Ancient Measuring Tools For Length

For its part an inch was traditionally the width of an average thumb but edward ii of england ruled in the 14th century.

Ancient measuring tools for length.

That being said you ll never find a one fits all length measuring device in a tool. Ancient modern instruments for measurement of length to measure very long lengths like the length of a road we use measuring tape or an odometer. People in ancient times used the different parts of their bodies to size things up. Some of the standard instruments used to measure length are a ruler meter scale measuring tape vernier caliper and screw gauge.

Measurement tools have a long history which reaches all the way back to ancient times. Often considered the first unit of measurement the cubit was developed by the ancient egyptians and was the length of the arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger about 18 inches. From the smallest to the largest ones and from the most ancient to the top notch ones all the length measuring devices typically serve different kinds of range. The most natural way to measure length is to compare it to some part of the body and for centuries people did just that the unit we call a foot has been used since ancient times.

There are actually countless devices to measure length. Since these lengths always varied the royal cubit was introduced which was a granite rod that used the current king s dimensions as the standard by which to measure objects. Ancient people used their different body parts such as arm and foot to measure length. Interesting enough many of these tools have changed very little over the years and are still in use today as part of modern day society.

The inch was the size of their thumb and the foot was well their foot. Archaeologists have uncovered many simple measurement tools along with units of measurement used by ancient societies. Ancient egyptians used their hands and feet to measure length and width. Luckily we ve come a long way from the days of using belts thumbs and cubits for measurement but it s always nice to know more about the tools you.

14 tools to measure length 1.