The distinctive point
Egyptian deben (Old and Middle Kingdom): a value with room for evidence
The distinctive point is the uncertainty, not just the headline magnitude. The matrix carries ± 0.8 g and names the basis as inscribed-weight-cluster. That keeps comparison possible without pretending that every specimen, survey, or period produced one perfect constant.
Basis: inscribed-weight-cluster. Check the record source.
- smallerEgyptian qedet (New Kingdom)1.4945 × Egyptian qedet (New Kingdom)
- largerEgyptian deben (New Kingdom)1/6.6912 of Egyptian deben (New Kingdom)
What this unit was
Egyptian deben (Old and Middle Kingdom) is modelled here as a weight standard of the Egyptian tradition, associated with Egypt during Old and Middle Kingdom. The converter represents one dbn as 13.6 g; its basis is inscribed-weight-cluster. The matrix carries an indicative uncertainty of ± 0.8 g.
Within that setting, the unit belonged to a working system for trade, craft production, taxation, bullion, and sometimes coin accounting. It should be read with its period, locality, and evidential basis attached, not as a universal value shared by every culture using a similar name. Coin mass is not a monetary exchange rate.
Evidence of use and sources
The working value is traceable to UCL Digital Egypt, weight. Its record is classified as medium confidence and uses the stated basis rather than an assumed culture-wide constant.
Three directly pertinent excerpts from the supplied library are available.
“This is an almost entirely Egyptian standard”
Flinders Petrie, Ancient Weights and Measures, PDF p. 31. regional attribution
“the most usual values are 142-144 and 149-151”
Flinders Petrie, Ancient Weights and Measures, PDF p. 31. observed clustering rather than exact uniformity
“The Egyptian dirhem is a very ancient weight”
British weights and measures as described in the laws of England from Anglo-Saxon times, PDF p. 22. later comparative survival
Working definition
Egyptian deben (Old and Middle Kingdom) is represented as a Egyptian standard associated with Egypt during Old and Middle Kingdom.
The converter uses 13.6 g per unit with indicative matrix uncertainty ± 0.8 g.
How to use it
Basis: inscribed-weight-cluster; confidence: medium. A shared historical name does not make this value portable to another period or polity.
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