HKBKKW WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 



297 



Nun' larger vessels, and another of eleven smaller measures, the 

 latter apparently all fractions or multiples of the omer. I shall 

 con line myself to the larger set as more useful for our purpose. 

 The four larger stone measures evidently stand in a definite 

 relation to each other, represented by 1 : J : \ : .j. The largest of 

 the set is said to contain 21*25 litres, or 37"4 pints, which I take 

 to represent one-half of the ephah-bath (not the whole measure 

 as Germer-Durand supposes, see Ex'p. Times, xxiv (1913), 

 p. 293 ff.). Assuming that the capacity is correctly given, we 

 get a new value for the ephah-bath of 42*5 litres or 74-83 pints, 

 which yields a log of T04 pint. This is very near Petrie's 

 valuation of the Attic xestes as 1*01 pint {see above). 



It is, of course, inadmissible to draw too definite conclusions 

 from a single set of measures. Moreover, it is extremely disap- 

 pointing, in the interests of scientific accuracy, that the actual 

 capacity of each of the four vessels has not been published, in 

 which case we should have been able to strike an average which 

 might have modified to some extent the equation based on the 

 largest vessel alone. Still we should be grateful for this, the 

 first, opportunity of controlling the literary by monumental* 

 evidence. So far as the latter goes, it accords with Josephus' 

 testimony to the practical equality of the Jewish and Grseco- 

 Eoman measures in the last years of the Jewish state. For 

 similar evidence as to the earlier periods of Hebrew history 

 we may wait in hope, taking as our motto : dies in diem docet. 



I append a table showing the comparative values of the 

 Hebrew measures in terms of Josephus' equation of the log 

 with the sextarius, estimated at one pint, and of the new Jeru- 

 salem measures (the numbers in parentheses are the number of 

 logs in each member). 



Hebrew Measures of Capacity. 





Value in pints. 



Log 



Kab (4) 



Omer (7£) 



Hin (12) 



Seah (24) 



Bath |( 72 ) 

 Homer (720) 



(a) 



According to J osephus. 



1 



4 



n 



12 



24 



72 

 720 



(b) 



The Jerusalem measures. 



1-04 



416 



7-48 

 12'47 

 24-94 



74-83 



748-3 



