CHAP. XI. A CUBIT LATELY DISCOVERED. 33 



Elephantine was employed for ordinary purposes 

 (differing from it only in '0250 decimal parts), and 

 confirms my opinion respecting the general use of 

 one and the same measure. 



This double cubit has the first division in its 

 scale of 14 parts subdivided into halves, and the 

 next into quarters, one of these last being equal 

 to 1 digit. 



It is highly probable that the aroura, or square 

 land measure, was divided into poles, answering to 

 the kassoheh (reed) now used in Egypt, by which 

 the Jedddn is measured ; and in the absence of any 

 explanation of the ancient land measure, it may 

 not be irrelevant to notice the mode of dividing 

 the modern Jedddn. Till lately, it was a square 

 of 20 keerdt (carrots), or 400 kassobeh (reeds) 

 or rods ; and each kassobeh was divided into 

 24 kharooheh or kuhdeh. But various alterations 

 have taken place in the modern land measure of 

 Egypt ; and even supposing the ancient aroura to 

 have been divided in a similar manner, nothing can 

 be obtained respecting the real contents of it, be- 

 yond what we learn from Herodotus, of its being 

 a square of 100 cubits. 



There is also much uncertainty respecting the 

 length of the stade. It is generally estimated 

 at 600 feet or 606*87<5 ; though, from Herodotus 

 at one time specifying "a stade of six pletlira*^'** 

 it would seem that on ordinary occasions he uses 

 another of a different length ; and the propor- 

 tionate value of the measures, and of the dimen- 



* Herodot. ii. U9. 

 VOL. I. — Second Series. D 



