CHAP. XI. DIVISION OF THE CUBIT. '29 



elation of the Nile ; and the ancient wooden cubits 

 found in Egypt are the same measure as the gra- 

 duated scale at Elephantine. To these I now invite 

 the attention of the reader. 



. The Nilometer in the island of Elephantine is a 

 staircase between two walls descending to the Nile, 

 on one of which is a succession of graduated scales 

 containing one or two cubits, accompanied by in- 

 scriptions recording the rise of the river at various 

 periods, during the rule of the Ca?sars. Every 

 cubit is divided into fourteen parts, each of 2 digits, 

 giving 28 digits to the cubit ; and the length of 

 the cubit is 1 ft. 8j| in., or iGo eighths, which is 

 1 ft. 8-62o in. to each cubit, and 0*736 in. to each 

 digit. 



The wooden cubit, published by M. Jomard, is 

 also divided into 28 * parts or digits, and therefore 

 accords, both in its division, and, as I shall show, 

 very nearly in length, with the cubit of Elephan- 

 tine. In this last we learn, from the inscriptions 

 accom])anying the scales, that the principal divisions 

 were palms and digits ; the cubit being 7 palms or 

 28 digits : and the former in like manner consisted 

 of 7 palms or 28 digits. The ordinary division, 

 therefore, of the cubit was, 



* M. Jomard represents one with 29 divisions, which he computes at 

 a total of {)-b2'3d millimetres. 



