system):
- 1 verst = 500 fathoms = 50 poles = 10 chains = 1.0668 kilometers
- 1 fathom = 3 arshins = 7 feet = 48 vershoks = 2.1336 meters
- Oblique fathom = 2.48 m.
- Mach fathom = 1.76 m.
- 1 arshin = 4 quarters (spans) = 16 vershok = 28 inches = 71.12 cm
(divisions in vertices were usually applied to arshins) - 1 cubit = 44 cm (according to various sources from 38 to 47 cm)
- 1 foot = 1/7 fathom = 12 inches = 30.479 cm
- 1 quarter (span, small pip, pyadnitsa, pyada, pyaden, pyadyka) = 4 vershka = 17.78 cm (or 19 cm - according to B.A. Rybakov)
The name p i d comes from the Old Russian word “metacarpus”, i.e. wrist. One of the oldest measures of length (since the 17th century, “span” was replaced by “quarter arshin”)
Synonym for "quarter" - "chet" - Large span = 1/2 cubit = 22-23 cm - the distance between the ends of the extended thumb and middle (or little) finger.
- A “span with somersault” is equal to a small span plus two or three joints of the index or middle finger = 27 - 31 cm.
- 1 vershok = 4 nails (width - 1.1 cm) = 1/4 span = 1/16 arshin = 4.445 centimeters
- an ancient Russian measure of length equal to the width of two fingers (index and middle). - 1 finger ~ 2 cm.
New measures (introduced since the 18th century):
- 1 inch = 10 lines = 2.54 cm
The name comes from Dutch - "thumb". Equal to the width of your thumb or the length of three dry grains of barley taken from the middle part of the ear. - 1 line = 10 points = 1/10 inch = 2.54 millimeters (example: Mosin’s “three-ruler” - d = 7.62 mm.)
The line is the width of a wheat grain, approximately 2.54 mm. - 1 hundredth fathom = 2.134 cm
- 1 point = 0.2540 millimeters
- 1 geographical mile (1/15 degree of the earth's equator) = 7 versts = 7.42 km
(from the Latin word "milia" - a thousand (steps)) - 1 nautical mile (1 minute of arc of the earth's meridian) = 1.852 km
- 1 English mile = 1.609 km
- 1 yard = 91.44 centimeters
In the second half of the 17th century, the arshin was used together with the vershok in various branches of production. In the “Description Books” of the Armory Chamber of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery (1668) it is written: “... a copper regimental cannon, smooth, nicknamed Kashpir, Moscow made, length three arshins and a half-eleven vershok (10.5 vershok) ... Large cast iron archina, Iron lion, with belts, length three arshins, three quarters and a half inch." The ancient Russian measure “elbow” continued to be used in everyday life for measuring cloth, linen and woolen fabrics. As follows from the Trade Book, three cubits are equivalent to two arshins. The span as an ancient measure of length still continued to exist, but since its meaning changed due to agreement with a quarter of the arshin, this name (span) gradually fell out of use. The span was replaced by a quarter arshin.
From the second half of the 18th century, the divisions of the vershok, in connection with the reduction of the arshin and sazhen to a multiple ratio with English measures, were replaced by small English measures: inch, line and point, but only the inch took root. Lines and dots were used relatively little. The lines expressed the dimensions of lamp glasses and the calibers of guns (for example, ten- or 20-line glass, known in everyday life). The dots were used only to determine the sizes of gold and silver coins. In mechanics and mechanical engineering, the inch was divided into 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 parts.
In construction and engineering, dividing fathoms into 100 parts was widely used.
The foot and inch used in Russia are equal in size to English measures.
The decree of 1835 determined the relationship between Russian measures and English ones:
- Fathom= 7 feet
- Arshin= 28 inches
A number of units of measurement (verst divisions) were abolished, and new measures of length came into use: inch, line, point, borrowed from English measures.
Bucket
Bucket - the basic Russian premetric measure of the volume of liquids - bucket = 1/40 barrels = 10 mugs = 30 pounds of water = 20 vodka bottles (0.6) = 16 wine bottles (0.75) = 100 glasses = 200 scales = 12 liters ( 15 l - according to other sources, rare) V. - iron, wooden or leather utensils, mostly cylindrical in shape, with ears or a bow for carrying.
In everyday life, two buckets on the rocker should be in a “woman’s lift.” Division into smaller measures was carried out according to the binary principle: the bucket was divided into 2 half-buckets or 4 quarters of a bucket or 8 half-quarters, as well as into mugs and cups. The oldest “international” measure of volume is “handful”.
Until the middle of the 17th century. the bucket contained 12 mugs; in the second half of the 17th century. the so-called government bucket contained 10 mugs, and a mug contained 10 cups, so the bucket contained 100 cups. Then, according to the decree of 1652, the glasses were made three times larger than before (“three glasses of glasses”). The sales bucket held 8 mugs. The value of the bucket was variable, but the value of the mug was constant, 3 pounds of water (1228.5 grams). The volume of the bucket was 134.297 cubic inches.
Barrel
The barrel, as a measure of liquids, was used mainly in the process of trade with foreigners, who were prohibited from conducting retail trade in wine in small quantities. Equal to 40 buckets (492 l)
The material for making the barrel was chosen depending on its purpose:
- oak- for beer and vegetable oils
- spruce- under water
- Linden- for milk and honey
Most often, small barrels and kegs from 5 to 120 liters were used in peasant life. Large barrels could hold up to forty buckets (forty)
Barrels were also used for washing (beating) linen.
In the 15th century The ancient measures were still common - golvazhnya, lukno and harvesting. In the XVI-XVII centuries. Along with the fairly common korobya and belly, the Vyatka grain measure marten, the Perm sapsa (measure of salt and bread), the Old Russian bast and poshev are often found. The Vyatka marten was considered equal to three Moscow quarters, the saptsa contained 6 pounds of salt and approximately 3 pounds of rye, bast - 5 pounds of salt, poshev - about 15 pounds of salt.
Household measures of the volume of liquids were very diverse and were widely used even at the end of the 17th century: Smolensk barrel, bocha-selyodovka (8 pounds of herring; one and a half times less than Smolensk).
Measuring barrel" ... from edge to edge one and a half arshins, and across - an arshin, and to measure upwards, like a leader, half an arshin".
In everyday life and in trade they used a variety of household vessels: cauldrons, jugs, pots, bratins, valleys. The significance of such household measures varied in different places: for example, the capacity of boilers ranged from half a bucket to 20 buckets. In the 17th century a system of cubic units based on the 7-foot fathom was introduced, and the term cubic (or "cubic") was also introduced. A cubic fathom contained 27 cubic arshins or 343 cubic feet; cubic arshin - 4096 cubic vershoks or 21952 cubic inches.
Wine measures
The Wine Charter of 1781 established that every drinking establishment should have “measures certified in the Treasury Chamber.”
Bucket- Russian premetric measure of the volume of liquids, equal to 12 liters
Quarter= 3 liters (previously it was a narrow-necked glass bottle)
The “bottle” measure appeared in Russia under Peter I.
Russian bottle= 1/20 bucket = 1/2 damask = 5 glasses = 0.6 liters (half a liter appeared later - in the twenties of the 20th century)
Since the bucket held 20 bottles (2 0 * 0.6 = 12 liters), and in trade the count was on buckets, the box still holds 20 bottles.
For wine, the Russian bottle was larger - 0.75 liters.
In Russia, glass production began in a factory way in 1635. The production of glass vessels also dates back to this time. The first domestic bottle was produced at the plant, which was built on the territory of the modern Istra station near Moscow, and the products were, at first, intended exclusively for pharmacists.
