220 Ancient Linear Measures. 



the old Assyrian or Greek. Mr. W. H. Kylands, secretary of 



the Biblical Archaeological Society, kindly sent me a number of 



these measurements from the so-called Hamath stones ; those of 



the Jerabis stones I have not yet received. The results are 



interesting ; the average space, with a few very irregular, 



exceptions, gives exactly 4J- English inches. Multiplied by 3 



this would give a foot of 12f English inches, or -323 metre, 



probably derived from one of the old Assyrian cubits. Mr. 



Seebohm, who has thoroughly gone into the question of ancient 



cubits and feet, informs me that this is almost identical with a 



foot derived from the Olympic cubit, say of *320 metre. The 



Hittite foot of 4J x 3 = -320, i.e., 1-600 part of the Olympian 



stadium. Prof. Lepsius gives the Babylonian cubit as : — 



Cubit - .5333 



6 rods or reeds 



3.2000 X 60 = 192 stadia. 

 This, if treated as a decempeda, gives a foot of •320. This, if 

 fully confirmed, is of singular interest in connection with Baby- 

 lonian, Assyrian, Hittite, and Greek civilisation and ancient 

 inter-communication, a subject at the present time occupying 

 considerable attention. 



There was, I understand, from Mr. Seebohm (see also Mr. 

 Petrie's " Inductive Metrology"), another old Assyrian cubit, 

 equivalent to *560 (? = the modern Persian), which, treated as 

 a decempeda, gives another foot of -325 ; and the same as what 

 is called the Drusian, or Old Belgic, foot. Mr. Seebohm further 

 alludes to Herodotus as stating that the foot = 4 palms out of 

 the seven (i.e., 6 + 1). 



The cubit of 7 -560 palms 



•080 X 4 = -320. 



I hope at a future period to go more fully into these questions, 

 and to give fuller illustrations and figures. In the meantime, I 

 content myself with stating what appear to me to be sufficiently 

 well authenticated results on somewhat novel ground. 



8. Buddhist and Indian. — There would appear to be consider- 

 able uncertainty _, as well as variety, in connection with units of 

 measure in Persia and India, more especially in comparatively 

 modern times, since the introduction of Mohammedism and the 

 employment of European architects. 



