Education, Secondary education and schools
Old measures of measuring length, area, mass. The significance of the old measures of measurement in Russia
Today, each of us uses only modern terms in the designation of measures of measurement. And it is considered normal and natural. However, when studying history or reading literary works, we often come across words such as "inches", "arshins," "elbows," etc.
And such use of terms is also normal, since this is nothing more than the old measures of measurement. What they mean, everyone should know. Why? Firstly, this is the story of our ancestors. Secondly, such knowledge is an indicator of our intellectual level.
History of the appearance of measures
The development of human society was impossible without comprehending the art of calculation. But 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. Old measures of measurement, relating to the growth of a person or clarifying the amount of tissue, corresponded to the length of the finger or joint, the extent of the hands, etc., that is, to everything that was a kind of measuring device that always was with him.
About very interesting ways of determining the length of our ancestors, we learn from the annals and old letters. This is the "rocking", that is, his throw, and "cannon shot", and "shooting" (the range of the arrow), and much more. At times, the unit of measurement denoted the distance at which the cry of this or that animal was still heard. It was a "cock crowing", "bellowing roar", etc. An interesting measure of length existed among the peoples of Siberia. It was called "beech", and it implied the distance on which the horns of a bull merged visually into a single whole.
From the extant chronicles, we can conclude that the old measures of measurement in Russia appeared in the 11-12 centuries. They were such units as verst, sazhen, elbow and span. However, at that time the methods of determining length invented by man were still extremely unstable. They differed slightly depending on the principality and constantly changed in time.
From the annals of the 13-15th centuries we learn that the old measures of measuring loose bodies (usually cereals) - kad, halves, quarters and octopuses. In the 16-17 centuries. These terms have disappeared from use. The main measure of loose bodies from this period is a quarter, which roughly corresponded to six poods.
In a number of documents of the Kievan Rus epoch the word "spool" is encountered. This weight unit had the same distribution as the Berkovets and pood.
Definition of length
Old measures of measuring physical quantities did not differ very much. The same concerns the definition of length by steps. This unit was used even in Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Persia and Egypt. The human step, the average length of which is 71 cm, determined distances even between cities. A similar unit is used in our time. However, today special devices pedometers determine not the distance, but the number of steps passed by a person.
The measure of the length that was used in the Mediterranean countries was a unit such as stages. Mention of it can be found in manuscripts, dating back to the first millennium BC. E. The stage was equal to the distance that a person could walk at a calm pace from dawn to the moment when the solar disk completely appears above the horizon.
As the development of society, people began to need larger quantities. In this regard, there was an ancient Roman mile, equal to 1000 steps.
The ancient measures of measuring the length of different peoples differed from each other. So, the Estonian sailors determined the distance by the tubes. This was the way the ship passed during the time of smoking a pipe full of tobacco. The same measure of length in the Spaniards was called a cigar. The Japanese determined the distance by "horse shoes". This was the way that the animal could pass to the complete abrasion of the straw sole, which replaced the horseshoe.
Basic values for determining the length in Russia
Remember the proverbs with the old measures of measurement. One of them is familiar to us from the very childhood: "From the pot, two inches, and already a pointer." What is such a unit of length? In Russia it was equal to the width of the index and middle fingers. At the same time, one verst corresponded to one sixteenth arshin. Today, this value is 4.44 cm. But the Russian old measure of measurement - the nail - was 11 mm. Taken four times, it was equal to one top.
Measuring the cloth, the eastern merchants pulled her on his arm to the shoulder. In other words, they measured the goods with arshins. It was very convenient, because such a measuring device was always with him. However, crafty merchants were looking for clerks with shorter hands, so that there would be less cloth for arshin. But soon it was put an end. The authorities introduced state bureaucracy, which was to be used by all without exception. They were a wooden ruler, which was made in Moscow. Copies of such a device were sent all over Russia. And in order that no one could cheat and shorten the arshin a little, the ends of the ruler were bound with iron, which was stamped with the state stamp. To date, 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 are also telling about him. Thus, it is said of a shrewd person that he "sees three arshins under the earth".
What else in Russia was the distance determined?
There are other ancient measures of length. These include sazhen. The mention of this term is first encountered in the "Word of the beginning of the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery", dated 11th century. And there were two varieties of fathoms. One of them is flapping, equal to the distance between the tips of the middle fingers, stretched in different directions. The value of old measures of this type was 1 m 76 cm. The second type of sazhen 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 the skewer was about 248 cm. Sometimes this term is mentioned in describing a man of a bogatyr physique. They say that he has a slanting sazhen in his shoulders.
Old Russian measures to measure large distances - a field or a mile. The first mention of these quantities is found in the 11th century manuscripts. The length of the verst is 1060 m. Initially, this term was used to measure arable land. He meant the distance between the turns of the plow.
Old measures of measuring values were sometimes jokingly called. So, since the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich (1645-1676 gg.) A very tall man was called the Kolomna verst. This humorous term is not forgotten today.
Another ancient measure of length in Russia was the span. Its value was about a quarter of a yard and was approximately 18 cm. There were:
- "smaller span", equal to the distance between the tips of the elongated forefinger and thumb;
- "big span", equal to the length between the placed large and middle fingers.
Many proverbs about the ancient measures of measurement indicate to us this value. For example, "seven spears in the forehead." So they say about a very clever person.
