The distinctive point
One name, two dated working capacities
The important point is chronological separation. The current matrix keeps a 96 litre Middle Kingdom khar and a 76.8 litre New Kingdom khar as different records; the overview page must not collapse them into one timeless sack volume.
This overview is governed by the separate matrix records linked below.
What this unit was
The khar was an Egyptian capacity measure, but it is not one timeless modern volume. This site now separates the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom khar records because their published relationships to the heqat differ; the legacy dossier remains useful only when that chronology is made explicit.
Khar measures belonged to systems of grain, storage, rations, and administration. Their evidence comes from stated relationships and material measures, so a value should be quoted with its period and source rather than silently transferred across dynasties.
Evidence of use and sources
See the current Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom khar records in the Liquid converter.
Three directly pertinent excerpts from the supplied library are available.
“pottery measures ... cannot be made exact”
Flinders Petrie, Ancient Weights and Measures, PDF p. 41. material limitation
“Only measures of metal ... or of stone, can be accepted as good definitions.”
Flinders Petrie, Ancient Weights and Measures, PDF p. 41. evidence hierarchy
“Several different standards may be expected among capacity measures.”
Flinders Petrie, Ancient Weights and Measures, PDF p. 41. coexisting capacity systems
Working definition
Egyptian khar is represented in the Liquid converter as a Egyptian standard associated with Egypt during Old and Middle Kingdom representative.
The converter uses 48 L per unit with a matrix uncertainty of ± 2 L.
How to use it
Its basis is recorded as ten-heqat-system with medium confidence. Treat reconstructed and historical values as context-dependent rather than universally portable.
Open this unit in the Liquid converter · Return to all units