Abroad, a standard bottle holds one-sixth of a gallon - in different countries this ranges from 0.63 to 0.76 liters
A flat bottle is called a flask.
Shtof(from German Stof) = 1/10 bucket = 10 glasses = 1.23 l. Appeared under Peter I. Served as a measure of the volume of all alcoholic beverages. The shape of the damask was like a quarter.
Mug(the word means “for drinking in a circle”) = 10 glasses = 1.23 l.
The modern cut glass used to be called " board" ("planed boards"), consisting of fret-boards tied with rope around a wooden bottom.
Charka(Russian measure of liquid) = 1/10 shtofa = 2 scales = 0.123 l.
Stack= 1/6 bottle = 100 grams It was considered the size of a single dose.
Shkalik(popular name - “kosushka”, from the word “mow”, according to the characteristic movement of the hand) = 1/2 cup = 0.06 l.
Quarter(half a scale or 1/16 of a bottle) = 37.5 grams.
Barrelware (that is, for liquid and bulk products) was distinguished by a variety of names depending on the place of production (baklazhka, baklusha, barrels), size and volume - badia, pudovka, sorokovka), its main purpose (resin, salt, wine, tar) and the wood used for their manufacture (oak, pine, linden, aspen). Finished cooperage products were divided into buckets, tubs, vats, kegs and casks.
Endova. Wooden or metal utensils (often decorated with ornaments) used for serving drinks. It was a low bowl with a spout. The metal valley was made of copper or brass. Wooden valleys were made from aspen, linden or birch.
Leather bag(skin) - up to 60 l
Korchaga- 12 l
Nozzle- 2.5 buckets (Nogorod liquid measure, 15th century)
Ladle, Jug,Tub- height of the vessel - 30-35 centimeters, diameter - 40 centimeters, volume - 2 buckets or 22-25 liters
Krynki, Sudenets, bowls, Tuesa, Box- from solid pieces of bast, sewn together with strips of bast. The bottom and top cover are made of boards. Sizes - from small boxes to large chests of drawers
Balakir- a dugout wooden vessel, 1/4-1/5 in volume, buckets.
As a rule, in the central and western parts of Russia, measuring containers for storing milk were proportional to the daily needs of the family and consisted of a variety of clay pots, pots, milk pans, lids, jugs, throats, milking bowls, birch bark with lids, containers, the capacity of which was approximately 1 /4- 1/2 bucket (about 3-5 l). The containers of makhotok, stavtsy, tuesk, in which fermented milk products were kept - sour cream, yogurt and cream, approximately corresponded to 1/8 of a bucket.
Kvass was prepared for the whole family in vats, tubs, barrels and tubs (lagushki, izhemki, etc.) with a capacity of up to 20 buckets, and for a wedding - for 40 or more poods. In drinking establishments in Russia, kvass was usually served in kvass pots, decanters and jugs, the capacity of which varied in different areas from 1/8-1/16 to about 1/3-1/4 of a bucket. The commercial measure of kvass in the central regions of Russia was a large clay (drinking) glass and jug.
Under Ivan the Terrible, eagle-shaped (branded with the sign of an eagle), that is, standardized drinking measures: bucket, octagon, half-octagon, stop and mug, first appeared in Russia.
Despite the fact that valleys, ladles, staves, stacks remained in use, and for small sales - hooks (cups with a long hook at the end instead of a handle, hanging along the edges of the valley).
In Old Russian measures and in vessels used for drinking, the principle of volume ratio is 1: 2: 4: 8: 16.
Ancient volume measures:
- 1 cu. fathom = 9.713 cubic meters meters
- 1 cu. arshin = 0.3597 cubic meters meters
- 1 cu. vershok = 87.82 cubic meters. cm
- 1 cu. ft = 28.32 cu. decimeter (liter)
- 1 cu. inch = 16.39 cu. cm
- 1 cu. line = 16.39 cu. mm
- 1 quart is a little more than a liter.
In trade practice and in everyday life, according to L.F. Magnitsky, the following measures of bulk solids (“grain measures”) were used for a long time:
flipper- 12 quarters
quarter(chet) - 1/4 part of cadi
octopus(eighth - eighth part)
Kad(tub, shackle) = 20 buckets or more
Big tub - bigger tub
Tsybik- box (of tea) = 40 to 80 pounds (by weight).
Details: Tea was compacted tightly into wooden boxes, “tsibiki” - leather-covered frames, in the shape of a square (two feet on a side), braided on the outside with reeds in two or three layers, which could be carried by two people. In Siberia, such a box of tea was called Umesta (“Place” is a possible option).
half an octagon
quadruple
Liquid measures ("wine measures"):
- barrel(40 buckets)
- boiler(from half a bucket to 20 buckets)
- bucket
- half a bucket
- quarter bucket
- osmuha (1/8)
- crush(1/16 bucket)
Measures of volume of liquid and granular bodies:
- 1 quarter= 2.099 hectoliters = 209.9 l
- 1 quadruple(“measure”) = 2.624 deciliters = 26.24 l
- 1 garnets= 3.280 liters
Weights :
In Rus', the following weight measures (Old Russian) were used in trade:
- Berkovets= 10 pounds
- pood= 40 lbs = 16.38 kg
- lb. (hryvnia) = 96 spools = 0.41 kg
- lot= 3 spools = 12.797 g
- spool= 4.27 g
- share= 0.044 g
The hryvnia (later pound) remained unchanged. The word "hryvnia" was used to designate both a weight and a monetary unit. This is the most common measure of weight in retail and craft applications. It was also used for weighing metals, in particular gold and silver.
BERKOVETS- this large measure of weight was used in wholesale trade mainly for weighing wax, honey, etc.
Berkovets - from the name of the island of Bjerk. This is what was called in Rus' a measure of weight of 10 pounds, just a standard barrel of wax, which one person could roll onto a merchant boat sailing to this very island. (163.8 kg).
There is a known mention of Berkovets in the 12th century in the charter of Prince Vsevolod Gabriel Mstislavich to the Novgorod merchants.
GOLDEN equaled 1/96 of a pound, in modern terms 4.26 g. They said about it: “the spool is small but expensive.” This word originally meant a gold coin.
LB(from the Latin word "pondus" - weight, weight) was equal to 32 lots, 96 spools, 1/40 pood, in modern terms 409.50 g. Used in combinations: "not a pound of raisins", "find out how much a pound of raisins is."
The Russian pound was adopted under Alexei Mikhailovich.
Sugar was sold by the pound.
They bought tea with gold coins. Spool= 4.266g.
Until recently, a small packet of tea weighing 50 grams was called an “octam” (1/8 pound)
LOT- Old Russian unit of mass measurement, equal to three spools or 12.797 grams.
SHARE- the smallest old Russian unit of mass measurement, equal to 1/96 of a spool or 0.044 grams.
PUD equaled 40 pounds, in modern terms - 16.38 kg. It was already used in the 12th century.
Pud - (from the Latin pondus - weight, heaviness) is not only a measure of weight, but also a weighing device. When weighing metals, the pud was both a unit of measurement and a unit of counting. Even when the results of weighings were reported to tens and hundreds of poods, they were not transferred to Berkovites.
Back in the XI-XII centuries. they used various scales with equal-armed and unequal-armed beams: “pud” - a type of scale with a variable fulcrum and a fixed weight, “skalvy” - equal-armed scales (two-cup).
The pud as a unit of mass was abolished in the USSR in 1924.
