Ancient MeasuresANCIENT UNITS OF MEASUREMENT

Units of Measurement

Egyptian palm

A concise working definition for this measurement standard; fuller historical treatment is planned for a later phase.

QuantityLength
PlaceGiza Egypt
Working value0.0748 m
Evidence signal± 5e-05 mhigh confidence

The distinctive point

Egyptian palm: a value with room for evidence

The distinctive point is the uncertainty, not just the headline magnitude. The matrix carries ± 5e-05 m and names the basis as derived-from-royal. That keeps comparison possible without pretending that every specimen, survey, or period produced one perfect constant.

Basis: derived-from-royal. Check the record source.

Length scale graphic for Egyptian palmOne international foot is 4.0737 times one Egyptian palm.0.0748 magainst one international foot
One international foot is 4.0737 times one Egyptian palm. Graphic values come from the same matrix as the converter.

What this unit was

Egyptian palm is modelled here as a length standard of the Egyptian tradition, associated with Giza Egypt during Fourth Dynasty around 2570 BCE. The converter represents one palm as 0.0748211 m; its basis is derived-from-royal. The matrix carries an indicative uncertainty of ± 5e-05 m.

Within that setting, the unit belonged to a working system for survey, building, travel, and the organisation of built space. 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.

Evidence of use and sources

The working value is traceable to British Museum EA23078. Its record is classified as high confidence and uses the stated basis rather than an assumed culture-wide constant.

Three directly pertinent excerpts from the supplied library are available.

“Finally the royal cubit of 28 digits”

Flinders Petrie, Ancient Weights and Measures, PDF p. 48. Egyptian linear subdivision

“These various lengths are evidently other standards”

Flinders Petrie, Ancient Weights and Measures, PDF p. 48. coexisting standards

“they us'd two sorts of Cubits”

Tables of antient coins, weights, and measures, PDF p. 95. historical cubit variation

Working definition

Egyptian palm is modelled here as a Egyptian length standard associated with Giza Egypt and Fourth Dynasty around 2570 BCE. The converter uses a representative value of 0.0748211 m per unit.

How to use it

This value is a contextual research aid, not a universal ruler. Its basis is recorded as derived from royal with high confidence. One seventh of the selected Giza royal cubit

Open this unit in the converter · Return to all units

Next phase

This page will be expanded with source discussion, chronology, evidence, uncertainty notes, and worked examples.