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Notice of measures. Ancient Russian measures of length

We are used to measuring distances and lengths with familiar kilometers, meters and centimeters. But a couple of centuries ago in Rus' there were completely different units of measurement and they did not coincide at all with modern ones. There are several of them:

Verst. Analogous to the modern kilometer. The name comes from the word “twist”. Why "twirl"? Because a mile was the distance between turns of the plow. It is equal to 1066 km. A synonym for verst is field. These two measures were used equivalently. Where the mile ended, they placed a pillar, which was called exactly the same as the measure of length. “Kolomenskaya verst” - this is what they say about a very tall person.

Fathom. By today's standards, this is a meter, although the fathom was 151.4 centimeters. This is the distance between two outstretched arms. There are several fathoms: simple, flywheel and oblique. But before there were about 10 fathoms and they were all different in length. The name comes from the word “to reach”. This is the distance that can be reached with an outstretched arm. It is not currently used as a measure of length, but the expression “oblique fathom at the shoulders” is still used in our time.

Arshin. It can also be compared with the modern meter. This is the distance from the shoulder to the middle finger. An arshin is equal to 71 centimeters. The name comes from the Persian word that means “elbow” - “arsh”. Nowadays the saying “measure by your own yardstick” is used, because each person has a different distance from shoulder to finger.

Elbow. This is half a fathom: the distance from the middle finger to the bend of the elbow. This length is also different for all people, so there is no exact size. It is approximately 46-48 centimeters.

Span. Length was measured with fingers. There are several spans. The distance between the thumb and little finger is a large span. There is a small span between the thumb and index finger. On average, the length is 17 centimeters. “Seven spans in the forehead” is about a very smart person.

Step. The stride width of an adult is approximately 70 centimeters. We still measure the distance with our steps.

Palm. A measure of length that is equal to the width of the middle of the palm. Its length was used less often.

Vershok. Length equal to the top of the index finger, hence the name. An inch equaled approximately 4.5 centimeters. The word is used now in the saying “2 inches from the pot.” This means that the person is still very small.

All these measures of length are now used only in proverbs and sayings. Previously, it was convenient that a person carried most of the measuring instruments with him: fathom, arshin, elbow and others. And if necessary, it was easy to measure the required length.

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1. Introduction

In distant historical times, man had to gradually comprehend not only the art of counting, but also measurement. When making the simplest tools, building houses, getting food, there is a need to measure distances, and then areas, containers, mass, time. Our ancestor had only his own height, the length of his arms and legs. If a person is counting

If he used his fingers and toes, then his arms and legs were used to measure distances.

Nowadays, without thinking, we make calculations in meters, centimeters, kilometers, etc. This is convenient, a single measurement system suits almost everyone. But, of course, this was not always the case. Starting from the ancient times of paganism, right up to the 19th century, our ancestors used other measures and units. We often hear the words: inch, fathom, but we don’t know how much this is translated into familiar units of length.

Relevance of the chosen topic: I became interested in “unusual” measures of length, which were repeatedly mentioned in literary works (the inch in the work of H.H. Andersen, the fathom in Russian folk tales, etc.). And I decided to learn more about these measures and establish the relationship between the old and new measuring systems.

Purpose of the study: study ancient measures of length, compare them with the new measuring system

Hypothesis: Is it possible to use ancient measures of length at the present time, how accurate and perfect are they?

Subject of study: old Russian measures of length.

Tasks:

Get acquainted with the measuring system that existed previously; - establish the relationship between the old measuring system and the new one;

Trace the reflection of old measures in Russian folklore.

Research methods:

Analysis of the literature used; - practical work (measuring distance, height, height, length, in ancient units);

Searching for information on the global Internet;

Consultations with a specialist in the field of mathematics.

2. Main part

Since ancient times, the measure of length and weight has always been a person: how far he can stretch his arm, how much he can lift on his shoulders, etc.

The system of Old Russian measures of length included the following basic measures: verst, fathom, arshin, elbow, span and vershok.

2.1Arshin

Arshin is an ancient Russian measure of length (from the Persian word “arsh” - “elbow”), which was equal to 71 cm. It is measured from the middle finger to the shoulder. Hence the saying “Measure by your own yardstick.” An arshin was divided into 16 vershoks. When they talked about a person’s height, they only indicated how many vershoks he exceeded 2 arshins. Therefore, the words “a man 12 inches tall” meant that his height was 2 arshins 12 inches, that is, 196 cm. 3 arshins was a fathom. Arshin was also the name given to a measuring ruler, on which divisions in vershoks were usually applied.