Measures of weight used in the 18th century:
Note: the most used at that time (XVIII century) are highlighted
Area measures
The main measure of area was considered tithe, as well as tithe shares: half a tithe, a quarter (a quarter was 40 fathoms in length and 30 in breadth) and so on. Land surveyors used (especially after the “Cathedral Code” of 1649) mainly the official three-arshine fathom, equal to 2.1336 m, so a tithe of 2400 square fathoms was equal to approximately 1.093 hectares.
The scale of use of tithes and quarters grew in accordance with the development of land and the increase in the territory of the state. However, already in the first half of the 16th century it became clear that when measuring lands in quarters, the general inventory of lands would take many years. And then, in the 40s of the 16th century, one of the most enlightened people, Ermolai Erasmus, proposed using a larger unit - a tetrahedral field, which meant a square area with a side of 1000 fathoms. This proposal was not accepted, but played a certain role in the process of introducing the large plow. Ermolai Erasmus is one of the first theoretical metrologists, who also sought to combine the solution of metrological and social issues. When determining the areas of hayfields, tithes were introduced with great difficulty because the lands were inconvenient for measurement due to their location and irregular shapes. The most commonly used yield measure was a haystack. Gradually, this measure acquired a meaning linked to the tithe, and was divided into 2 half-shocks, 4 quarter-shocks, 8 half-quarters of a hay, etc. Over time, a haystack, as a measure of area, was equated to 0.1 tithes (i.e., it was believed that an average of 10 copecks of hay were taken from a tithe). Labor and sowing measures were expressed through a geometric measure - tithe.
Surface area measures:
1 sq. verst = 250,000 square fathoms = 1.138 sq. kilometers
1 tithe = 2400 square fathoms = 1.093 hectares
1 kopn = 0.1 tithe
1 sq. fathom = 16 square arshins = 4.552 sq. meters
1 sq. arshin=0.5058 sq. meters
1 sq. vershok=19.76 sq. cm
1 sq. ft=9.29 sq. inches=0.0929 sq. m
1 sq. inch=6.452 sq. centimeter
1 sq. line=6.452 sq. millimeters
Units of measurement in Rus' in the 18th century
By the 18th century, there were up to 400 units of measures of different sizes used in different countries. The variety of measures made trading operations difficult. Therefore, each state sought to establish uniform measures for its country.
In Russia, back in the 16th and 17th centuries, uniform systems of measures were defined for the entire country. In the 18th century In connection with economic development and the need for strict accounting in foreign trade, the question of measurement accuracy and the creation of standards on the basis of which calibration work ("metrology") could be organized in Russia arose.
The question of choosing standards from the many existing ones (both domestic and overseas) turned out to be difficult. In the middle of the 18th century. foreign coins and precious metals were weighed at customs upon arrival, and then reweighed repeatedly at the mints; At the same time, the weight turned out to be different.
By the mid-30s of the 18th century. There was an opinion that, more precisely, the scales at the St. Petersburg customs office. It was decided to make model scales from the customs scales, place them under the Senate and carry out verification using them.
A ruler that previously belonged to Peter I served as an example of a measure of length when determining the size of an arshin and a sazhen. The ruler was marked with a half-arshin. Using this half-arshin measure, samples of length measures were made - a copper arshin and a wooden fathom.
Among the measures of bulk solids received by the Commission, the quadrangle of the Moscow Big Customs was selected, according to which the measurements of bulk solids in other cities were verified.
The basis for liquid measurements was a bucket sent from the Kamennomostsky drinking yard in Moscow.
In 1736, the Senate decided to form a Commission of Weights and Measures, headed by the chief director of the Monetary Board, Count Mikhail Gavrilovich Golovkin. The commission created exemplary measures - standards, established the relationship of various measures to each other, and developed a project for organizing verification work in the country. A project was introduced on the decimal construction of measures, taking into account the fact that the Russian monetary account system was built on the decimal principle.
Having decided on the starting units of measures, the Commission began to establish connections between different units of measurement using measures of length. Determine the volume of the bucket and quadrangle. The volume of the bucket was 136.297 cubic vershok, and the volume of the four-piece was 286.421 cubic vershok. The result of the work of the Commission was the “Regulations...”
According to the arshin, the value of which was determined by the Commission of 1736-1742, it was recommended in 1745 to produce arshins “in the entire Russian state.” In accordance with the volume of the quadrangle adopted by the Commission, in the second half of the 18th century. Quadruples, half-octagons and octagons were made.
Under Paul I, by decree of April 29, 1797 on the “Establishment of correct scales, drinking and grain measures throughout the Russian Empire,” a lot of work began on streamlining measures and weights. Its completion dates back to the 30s of the 19th century. The decree of 1797 was drawn up in the form of desirable recommendations. The decree concerned four issues of measurement: weighing instruments, weight measures, measures of liquid and granular bodies. Both the weighing instruments and all the measures had to be replaced, for which it was planned to cast cast iron measures.
By 1807, three arshin standards were made (stored in St. Petersburg): crystal, steel and copper. The basis for determining their value was the reduction of arshin and fathom to a multiple ratio with English. measures - in fathoms 7 English feet, in arshins - 28 English. inches. The standards were approved by Alexander I and transferred for storage to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. 52 copper tetrahedral arshins were made to be sent to each province. It is interesting that before this, the saying: “Measure by your own yardstick” literally corresponded to reality. Sellers measured the length of the fabric with a yardstick - using a drawbar from their shoulder.
On July 10, 1810, the State Council of Russia decided to introduce a single measure of length throughout the country - the standard 16 vershok arshin (71.12 cm). It was ordered to introduce state-branded yardsticks priced at 1 silver ruble in all provinces, with the simultaneous withdrawal of old yardstick templates.
Stage
Stage [Greek. stadion - stages (measure of length)] - this ancient measure of distances is more than two thousand years old (from it - Stadium in other Greece; Greek stadion - place for competitions). The size of the stage is about two hundred meters. “...directly opposite the city lay the island of Pharos, on the northern tip of which stood the famous lighthouse of the same name, built of white marble, connected to the city by a long pier called the septastadion (7 stages)” (F.A. Brockhaus, I. A. Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary)
Ancient measures in modern language
In modern Russian, ancient units of measurement and words denoting them have been preserved mainly in the form of proverbs and sayings
sayings:
“You write in big letters” - large
"Kolomenskaya Versta" is a humorous name for a very tall man.
"Oblique fathoms in the shoulders" - broad-shouldered
in poetry:
You can’t understand Russia with your mind, you can’t measure it with a common (official) yardstick. Tyutchev
Currency units
- Quarter = 25 rubles
- Ruble = 2 half
- Tselkovy - the colloquial name for the metal ruble
- Poltina = 50 kopecks
- Quarter = 25 kopecks
- Five-altyn = 15 kopecks
- Altyn = 3 kopecks
- Dime = 10 kopecks
- kidney = 1 half
- 2 money = 1 kopeck
- 1/2 copper money (half a coin) = 1 kopeck.
- Grosh (copper penny) = 2 kopecks.
- Polushka (otherwise half money) was equal to one kopeck. This is the smallest unit in the ancient money account. Since 1700, half coins were minted from copper = 1/2 copper money was equal to 1 kopeck.
Foreign names:
Pint is an old French measure of liquids, about 0.9 liters; in England and the USA - a measure of the volume of liquids and bread, approximately 0.57 l
Eighth of a pound = 1/8 pound
Gallon English - 4.546 l
Barrel - 159 l
Carat - 0.2 g, weight of wheat grain
Ounce - 28.35 g
English pound - 0.45359 kg
1 stone = 14 pounds = 6.35 kilograms
1 small handweight = 100 pounds = 45.36 kg.
Yard -91.44 cm.