The smallest ancient unit of length is the line. It is equal to the breadth of wheat grain and is 2.54 mm. Until now, such a unit of measurement is used by watch factories. Only the size is adopted Swiss - 2.08 mm. For example, the value of the men's watch "Victory" is 12 lines, and the female "Zarya" - 8.
European length units
Since the 18th century. 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 conducted a metrological reform. His decree in the country introduced some English values for measuring distances. It was feet, inches and yards. Especially the most widespread these units were in shipbuilding and in the fleet.
According to the existing legend, the yard was first identified in 101 g. It was a size equal to the length from the nose of Henry I (King of England) to the tip of the middle finger of his hand, elongated in a horizontal position. Today, this distance is 0.91 m.
Foot and yard are old measures of measurement, closely connected with each other. Occurred from the English word "foot" - foot, this value is one third of a yard. Today foot is 30.48 centimeters.
Streamlining the system of measures
In order to ensure the ease of transition from one unit of measurement to another, special tables have been published in Russia. On the one hand, old measures were introduced in them. Units of measurement of foreign origin, which corresponded to the Russian, were placed through an equal sign. The same units that were to be used in the country were added to the same tables.
However, the confusion with the system of measures in Russia did not end there. In different cities, their units were used. The end of this was laid only in 1918, when Russia moved to the metric system of measures.
Measurement of volume
It was necessary for a man to measure free-flowing physical quantities and liquids. For this he began to use all that was available in his life (buckets, vessels and other containers).
1. By an octopus, or an 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 octine is mentioned in the documents of the 15th century. It was widely used in Russia because of its practicality, since it had a volume half as large as that of a quarter. There was even a certain standard of such a measure. It was a container, to which was attached an iron sling. The grain was poured into such a measured octopus with the top. And after, with the help of rowing, the contents of the form were trimmed to the edges. Samples of similar containers were made from copper and sent throughout Russia.
2. Anchor or kadya. These measuring capacities were distributed in the 16th-17th centuries. In later periods they were extremely rare. The fence was the main measure of loose bodies in Russia. And the name of this unit came from a special barrel (tub), which was adapted for measurements. The measuring capacity was covered with a metal hoop on top, which made it impossible for the cunning to trim its edges and sell less grain.
3. A quarter. This measure of volume was used to determine the amount of flour, cereals and grain. In everyday life, the quarter was more widely distributed, since it had more practical dimensions (1/4 of the shackle). This unit of measurement in Russia was used from the 14th to the 19th centuries.
4. The Kulem. This ancient Russian measure, used for loose bodies, was 5-9 poods. Some researchers believe that the word "kul" once meant "fur". This term was used for a container sewn from animal skin. Later, similar containers were made from woven materials.
5. Buckets. This measure our ancestors determined the amount of liquid. It was believed that 8 mugs are placed in a trading bucket, the volume of each of which is equal to 10 cups.
6. Barrels. A similar unit of measurement Russian traders used when selling wine to foreigners. It was believed that in one barrel contains 10 buckets.
7. The Korchagami. This large pot of clay was used when measuring the volume of grape wine. For different corners of Russia the korchaga was from 12 to 15 liters.
Weight measurement
The Old Russian system of measures included units for measuring mass. Without them, trading was impossible. There are various ancient measures of mass measurement. Among them:
1. The spool. Initially, this word meant a small gold coin, which was a unit of measurement. Comparing its weight with other precious products, they determined the purity of the noble metal from which they were made.
2. Pud. This unit of weight was 3840 goldsmiths and corresponded to 16,380,464 kg. Ivan the Terrible also ordered the weighing of any commodity only from pudovshchikov. And since 1797, after the Law on Weights and Measures was issued, we began to make globular weights corresponding to one and two poods.
4. Share. This unit of measurement in Russia was the smallest. Its weight was 14.435 mg, which could be compared with a 1/96 spool. Most often, the share was used in the work of mints.
5. Pound. Initially, this unit of mass was called "hryvnia". Its value corresponded to 96 goldsmiths. Since 1747, the pound has become the reference weight, which was used until 1918.
Measurement of area
Some of the standards were invented by our ancestors and to determine the size of the land. These are ancient measures of measuring the area, among which:
1. Square verst. The mention of this unit, equal to 1.138 square meters. Kilometers, found in documents dating from 11-17 centuries.
2. Tithes. This is an old Russian unit, the size of which corresponds to 2400 square meters. Meters of arable land. Today, the tithe is 1,0925 hectares. This unit was used since the 14th century. It was known as a rectangle, the sides of which were 80 by 30 or 60 by 40 fathoms. Such a tithe was considered state property and was the main land measure.
3. A quarter. This measure of arable land was a unit that was half a tithe. Known for a quarter from the end of the 15th century, and its official use lasted until 1766. The unit received its name from the measure of the area on which it was possible to sow rye in the amount of ¼ of the qadi.
4. SoHa. This unit of area was used in Russia from the 13th to the 17th centuries. They used it for taxation. And there were several species of plow, depending on the area of the best land. So, such unit was:
- service, containing 800 quarters of good plowing;
- Church (600 quarters);
- black (400 quarters).
Modern use of ancient measures
About some units of determining the volume, area and distance, which our ancestors used extensively, we know today. So, in some countries, the length is still measured in miles, yards, feet and inches, and in cooking uses a pound and a spool.
However, most often ancient units are found in literary works, historical stories and proverbs.
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