There are different versions of the origin of the arshin measure of length. Perhaps, initially, “arshin” denoted the length of a human step (about seventy centimeters, when walking on the plain, at an average pace) and was the base value for other large measures of determining length, distances (fathom, verst). The root "AR" in the word a r sh i n - in the Old Russian language (and in other neighboring ones) means "EARTH", "surface of the earth", and indicates that this measure could be used in determining the length of the path traveled on foot. There was another name for this measure STEP.

Merchants, when selling goods, as a rule, measured it with their arshin (ruler) or quickly measuring it “from the shoulder.” To avoid oversizing,

The authorities introduced, as a standard, the “official arshin”, which is a wooden ruler with metal tips with a state mark riveted at the ends. STEP - the average length of a human step = 71 cm. One of the oldest measures of length.

“Every merchant measures by his own arshin” - about a person who judges everything by himself, based on his own interests, each merchant measures by his own 71 cm.

2.2. Verst

Verct - from the word vert, an old Russian travel measure (its early name was “field”). This word originally referred to the distance traveled from one turn of the plow to another during plowing. The two names have long been used in parallel, as synonyms. There are known mentions in written sources of the 11th century. In manuscripts of the 15th century. there is a record: “the field is 7 hundred fathoms and 50 fathoms” (750 fathoms long). Before Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, 1 verst was considered 1000 fathoms. Under Peter the Great, one verst was equal to 500 fathoms, in modern terms - 213.36 X 500 = 1066.8 m. “Verstoy” was also called a milepost on the road.

Boundary mile- (from the word boundary - the border of land holdings in the form of a narrow strip) is an old Russian unit of measurement equal to two versts. A verst of 1000 fathoms (2.16 km) was widely used as a boundary measure, usually when determining pastures around large cities, and on the outskirts of Russia, especially in Siberia, and to measure distances between populated areas.

Kolomenskaya verst- “Big” is a humorous name for a very tall person. It dates back to the time of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who reigned from 1545 to 1576. He ordered that pillars with hordes on top be placed along the road leading from the Kaluga outpost of Moscow to the summer palace in the village of Kolomenskoye, at a distance of 700 fathoms from each other. The height of each of them was approximately two fathoms (4 meters).

“From word to deed is a whole mile away” - that’s what they say to make a person brag

done with deeds, not words, from word to deed - 1.067 km.

2.3. Elbow

Elbow- the original Old Russian measure of length, known already in the 11th century, was equal to the length of the arm from the fingers to the elbow in a straight line. The size of this ancient measure of length, according to various sources, ranged from 38 to 47 cm. Since the 16th century, it was gradually replaced by the arshin and in the 19th century it was almost not used. The value of the Old Russian cubit of 10.25-10.5 vershoks (on average approximately 46-47 cm) was obtained from a comparison of measurements in the Jerusalem Temple made by Abbot Daniel, and later measurements of the same dimensions in an exact copy of this temple in the main temple of the New Jerusalem Monastery on Istra River (XVII century). It was used in peasant farming when it was necessary to measure the length of home-made woolen yarn or hemp rope (such products were wound around an elbow). The cubit was widely used in trade as a particularly convenient measure. In the retail trade of canvas, cloth, and linen, the cubit was the main measure. In large-scale wholesale trade, linen, cloth, etc., were supplied in the form of large sections of “postavs,” the length of which at different times and in different places ranged from 30 to 60 cubits (in places of trade, these measures had a specific, well-defined meaning).

“The elbow is close, but you won’t bite” - about some simple, but unfulfilled task.

2.4. Vershok

Vershok— Old Russian unit of measurement, originally equal to the length of the main phalanx of the index finger. The word comes from “top”, that is, a sprout, a shoot - a stalk emerging from the ground. The measure of an inch in modern terms is approximately 4.45 cm.

A vershok was equal to 1/16 of an arshin, 1/4 of a quarter. In the literature of the 17th century. There are also fractions of an inch - half an inch and a quarter of an inch.

The word “VERSHOK” is familiar to everyone - something short, insignificant.