Nautical mile - 1852 m
1 cable - tenth of a mile
Rhumb - 11 1/4° = 1/32 fraction of a circle - unit of angular measure
Sea knot (speed) = 1 mph
Ancient Russian quantities:
Quarter - quarter, quarter
"a quarter of wine" = a fourth of a bucket.
"quadruple grain" = 1/4 cady
kad - an old Russian measure of bulk solids (usually four pounds)
Osmina, osmukha - eighth (eighth) part = 1/8
An eighth of a pound was called osmushka ("octam of tea").
"a quarter to eight" - time = 7:45 am or pm
Five - five units of weight or length
A ream is a measure of paper, formerly equal to 480 sheets; later - 1000 sheets
"one hundred and eighty osmago November day of osmago" - 188 November eighth
Pregnancy is a burden, an armful, as much as you can wrap your arms around.
Half a third - two and a half
The text of the work is posted without images and formulas.
The full version of the work is available in the "Work Files" tab in PDF format
1. Introduction
In distant historical times, man had to gradually comprehend not only the art of counting, but also measurement. When making the simplest tools, building houses, getting food, there is a need to measure distances, and then areas, containers, mass, time. Our ancestor had only his own height, the length of his arms and legs. If a person is counting
If he used his fingers and toes, then his arms and legs were used to measure distances.
Nowadays, without thinking, we make calculations in meters, centimeters, kilometers, etc. This is convenient, a single measurement system suits almost everyone. But, of course, this was not always the case. Starting from the ancient times of paganism, right up to the 19th century, our ancestors used other measures and units. We often hear the words: inch, fathom, but we don’t know how much this is translated into familiar units of length.
Relevance of the chosen topic: I became interested in “unusual” measures of length, which were repeatedly mentioned in literary works (the inch in the work of H.H. Andersen, the fathom in Russian folk tales, etc.). And I decided to learn more about these measures and establish the relationship between the old and new measuring systems.
Purpose of the study: study ancient measures of length, compare them with the new measuring system
Hypothesis: Is it possible to use ancient measures of length at the present time, how accurate and perfect are they?
Subject of study: old Russian measures of length.
Tasks:
Get acquainted with the measuring system that existed previously; - establish the relationship between the old measuring system and the new one;
Trace the reflection of old measures in Russian folklore.
Research methods:
Analysis of the literature used; - practical work (measuring distance, height, height, length, in ancient units);
Searching for information on the global Internet;
Consultations with a specialist in the field of mathematics.
2. Main part
Since ancient times, the measure of length and weight has always been a person: how far he can stretch his arm, how much he can lift on his shoulders, etc.
The system of Old Russian measures of length included the following basic measures: verst, fathom, arshin, elbow, span and vershok.
2.1Arshin
Arshin is an ancient Russian measure of length (from the Persian word “arsh” - “elbow”), which was equal to 71 cm. It is measured from the middle finger to the shoulder. Hence the saying “Measure by your own yardstick.” An arshin was divided into 16 vershoks. When they talked about a person’s height, they only indicated how many vershoks he exceeded 2 arshins. Therefore, the words “a man 12 inches tall” meant that his height was 2 arshins 12 inches, that is, 196 cm. 3 arshins was a fathom. Arshin was also the name given to a measuring ruler, on which divisions in vershoks were usually applied.
There are different versions of the origin of the arshin measure of length. Perhaps, initially, “arshin” denoted the length of a human step (about seventy centimeters, when walking on the plain, at an average pace) and was the base value for other large measures of determining length, distances (fathom, verst). The root "AR" in the word a r sh i n - in the Old Russian language (and in other neighboring ones) means "EARTH", "surface of the earth", and indicates that this measure could be used in determining the length of the path traveled on foot. There was another name for this measure STEP.
Merchants, when selling goods, as a rule, measured it with their arshin (ruler) or quickly measuring it “from the shoulder.” To avoid oversizing,
The authorities introduced, as a standard, the “official arshin”, which is a wooden ruler with metal tips with a state mark riveted at the ends. STEP - the average length of a human step = 71 cm. One of the oldest measures of length.
“Every merchant measures by his own arshin” - about a person who judges everything by himself, based on his own interests, each merchant measures by his own 71 cm.
2.2. Verst
Verct - from the word vert, an old Russian travel measure (its early name was “field”). This word originally referred to the distance traveled from one turn of the plow to another during plowing. The two names have long been used in parallel, as synonyms. There are known mentions in written sources of the 11th century. In manuscripts of the 15th century. there is a record: “the field is 7 hundred fathoms and 50 fathoms” (750 fathoms long). Before Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, 1 verst was considered 1000 fathoms. Under Peter the Great, one verst was equal to 500 fathoms, in modern terms - 213.36 X 500 = 1066.8 m. “Verstoy” was also called a milepost on the road.
Boundary mile- (from the word boundary - the border of land holdings in the form of a narrow strip) is an old Russian unit of measurement equal to two versts. A verst of 1000 fathoms (2.16 km) was widely used as a boundary measure, usually when determining pastures around large cities, and on the outskirts of Russia, especially in Siberia, and to measure distances between populated areas.
Kolomenskaya verst- “Big” is a humorous name for a very tall person. It dates back to the time of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who reigned from 1545 to 1576. He ordered that pillars with hordes on top be placed along the road leading from the Kaluga outpost of Moscow to the summer palace in the village of Kolomenskoye, at a distance of 700 fathoms from each other. The height of each of them was approximately two fathoms (4 meters).
“From word to deed is a whole mile away” - that’s what they say to make a person brag
done with deeds, not words, from word to deed - 1.067 km.
2.3. Elbow
Elbow- the original Old Russian measure of length, known already in the 11th century, was equal to the length of the arm from the fingers to the elbow in a straight line. The size of this ancient measure of length, according to various sources, ranged from 38 to 47 cm. Since the 16th century, it was gradually replaced by the arshin and in the 19th century it was almost not used. The value of the Old Russian cubit of 10.25-10.5 vershoks (on average approximately 46-47 cm) was obtained from a comparison of measurements in the Jerusalem Temple made by Abbot Daniel, and later measurements of the same dimensions in an exact copy of this temple in the main temple of the New Jerusalem Monastery on Istra River (XVII century). It was used in peasant farming when it was necessary to measure the length of home-made woolen yarn or hemp rope (such products were wound around an elbow). The cubit was widely used in trade as a particularly convenient measure. In the retail trade of canvas, cloth, and linen, the cubit was the main measure. In large-scale wholesale trade, linen, cloth, etc., were supplied in the form of large sections of “postavs,” the length of which at different times and in different places ranged from 30 to 60 cubits (in places of trade, these measures had a specific, well-defined meaning).
“The elbow is close, but you won’t bite” - about some simple, but unfulfilled task.
2.4. Vershok
Vershok— Old Russian unit of measurement, originally equal to the length of the main phalanx of the index finger. The word comes from “top”, that is, a sprout, a shoot - a stalk emerging from the ground. The measure of an inch in modern terms is approximately 4.45 cm.
A vershok was equal to 1/16 of an arshin, 1/4 of a quarter. In the literature of the 17th century. There are also fractions of an inch - half an inch and a quarter of an inch.
The word “VERSHOK” is familiar to everyone - something short, insignificant.
When determining the height of a person or animal, counting was carried out after two arshins (mandatory for a normal adult): if it was said that the person being measured was 10 vershok height, then this meant that he was 2 arshins 10 vershok, that is, 187 cm. There is a saying about a person An immature child is still told: “The pot is two inches away.” Two inches is about 9 cm, there are no people of this height, which means 2 arshins and 2 inches. Two inches from the pot is 151.14 cm, that is, a person of short stature.
2.5. Fathom
Fathom- one of the most common length measures in Rus'. There were more than ten fathoms of different purposes (and, accordingly, size).
This ancient measure of length was mentioned by Nestor in 1017. The name fathom comes from the verb to reach (reach) - how far one could reach with one’s hand. To determine the meaning of the ancient Russian fathom, a major role was played by the discovery of a stone on which the inscription was carved in Slavic letters: “In the summer of 6576 (1068) of the 6th day of indictment, Prince Gleb measured... 10,000 and 4,000 fathoms.” From a comparison of this result with the measurements of topographers, a fathom value of 151.4 cm was obtained. The results of measurements of temples and the value of Russian folk measures coincided with this value. There were fathomed measuring ropes and wooden “folds”, which were used in measuring distances and in construction.
Simple fathom- the distance between the thumbs of a person’s hands extended in opposite directions (equal to approximately 152 cm).
Machaya fathom- the distance between the ends of the middle fingers of the outstretched hands of a person of average height was approximately 1.76 m.
Oblique fathom- (originally “oblique”) the distance from the toes of the right (left) foot of a standing person to the end of the toes extended diagonally
left (right) arm (equal to approximately 216 cm) Used in the phrase: “he has oblique fathoms in his shoulders” (meaning - hero, giant).
Varieties of fathoms
policewoman - 284.8 cm,
church - 186.4 cm,
folk - 176.0 cm,
masonry - 159.7 cm,
simple - 150.8 cm,
great - 244.0 cm,
Greek - 230.4 cm,
breech - 217.6 cm,
royal - 197.4 cm,
Fathoms were used before the introduction of the metric system of measures.
2.6. Span
Span- one of the oldest measures of length. It is convenient because, like an elbow and a palm, everyone carries it with them. The span is the distance between the ends of the spread thumb and index (or middle) fingers. It was 17.78 cm. They distinguished: small span, large span and span with somersault.
“Don’t give up an inch” - don’t give up even the smallest thing, don’t give up even 27 cm.
“Seven spans in the forehead” is about a very smart man, 189 cm in forehead.
Large span- the distance between the ends of the thumb and little finger (22-23 cm).
Somersault span - with an increase in two joints of the index finger 27-31 cm.
Small span - the distance between the ends of the extended thumb and index fingers.
2.7 Palm
Palm - to measure small distances, the palm was used - this is the width of the hand. A palm is 1/6 of a cubit (six palmar cubit).
2.8 Inch
Inch - a non-metric unit of distance and length in some systems of measurement. It is generally believed that the inch was originally defined as the width of the thumb. Another addition connects an inch with the length of three dry barley grains taken from the middle part of the ear and placed one against the other with their ends. The word inch was introduced into the Russian language by Peter the first at the very beginning of the eighteenth century. The length of an inch is approximately 25.3mm. After the transition of the USSR to the metric system, inches were used to a limited extent: some “three-inch” artillery calibers were 76.2 mm caliber guns, 2 “three-ruler” small arms were 7.62 mm; nail length, board thickness; pipe thread diameter, etc.
2.9 International system of units
In 1960, the XI CGPM adopted the standard, which for the first time received the name “International System of Units”, and established the international abbreviation for this system “SI”. The basic units in it were the meter, kilogram, second, ampere, degree Kelvin and candela.
On January 1, 1963, GOST 9867-61 “International System of Units” SI was introduced in the USSR as preferred in all areas of science, technology and national economy, as well as in teaching
Conclusion: I believe that all units of measurement I have studied should be retired as soon as possible, where they are currently used, since “this system of measurement” is not perfect. Since each person has their own height and their own measures, it became clear how inconvenient such a system of measures was. Therefore, over time, people switched to the metric system: after all, meter, decimeter, centimeter do not depend
from a person's height.
2.10.Practical part
Verst
I calculated the distance from home to school in miles.
Vershok
I decided to measure the length of the book with the average accepted designation of an inch, and with my measurement result
Arshin
I measured the arshin of my family members.
I measured the height of my family members with a yardstick.
Fathom
I measured the simple and oblique fathom of my family members
I measured the length of my room in fathoms.
Elbow
I measured the elbow length of all my family members.
I measured the height of family members in elbows
Span
I measured the height of the piano with the average accepted designation and my span
Palm
I measured the length of the piano with my palm using the average notation, and with my palm
Inch
I measured the height of the glass in inches, as well as the width of my thumb
3.Conclusion
In the course of my work, I found out what ancient measures of length existed in ancient times and compared them with the new measuring system. During the research, I found out how many miles from home to school, what the length of a step, palm, span, elbow is for all my family members. Length is one of the first geometric concepts introduced by man. The first measures of length were natural and simplest. Elbow, arshin, span, step - these measures are always with you, but they are inaccurate, since these units are different for different people. And even though these measures are not used now as before, they are reflected in folklore and are still used today, reflecting the wisdom of the people.
At the end of the work, I experienced great pleasure from the work done for the first time under the guidance of a teacher and parents, and I hope that it worked out for me.
4.Literature
Dal V.I. Proverbs of the Russian people, M., “Astrel”, 2008
Methodological aspects of studying mathematics. Ancient Russian measures. Subbotina A.A., 7th grade, MBOU "Ilyinskaya Secondary School No. 1", Ilyinsky district, Elena Borisovna Putilova, first category mathematics teacher. Perm, 2015.
3. http:// rusprawda.info Ancient Russian measures of length
4. http://philolog.petrusu.ru/dahl/html/texst.hlm.- Texts of works by Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl.
5. http://ru.wikipedia.org system of units of measurement - Wikipedia
The twentieth century found Russia with a fully developed system of units of weight, length, volume and area. Partly independent, partly borrowed from other countries through trade. We must recognize the fact that by the twentieth century, many countries had lost their systems of measures, replacing them with metric ones. So by this time there were only three systems of measures in the world: English, Russian and metric.
In the history of Russian measures, two stages can be distinguished: before Peter the Great and after Peter the Great. This review will focus on the post-Petrine period.
Peter the Great, who declared the arshin the basic unit of Russian measures, initiated the standardization of measures and entrusted control over them to government bodies, including the police. When replacing the boards with ministries, this supervision was entrusted to the Ministry of Finance for the department of trade and manufactures. However, the final standard was established only in 1845 based on the regulation of October 11, 1835.
Simultaneously with the publication of this regulation, a special commission made prototypes of the arshin and pound from platinum. In 1874, under the jurisdiction of the Department of Trade and Manufactures, the “Depot of Model Weights and Measures” was established, which was replaced in 1893 by the “Main Chamber of Weights and Measures”. She produced new prototypes of the arshin and pound and developed a number of measures to ensure the correctness of trade measures and weights. The result of her work was the regulation on weights and measures on June 1, 1899. This provision established for the first time the legal relationship of the basic Russian measures - arshin and pound - to metric ones.
And so, based on the regulations of June 4, 1899, the basic unit of weight (mass) was the pound, equal to 0.40951241 parts of an international kilogram or 409.51241 grams. The Russian pound contained 96 spools or 32 lots, a spool - 96 shares. Forty pounds was a pood.
The basic unit of linear measures was the arshin, equal to 28 ang. inches or 0.711200 parts of an international meter or 71.12 centimeters. The Russian arshin contained 16 vershok or 28 inches; inch - 10 lines or 100 dots. Three arshins make a fathom or 7 feet; five hundred fathoms was a mile.