When determining the height of a person or animal, counting was carried out after two arshins (mandatory for a normal adult): if it was said that the person being measured was 10 vershok height, then this meant that he was 2 arshins 10 vershok, that is, 187 cm. There is a saying about a person An immature child is still told: “The pot is two inches away.” Two inches is about 9 cm, there are no people of this height, which means 2 arshins and 2 inches. Two inches from the pot is 151.14 cm, that is, a person of short stature.

2.5. Fathom

Fathom- one of the most common length measures in Rus'. There were more than ten fathoms of different purposes (and, accordingly, size).

This ancient measure of length was mentioned by Nestor in 1017. The name fathom comes from the verb to reach (reach) - how far one could reach with one’s hand. To determine the meaning of the ancient Russian fathom, a major role was played by the discovery of a stone on which the inscription was carved in Slavic letters: “In the summer of 6576 (1068) of the 6th day of indictment, Prince Gleb measured... 10,000 and 4,000 fathoms.” From a comparison of this result with the measurements of topographers, a fathom value of 151.4 cm was obtained. The results of measurements of temples and the value of Russian folk measures coincided with this value. There were fathomed measuring ropes and wooden “folds”, which were used in measuring distances and in construction.

Simple fathom- the distance between the thumbs of a person’s hands extended in opposite directions (equal to approximately 152 cm).

Machaya fathom- the distance between the ends of the middle fingers of the outstretched hands of a person of average height was approximately 1.76 m.

Oblique fathom- (originally “oblique”) the distance from the toes of the right (left) foot of a standing person to the end of the toes extended diagonally

left (right) arm (equal to approximately 216 cm) Used in the phrase: “he has oblique fathoms in his shoulders” (meaning - hero, giant).

Varieties of fathoms

policewoman - 284.8 cm,

church - 186.4 cm,

folk - 176.0 cm,

masonry - 159.7 cm,

simple - 150.8 cm,

great - 244.0 cm,

Greek - 230.4 cm,

breech - 217.6 cm,

royal - 197.4 cm,

Fathoms were used before the introduction of the metric system of measures.

2.6. Span

Span- one of the oldest measures of length. It is convenient because, like an elbow and a palm, everyone carries it with them. The span is the distance between the ends of the spread thumb and index (or middle) fingers. It was 17.78 cm. They distinguished: small span, large span and span with somersault.

“Don’t give up an inch” - don’t give up even the smallest thing, don’t give up even 27 cm.

“Seven spans in the forehead” is about a very smart man, 189 cm in forehead.

Large span- the distance between the ends of the thumb and little finger (22-23 cm).

Somersault span - with an increase in two joints of the index finger 27-31 cm.

Small span - the distance between the ends of the extended thumb and index fingers.

2.7 Palm

Palm - to measure small distances, the palm was used - this is the width of the hand. A palm is 1/6 of a cubit (six palmar cubit).

2.8 Inch

Inch - a non-metric unit of distance and length in some systems of measurement. It is generally believed that the inch was originally defined as the width of the thumb. Another addition connects an inch with the length of three dry barley grains taken from the middle part of the ear and placed one against the other with their ends. The word inch was introduced into the Russian language by Peter the first at the very beginning of the eighteenth century. The length of an inch is approximately 25.3mm. After the transition of the USSR to the metric system, inches were used to a limited extent: some “three-inch” artillery calibers were 76.2 mm caliber guns, 2 “three-ruler” small arms were 7.62 mm; nail length, board thickness; pipe thread diameter, etc.

2.9 International system of units

In 1960, the XI CGPM adopted the standard, which for the first time received the name “International System of Units”, and established the international abbreviation for this system “SI”. The basic units in it were the meter, kilogram, second, ampere, degree Kelvin and candela.

On January 1, 1963, GOST 9867-61 “International System of Units” SI was introduced in the USSR as preferred in all areas of science, technology and national economy, as well as in teaching

Conclusion: I believe that all units of measurement I have studied should be retired as soon as possible, where they are currently used, since “this system of measurement” is not perfect. Since each person has their own height and their own measures, it became clear how inconvenient such a system of measures was. Therefore, over time, people switched to the metric system: after all, meter, decimeter, centimeter do not depend

from a person's height.

2.10.Practical part

Verst

I calculated the distance from home to school in miles.

Vershok

I decided to measure the length of the book with the average accepted designation of an inch, and with my measurement result

Arshin

I measured the arshin of my family members.

I measured the height of my family members with a yardstick.