The unit of liquid volume was a bucket containing 30 pounds of distilled and completely purified water at a temperature of 16 and 2/3 degrees according to the 100 degree international hydrogen thermometer. Bucket divisions: damask equal to 1/10 of a bucket, wine bottle = 1/16 of a bucket, half-shtof or vodka (beer) bottle equal to 1/20 of a bucket, glass = 1/100 of a bucket and scale equal to 1/200 of a bucket.
The unit of measure for bulk solids was the garnet, containing 8 pounds of water, weighed under the same conditions as for liquid bodies. Eight garnets made a four, and eight fours made a quarter. There was another measure - octine, equal to 4 quadruplets.
Squares or derivatives of two linear measures were used to measure areas. Everything is simple here - by analogy with metric ones. To measure the surface of the earth, a tithe was used, equal to 2400 square meters. fathoms.
The same applies to measures of area volume - derivatives of three, in this case, linear measures.
There were also so-called apothecary measures, where the basic unit was the apothecary pound, equal to 0.35832 parts of an international kilogram or 358.32 grams. An apothecary's pound contained 12 apothecary's ounces. An apothecary's ounce was equal to 8 apothecary's drachms, an apothecary's drachm to 3 apothecary's scruples, and an apothecary's scruple to 20 apothecary's grains.
In addition, the Nuremberg apothecary pound was also used, equal to 356.783 grams. Contained also 12 oz.
By regulation of June 4, 1899, the metric system was adopted.
Among other things, various old measures of local origin were also used on the outskirts of the Empire. However, one way or another they were used only at the household level.
Measures of length (linear):
Versta = 500 fathoms = 1.0668 km
Fathom = 3 arshins = 7 feet = 2.1336 m
Arshin = 16 vershok = 28 inches = 71.12 cm
Foot = 12 inches = 6.85 inches = 30.48 cm
Top = 17.5 lines = 4.45 cm
Inch = 10 lines = 2.54 cm
Line = 10 points = 2.54 mm
Point = 0.245 mm
Measures of weight (mass):
Pud = 40 pounds = 16.38 kg
Pound = 32 lots = 96 spools = 409.51241 g
Lot = 3 spools = 12.797263 g
Spool = 96 shares = 4.26g
Fraction = 44.43 mg
Liquid volume measures:
Barrel = 40 buckets =
Bucket = 10 damasks = 12.29 l
Shtof = 1/ 10 buckets = 2 vodka bottles = 10 glasses = 1, 2299 l
Wine bottle = 1/16 bucket = 0.768 l
Vodka bottle = 1/20 bucket = 5 glasses = 0.61 l
Cup = 1/100 buckets = 2 scales = 122 ml
Scale = 1/200 bucket = 61 ml
Measures of volume of bulk solids:
Quarter = 2 octets = 8 quads = 2.09 ch
Octopus = 4 quads = 1.04 hl
Quadruple = 8 garnets = 26.2 l
Garnets = 2 polugarnets = 3, 27 l
Polugarnets = 1.63 l
Area measures (square):
Square verst = 250,000 square fathoms = 1.13806 km2;
square fathom = 9 square arshins = 49 square feet = 4.552245 m2
square arshin = 256 square vershoks = 784 square inches = 0.505805 m2
square inch = 3.06 square inches = 19.75 cm2
square foot = 144 square inches =0.0929030m2
square inch = 100 square lines = 6.451597 cm2
A tithe was legalized as a specific unit, equal to 2400 square fathoms, which was 1.09254 hectares in metric equivalent.
29.01.2017
In order to obtain objective information about an object or phenomenon, its properties and parameters, we need to describe it: measure, count, disassemble it into its component elements and reassemble it into a whole. All this, of course, concerns external characteristics and does not reveal the essence of things, which is known in a completely different way.
In everyday life, we constantly use measuring instruments such as watches, electric meters, scales, thermometer, ruler and many others. To measure a quantity means to find out how many times it contains another quantity of the same kind, taken as a unit of measurement.
Today, 95% of the world's population uses the metric system of measurements, but this was not always the case.
Reference
The international decimal system of measurements, which is based on the use of units such as the kilogram and meter, is called Metric. Currently, the Metric system of measures is used in most countries of the world. There are, however, several large states that still use the English system of measures based on units such as pounds, feet and seconds. These include the UK, USA and Canada. However, these countries have also already adopted several legislative measures aimed at moving to the Metric system.
In Rus', the Russian system of measures was traditionally used, the main measuring element of which was the person. On the one hand, this is very convenient in everyday business affairs (the measuring device is always with you), on the other hand, it caused difficulties in trade transactions, when collecting taxes and in the development of industry (after all, such measuring units are different for different people).
In Russia, in different places, almost all measures had different meanings, so detailed tables of measures were placed in arithmetic textbooks before the revolution. In one common pre-revolutionary reference book one could find up to 100 different feet, 46 different miles, 120 different pounds, etc. After all, people’s steps are different, their foot lengths are not the same, and everyone’s toes are different widths...
Therefore, there was a need to look for new unified units of measurement in the surrounding nature.
So our original system was replaced by the metric system of measures, which originated in France in the mid-18th century. It was approved for use in Russia (optional) according to the law of June 4, 1899. The use of the metric system of measures in the RSFSR became mandatory by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR dated September 14, 1918, and in the USSR by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated July 21, 1925.
So, modern units of measurement:
Weights
- 1 ton (t) = 1000 kilograms (kg)
- 1 quintal (c) = 100 kilograms (kg)
- 1 kilogram (kg) = 1000 grams (g)
- 1 gram (g) = 1000 milligrams (mg)
Length measures
- 1 kilometer (km) = 1000 meters (m)
- 1 meter (m) = 10 decimeters (dm) = 100 centimeters (cm)
- 1 decimeter (dm) = 10 centimeters (cm)
- 1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters (mm)
Area measures
- 1 sq. kilometer (km2) = 1,000,000 sq. meters (m2)
- 1 sq. meter (m2) = 100 sq. decimeters (dm2) = 10,000 sq. centimeters (cm2)
- 1 hectare (ha) = 100 aram (a) = 10,000 sq. meters (m2)
- 1 ar (a) = 100 sq. meters (m2)
Volume measures
- 1 cu. meter (m3) = 1000 cubic meters decimeters (dm3) = 1,000,000 cubic meters. centimeters (cm3)
- 1 cu. decimeter (dm3) = 1000 cubic meters centimeters (cm3)
- 1 liter (l) = 1 cu. decimeter (dm3)
- 1 hectoliter (hl) = 100 liters (l)
Ancient Russian measures
Since ancient times, the measure of length and weight has always been a person: how far he can stretch his arm, how much he can lift on his shoulders, etc. The system of ancient Russian measures of length included the following basic measures: verst, fathom, arshin, elbow, span and vershok.
Proverbs and sayings using ancient measures of length and their translations into modern units of measurement:
1. An arshin and a caftan, and two for patches - 0.71 m and a caftan, and 1.42 m for patches.
2. A beard is the size of an inch, and words are the size of a bag - a beard is 44 cm, and words are the size of a bag.
3. He lies seven miles to heaven, and all through forest - he lies 7,469 km to heaven, and all through forest.
4. For seven miles they were looking for a mosquito, but the mosquito was on the nose - 7.469 km away they were looking for the mosquito, and the mosquito was on the nose.
5. He sees three arshins into the ground - he sees 2.13 m into the ground.
6. A hunter walks seven miles away to sip jelly - a hunter walks 7.469 km away to sip jelly.
7. You are a span from the truth, and she is a fathom from you - You are 19 cm from the truth, and she is 2.13 m from you.
8. Stretch a mile, but don’t be easy - stretch 1.067 km, but don’t be easy.
9. You can light a pound candle for this, but you can light a 16.4 kg candle for this.
10. A grain saves a pound - a grain of 16.4 kg protects
11. Two inches (or half an inch) from the pot, and already a pointer - 0.888 m (or 0.222 m) from the pot, and already a pointer.