Fathom

I measured the simple and oblique fathom of my family members

I measured the length of my room in fathoms.

Elbow

I measured the elbow length of all my family members.

I measured the height of family members in elbows

Span

I measured the height of the piano with the average accepted designation and my span

Palm

I measured the length of the piano with my palm using the average notation, and with my palm

Inch

I measured the height of the glass in inches, as well as the width of my thumb

3.Conclusion

In the course of my work, I found out what ancient measures of length existed in ancient times and compared them with the new measuring system. During the research, I found out how many miles from home to school, what the length of a step, palm, span, elbow is for all my family members. Length is one of the first geometric concepts introduced by man. The first measures of length were natural and simplest. Elbow, arshin, span, step - these measures are always with you, but they are inaccurate, since these units are different for different people. And even though these measures are not used now as before, they are reflected in folklore and are still used today, reflecting the wisdom of the people.

At the end of the work, I experienced great pleasure from the work done for the first time under the guidance of a teacher and parents, and I hope that it worked out for me.

4.Literature

Dal V.I. Proverbs of the Russian people, M., “Astrel”, 2008

Methodological aspects of studying mathematics. Ancient Russian measures. Subbotina A.A., 7th grade, MBOU "Ilyinskaya Secondary School No. 1", Ilyinsky district, Elena Borisovna Putilova, first category mathematics teacher. Perm, 2015.

3. http:// rusprawda.info Ancient Russian measures of length

4. http://philolog.petrusu.ru/dahl/html/texst.hlm.- Texts of works by Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl.

5. http://ru.wikipedia.org system of units of measurement - Wikipedia

Since ancient times, the measure of length and weight has always been a person: how far he can stretch his arm, how much he can lift on his shoulders, etc.

The system of Old Russian measures of length included the following basic measures: verst, fathom, arshin, elbow, span and vershok.

ARSHIN is an ancient Russian measure of length, equal, in modern terms, to 0.7112 m. Arshin was also the name given to a measuring ruler, on which divisions in vershoks were usually applied.

There are different versions of the origin of the arshin measure of length. Perhaps, initially, “arshin” denoted the length of a human step (about seventy centimeters, with normal walking on the plain, at an average pace) and was the basic value for others major measures determining lengths, distances (fathom, verst). The root "AR" in the word a rsh i n - in the Old Russian language (and in other neighboring peoples) means "EARTH", "surface of the earth", "furrow" and indicates that this measure could be used in determining the length distance traveled on foot. There was another name for this measure - STEP. In practice, counting could be done in pairs of steps of an adult of normal build (“small<простыми>fathoms"; one-two - one, one-two - two, one-two - three...), or threes ("official fathoms"; one-two-three - one, one-two-three - two.. .), and when measuring small distances in steps, step-by-step counting was used.Later, they also began to use, under this name, an equal value - the length of the arm.

For small measures of length, the basic value was the measure used from time immemorial in Rus' - “span” (from the 17th century - a length equal to a span was called differently - “quarter arshin”, “quarter”, “chet”), from which it was easy to obtain by eye smaller shares - two vershok (1/2 span) or vershok (1/4 span).

Merchants, when selling goods, as a rule, measured it with their arshin (ruler) or quickly - measuring “from the shoulder”. To exclude measurements, the authorities introduced, as a standard, the “government arshin,” which is a wooden ruler with metal tips with a state mark riveted at the ends.

STEP - the average length of a human step = 71 cm. One of the oldest measures of length.

PYAD (pyatnitsa) is an ancient Russian measure of length. SMALL SPAN (they said - "span"; since the 17th century it was called - "quarter"<аршина>) - the distance between the ends of the spread thumb and index (or middle) fingers = 17.78 cm.
BIG SPAN - the distance between the ends of the thumb and little finger (22-23 cm).
SPAND WITH A TUMPLER ("span with a somersault", according to Dahl - "span with a somersault") - span with the addition of two joints of the index club = 27-31 cm

Our old icon painters measured the size of icons in spans: “nine icons - seven spans (1 3/4 arshins). The Most Pure Tikhvin on gold - pyadnitsa (4 vershoks). Icon of St. George the Great deeds of four spans (1 arshin)"

VERSTA is an old Russian travel measure (its early name was “field”). This word originally referred to the distance traveled from one turn of the plow to another during plowing. The two names have long been used in parallel, as synonyms. There are known mentions in written sources of the 11th century. In manuscripts of the 15th century. there is an entry: “field of 7 hundred and 50 fathoms” (750 fathoms long). Before Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, 1 verst was considered 1000 fathoms. Under Peter the Great, one verst was equal to 500 fathoms, in modern terms - 213.36 X 500 = 1066.8 m.
"Verstoy" was also called a milestone on the road.