12. Her Saturday went up two inches after Friday - her Saturday went up 0.888 m after Friday.
13. If you don’t give in an inch, you don’t give in 27 cm.
14. If you give in a span, you lose a fathom - you give in 27 cm, you lose 2.13 m.
15. Seven spans in the forehead - 189 cm in the forehead.
16. He is as tall as a fingernail, and his beard is as long as his elbow. He is as tall as his elbow, and his beard is 38-46 cm.
17. He stepped and conquered the kingdom - he stepped 71 cm and conquered the kingdom.
18. Not a step back! - not 71 cm back.
19. Each merchant measures with his own arshin - each merchant measures with his own 71 cm.
20. The beard is an arshin long, but the mind is an inch long - the beard is 71 cm long, and the mind is 27 cm long.
21. Oblique fathom at the shoulders - 2.13 m at the shoulders.
22. Moscow is miles away, but close to the heart - Moscow is 1.067 km away, but close to the heart.
23. Love is not measured by miles - love is not measured by 1.067 km.
24. From word to deed - a whole mile - from word to deed - 1.067 km.
25. A mile closer, a nickel cheaper - 1.067 km closer, a nickel cheaper.
26. Seven miles is not a detour for a fellow - 7.469 km is not a detour for a fellow.
27. You can see it from a mile away - it can be seen from 1.067 km away.
28. From thought to thought five thousand miles - from thought to thought - 5335 km.
29. Write about other people's sins in arshins, and about your own - in lowercase letters - write about other people's sins 71 cm, and about your own in lowercase letters.
30. Stretch a mile, but don’t be easy - stretch 1.067 km, but don’t be easy.
If you want to always learn about new publications on the site in a timely manner, then subscribe to
Our Ancestors had sacred numbers: 3, 4, 7, 9, 16, 33, 40, 108, 144, 369. We still use these numbers: at the age of 16 we receive a passport, on the 9th and 40th days we remember the dead, etc. Our Ancestors had 9 cardinal directions. If each of them is divided into 40 parts, you get a circle of 360 degrees, which we still use today.
Each day was divided into 16 hours, each hour contained 144 parts, each part had 1296 shares, each share - 72 moments, each moment - 760 moments, each moment - 160 whitefish.
In order to understand what quantities our Ancestors operated with, it is enough to give one simple example: one of the smallest particles of time among the Slavic-Aryan peoples was called “whitefish”. She was depicted as a Rune in the form of lightning. The fastest movement from one place to another was estimated in whitefish. Hence the old Russian expressions like “sigat”, “siganut”.
What is 1 sig equal to in modern time units? The answer makes anyone think: one second contains 300,244,992 cigs, and 1 sig is approximately equal to 30 oscillations of the electromagnetic wave of a cesium atom, taken as the basis for modern atomic clocks (or approximately 1/300 ml. fraction of a second). Why did our Ancestors need such small quantities? The answer is simple - for measuring ultra-fast processes. Thus, the ancient expressions “jump”, “jump” in modern language can only mean “teleport”.
And the largest distance “far distance” is approximately 1.4 light years. Obviously, such units of length were needed only to describe distances to other star systems. Similarly, the longest period of time “Svarog Circle” was equal to the period of precession of the earth’s axis of 25,920 years, which for some reason remains unnoticed by contemporaries, accustomed to living on the scale of one human life, and not on the time scale of the existence of Humanity and ice ages.
Ancient Russian measures of bulk solids:
Carry out luggage (invoice) - weigh pasture (goods). (Old Russian)
1) Russian pud = 16.38 kg. Pud is an ancient Russian unit of weight. It is mentioned, in particular, in the charter of Vsevolod Mstislavovich (1134-35). According to “Magnitsky’s Arithmetic” (Petrine’s times), (see reference below) 1 pood = 40 pounds or 30 ansyryam. In the 19th century, a pud was equal to 40 Russian pounds (Russian pound = 32 lots or 96 zolotnikov). Moscow pud - 6/7 of a regular pud.
2) Zolotnik – small measure of weight = 4.1 g. In ancient Rus' it was often used by jewelry craftsmen. (“small spool, but expensive!”) Spool = 1/9216 pounds or 96 shares.
3) Drop – an ancient unit of weight = 65.52 kg. Known since the end of the 12th century. At the end of the 13th century it was approved at 4 pounds.
4) Kad is an ancient measure of bulk solids. In the 17th century, a Kad was equal to 2 quarters and contained 12 poods of ordinary grain or 14 poods of Moscow grain. The more ancient name of the cadi is Okov (an ancient tub bound with iron - hoops).
5) Kul (formerly Meh) - a measure of loose bodies of various weights (Moscow, 17th century). Mentioned in chronicles.
6) Garnets (“pot” in Old Russian). In the Kingdom of Poland it was used until 1849, divided into 4 quarts = 4 liters. In Galicia it was used until 1857. = 3.85 liters (according to Yuzhakov). Common East Slavic measure of bulk solids. “There will be a merchant for a leaky garnet!”
7) Chetverik = 26.25 liters. A measure of capacity in Russia. In one quadrangle there are 8 garnets, 1/8 of a quarter.
Osmina (Osminka). The measure of bulk solids is equal to half a quarter (105 - 125 liters). (according to the “Library of Folklore”)
9) Ladle. A measure of milk bread. (In “Russkaya Pravda” the income of farmers is calculated in ladles.)
10) Korets. A measure for grain bread and honey (drink) measuring about 1 garnz. In Poland there is also a measure of liquids (old) - about 10 buckets.
11) Cleaning. An ancient Russian measure of small capacity - about a daily portion of grain (according to “Russian Truth”).
12) Zobnitsa. Goiter - food (Old Russian). Ancient Pskov grain measure. It was divided into half beans and quarters. Approximately equal to 10 pounds of flour. (Pskov chronicles XIV - XVI centuries)
Ancient Russian measures of length:
1) Versta. “We can’t stand a mile with him!” - he is no match for me (proverb). Presumably the word “verst” comes from the Old Russian “vervsta”. The sound “v” has been erased in colloquial speech. The word goes back to the ancient “rope”, “turning” - measurement, measurement of space. “Catch up” - measure in length (old) “Catch up” - catch up, hurry. “Laying out” - measuring distance, space. (“earthly laying out” - measuring (turning) the allotment.)
a) Russian verst = 500 fathoms = 1500 arshin = 1066.8 m.
b) Kolomna verst = 700 fathoms. Old mile.
c) Measured mile = 1000 fathoms (1629). In 1649 established by laying down 1000 fathoms of three arshins. At the same time, there was a verst of 500 fathoms of “royal” ones. The analogue of verst is “field” (Old Russian) – a little more than a kilometer.
d) Field = 700 fathoms and a half (XV century)
e) Field = 1000 fathoms (1629). “There’s jelly for seven miles!” - no problem!
a) Fathom – Flying fathom – Interception – distance between the index fingers of spread hands = 2.13 – 2.36 cm. (Sakharov)
b) Oblique fathom - presumably the distance from the fingers of an outstretched hand to the toes of the opposite leg set slightly to the side.
c) Russian fathom = 3 arshins = 48 vershkas.
d) “Printed fathom” - an exact measure of length with a seal certifying its accuracy. (Not a false measure)
3) Arshin = 0.711m. Kolovratny arshin (Old Russian) – a measure of area - arshin squared. “Intentionally on the crooked arshin” is incorrect. (adv.)