The size of the verst changed repeatedly depending on the number of fathoms included in it and the size of the fathom. The Code of 1649 established a “boundary mile” of 1 thousand fathoms. Later, in the 18th century, along with it, a “travel mile” of 500 fathoms (“five hundredth mile”) began to be used.

Mezhevaya Versta is an old Russian unit of measurement equal to two versts. A verst of 1000 fathoms (2.16 km) was widely used as a boundary measure, usually when determining pastures around large cities, and on the outskirts of Russia, especially in Siberia, and to measure distances between populated areas.

The 500-fathom verst was used somewhat less frequently, mainly for measuring distances in the European part of Russia. Long distances, especially in Eastern Siberia, were determined in days of travel. In the 18th century boundary versts are gradually being replaced by travel ones, and the only verst in the 19th century. there remains a “travel” mileage equal to 500 fathoms.

SAZHEN is one of the most common length measures in Rus'. There were more than ten fathoms of different purposes (and, accordingly, size). “Makhovaya fathom” is the distance between the ends of the fingers of an adult man’s widely spaced hands. “Oblique fathom” is the longest: the distance from the toe of the left foot to the end of the middle finger of the raised right hand. Used in the phrase: “he has slanting fathoms in his shoulders” (meaning - hero, giant)
This ancient measure of length was mentioned by Nestor in 1017. The name sazhen comes from the verb to reach (reach) - as far as one could reach with one’s hand. To determine the meaning of the Old Russian fathom, a major role was played by the discovery of a stone on which the inscription was carved in Slavic letters: " In the summer of 6576 (1068) indictment 6 days, Prince Gleb measured... 10,000 and 4,000 fathoms"From a comparison of this result with the measurements of topographers, a fathom value of 151.4 cm was obtained. The results of measurements of temples and the meaning of Russian folk measures coincided with this value. There were fathom measuring ropes and wooden “folds” that were used in measuring distances in construction and land surveying land.

According to historians and architects, there were more than 10 fathoms and they had their own names, were incommensurable and not multiples of one another. Fathoms: city - 284.8 cm, untitled - 258.4 cm, great - 244.0 cm, Greek - 230.4 cm, state - 217.6 cm, royal - 197.4 cm, church - 186.4 cm, folk - 176.0 cm, masonry - 159.7 cm, simple - 150.8 cm, small - 142.4 cm and another one without a name - 134.5 cm (data from one source), as well as - courtyard, pavement.

FLY FATTH - the distance between the ends of the middle fingers of arms outstretched to the sides is 1.76 m.

OBLIQUE SAZHEN (originally “oblique”) - 2.48 m.

Fathoms were used before the introduction of the metric system of measures.

ELBOW was equal to the length of the arm from the fingers to the elbow (according to other sources - “the distance in a straight line from the elbow to the end of the extended middle finger of the hand”). The size of this ancient measure of length, according to various sources, ranged from 38 to 47 cm. Since the 16th century, it was gradually replaced by the arshin and in the 19th century it was almost not used.

Elbow is a native ancient Russian measure of length, known already in the 11th century. The value of the Old Russian cubit of 10.25-10.5 vershoks (on average approximately 46-47 cm) was obtained from a comparison of measurements in the Jerusalem Temple made by Abbot Daniel, and later measurements of the same dimensions in an exact copy of this temple - in the main temple of the New Jerusalem Monastery on the Istra River (XVII century). The cubit was widely used in trade as a particularly convenient measure. In the retail trade of canvas, cloth, and linen, the elbow was the main measure. In large wholesale trade, linen, cloth, etc., were supplied in the form of large pieces - “postavs”, the length of which at different times and in different places ranged from 30 to 60 cubits (in places of trade these measures had a specific, well-defined meaning)

VERSHOK equaled 1/16 of an arshin, 1/4 of a quarter. In modern terms - 4.44 cm. The name "Vershok" comes from the word "top". In the literature of the 17th century. There are also fractions of an inch - half an inch and a quarter inch.