4) Badog (batog) = half a fathom = 1.06 m. A common measure during construction work, the so-called “rule” among carpenters. “Carpenters have only one tool – a plumb line and a rule.”
5) Pyad (span) - the distance between the thumb and index finger (Old Russian). Aglitskaya span = 22.86 cm. (Introduced in the times of Peter the Great).
a) Top = 4.4 cm. = 1/16 arshin (according to the “Trading Book”)
b) Vershok = 1+11/16 English inches (Tasse, 1554)
c) Vershok = 1+3/4 English inches (Yuzhakov, 19th century)
SAZHEN is an ancient Russian measure of length, today equated to 2 meters and used mainly for measuring land plots. But in Ancient Rus', not one, but several fathoms were used. Historians and architects admit that there were at least 8 fathoms and they had their own names, were incommensurable, not multiples of one another and not integers. A.A. Piletsky gives 12 standard sizes of fathoms: city 284.8 cm, unnamed 258.4 cm, great 244.0 cm, Greek 230.4 cm, state 217.6 cm, royal 197.4 cm, church 186, 4 cm, folk 176.0 cm, masonry 159.7 cm, simple 150.8 cm, small 142.4 cm and another unnamed 134.5 cm (the names of two fathoms have not yet been found, and their lengths are averaged with the expected tolerance + 2 cm.)
The origin of the fathoms is unknown. Scientists believe that some of them appeared in Rus', while others were borrowed. Thus, it is assumed that the ancestors of the royal fathom are Egyptian measures, Greek - Greece, church - Roman passages, great - Lithuanian cubits. And this random origin is the main reason for the lack of integerity and multiplicity between them. And therefore, the possibility of these fathoms forming a single harmonious proportioning system is considered incredible.
In addition, ancient Russian architects did not allow random, and even more so unreasonable, sizes in their work. Then what proportions connect these seemingly random parameters? A.A. Piletsky, analyzing the sizes of fathoms, shows that their numerical value forms a two-row modular system of numbers, similar to the series of Fibonacci numbers. That is, they gravitate towards golden proportions, which is also confirmed by the ratio of the length of the Greek fathom to the small one. It is equal to the golden number Ф = 1.618. And the integer-incommensurable irrational golden numbers form the highest aesthetic proportionality of the parts and the whole.
Apparently, it was precisely the prejudice in the impossibility of golden proportioning of Russian fathoms (and this in the presence of a golden proportion between Greek and small fathoms and the evidence of the works of A.A. Piletsky) that excluded checking them for the golden number by sequentially dividing the five largest fathoms into the five smallest . The quotient of this division gives the golden number Ф = 1.618, and with an accuracy incredible for four significant figures. (In operations with four significant figures, the result is determined by the three resulting figures. Here the accuracy varies from 4 to 7 significant figures.) The proportionality to the number F of the royal and church fathoms is found by doubling the value of masonry and simple fathoms and dividing the result by the value of the first: Ф = 159.7 x 2/197.4 = 150.8 x 2/186.4 = 1.618. The use of these fathoms in measurements is characterized by two original features that have no analogues in the world's metric systems: - to measure segments smaller than fathoms, the latter are consistently divided into two. (For example, half a folk fathom - a folk half-fathom - 88 cm, a quarter of a fathom - a folk cubit - 44 cm, one eighth of a folk fathom or half a cubit - 22 cm, etc. - the division is the same for all fathoms); - not a single structure in Ancient Rus' was built using only one type of fathoms. When measuring the length of objects, one fathom was used, width - another, height - third. The internal layout was carried out by the fourth fathom, etc. This measurement system, which seems complex and incomprehensible to a modern engineer, ensured the integrity (“quantization”) and completeness of the structure based on irrational measuring instruments and their compliance with golden proportions.
Even more striking was the power multiplicity of all fathoms to the step of the Egyptian modulator Hesi Ra, equal to 1.0549231... A step found only in 1994. It was he who created the non-integerity of all fathoms. If, for example, the most common and therefore known with greater accuracy fathoms - small and folk - are successively divided and multiplied by a step of 1.05492..., then within the limits of averaging we obtain the length of all Russian fathoms. And this proves the uniform pattern of their formation and ensures that the architect obtains whole, quantized sizes of parts of structures in fractional segments, which ensures complete proportionality between the parts and the structure. The correspondence of the values of these measures to the elements of the structural matrix of Ancient Egypt is evidence that they knew about fathoms in ancient times, and they also knew about the possibility of using these fathoms (or their analogues) in measuring operations. And if this is so, then when constructing, for example, the Great Pyramids at Giza, one should expect the multiplicity of their structural elements to a whole number of different measuring instruments, and possibly even to Old Russian fathoms. This assumption was quite crazy and therefore it had to be checked immediately. The verification was complicated by significant destruction of the pyramids. Today we do not know the exact dimensions of any external parameter of any pyramid. All preserved parameters - height, length of edges and sides, size of corners - “dance” within 1-2% or more. In addition, we do not know the principles of constructing pyramids, the “rigidity” of their structures, the underlying structure and their hierarchical relationship with each other. And yet... Amazing! But the system of ancient Russian fathoms fit into the design of the pyramids in such a way that ALL their parameters turned out to be multiples of an integer number of different fathoms in full accordance with the methods of their use in Rus'.
In ancient times, the Piad system was used by white peoples everywhere; later, worldly references and explanations were given to the measures of this system, which were preserved in sayings and fairy tales of the Russian people. For example: “Seven spans in the forehead”, “Two inches from the pot”, “A little man from nokotok”, “Everyone measures his own arshin”, “Calculated every step”, “On the brink of death”, etc. The piad system of measures is a system of measures used by the ancient Slavs. It covers the range from microns to astronomical distances. Each measure has its own symbolic designation. The span system is based on the average distance from the thumb to the index finger, i.e. span.
Below are the numerical values of the main measures of the span system:
1 span = 17.78 cm
2 spans = 1 foot (35.56 cm)
3 spans = 1 cubit (53.34 cm)
4 spans = 1 arshin (71.12 cm)
5 spans = 1 step (88.9 cm)
6 spans = 1 measure, or half a fathom (106.68 cm)
7 spans = 1 forehead (124.46 cm)
8 spans = 1 column (142.24 cm)
9 spans = 1 staff (160.02 cm)
10 spans = 1 twisted staff (177.8 cm)
12 spans = 1 fathom (213.36 cm)
16 spans = 1 circle (284.48 cm)
17 spans = 1 oblique fathom (302.26 cm)
1/4 span = 1 vershok (4.445 cm)
1/16 span = 1 nail (1.11125 cm)
1/256 span (1/16 cubit) = 1 line (0.069453 cm)
1/4096 span (1/16 line) = 1 hair (0.00434 cm)
1/65536 span (1/16 hair) = 1 hair (0.00027cm)
1 verst = 6000 spans (1066.8 meters)
1 milepost = 1,517.41632 meters
1 measured verst = 1000 fathoms (2,133.6 meters)
1 distance = 150 pillar versts (227.6 km)
1 light distance = 148,021,218.5273 km
1 far distance = 3500 light distances (518,074,264,845.5 km).
There is a saying: “You don’t need to be a genius.” Seven spans is equal to human height at about 12 years of age.
What was measured by the Novgorod standard?
In 1970, during excavations in Novgorod, not far from the Church of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa on Torg (1207 g.) in layers of the beginning of the 13th century. fragments of a wooden measure with threescales of large and small divisions. This measure consisted of two fragments of a tetrahedral spruce block with a cross section of 28 x 36 mm and a total length of 54 cm . There were markings on three of Meryl's faces, the fourth was empty. Marking