When determining the height of a person or animal, counting was carried out after two arshins (mandatory for a normal adult): if it was said that the person being measured was 15 vershoks in height, then this meant that he was 2 arshins 15 vershoks, i.e. 209 cm.

For humans, two methods of fully expressing height have been used:

1 - combination of “height *** elbows, *** spans”
2 - combination “height *** arshin, *** vershoks”
from the 18th century - "*** feet, *** inches"

For small domestic animals they used - “height *** inches”

For trees - “height *** arshins”

Length measures(used in Russia after the “Decree” of 1835 and before the introduction of the metric system):

1 verst = 500 fathoms = 50 poles = 10 chains = 1.0668 kilometers

1 fathom = 3 arshins = 7 feet = 48 vershoks = 2.1336 meters

Oblique fathom = 2.48 m.
Mach fathom = 1.76 m.

1 arshin = 4 quarters (spans) = 16 vershok = 28 inches = 71.12 cm
(divisions in vertices were usually applied to arshins)

1 cubit = 44 cm (according to various sources from 38 to 47 cm)

1 foot = 1/7 fathom = 12 inches = 30.479 cm

1 quarter <четверть аршина> (span, small pip, pyady, pyady, pyaden, pyadka) = 4 inches = 17.78 cm(or 19 cm - according to B.A. Rybakov)
The name p i d comes from the Old Russian word “metacarpus”, i.e. wrist. One of the oldest measures of length (since the 17th century, “span” was replaced by “quarter arshin”)
Synonym for "quarter" - "chet"

Large span = 1/2 cubit = 22-23 cm - the distance between the ends of the extended thumb and middle (or little) finger.

A “span with somersault” is equal to a small span plus two or three joints of the index or middle finger = 27 - 31 cm.

1 vershok = 4 nails (width - 1.1 cm) = 1/4 span = 1/16 arshin = 4.445 centimeters
- an ancient Russian measure of length equal to the width of two fingers (index and middle).

1 finger ~ 2 cm.

New measures (introduced since the 18th century):

1 inch = 10 lines = 2.54 cm
The name comes from Dutch - "thumb". Equal to the width of your thumb or the length of three dry grains of barley taken from the middle part of the ear.

1 line = 10 points = 1/10 inch = 2.54 millimeters (example: Mosin’s “three-ruler” - d = 7.62 mm.)
The line is the width of a wheat grain, approximately 2.54 mm.

1 hundredth fathom = 2.134 cm

1 point = 0.2540 millimeters

1 geographical mile (1/15 degree of the earth's equator) = 7 versts = 7.42 km
(from the Latin word "milia" - thousand< больших >double steps, “canes”)

1 nautical mile (1 minute of arc of the earth's meridian) = 1.852 km

1 English mile = 1.609 km

1 yard = 91.44 centimeters

In the second half of the 17th century, the arshin was used together with the vershok in various branches of production. In the “Description Books” of the Armory Chamber of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery (1668) it is written: “... a copper regimental cannon, smooth, nicknamed Kashpir, Moscow made, length three arshins and a half-eleven vershok (10.5 vershok) ... Large cast iron archina, Iron lion, with belts, length three arshins, three quarters and a half inch." The ancient Russian measure “elbow” continued to be used in everyday life for measuring cloth, linen and woolen fabrics. As follows from the Trade Book, three cubits are equivalent to two arshins. The span as an ancient measure of length still continued to exist, but since its meaning changed, due to agreement with a quarter of the arshin, this name (span) gradually fell out of use. The span was replaced by a quarter arshin.

From the second half of the 18th century, the divisions of the vershok, in connection with the reduction of the arshin and sazhen to a multiple ratio with English measures, were replaced by small English measures: inch, line and point, but only the inch took root. Lines and dots were used relatively little. The lines expressed the dimensions of lamp glasses and the calibers of guns (for example, ten- or 20-line glass, known in everyday life). The dots were used only to determine the sizes of gold and silver coins. In mechanics and mechanical engineering, the inch was divided into 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 parts.

In construction and engineering, dividing fathoms into 100 parts was widely used.

The foot and inch used in Russia are equal in size to English measures.

The decree of 1835 determined the relationship between Russian measures and English ones:
Fathom = 7 feet
Arshin = 28 inches
A number of units of measurement (verst divisions) were abolished, and new measures of length came into use: inch, line, point, borrowed from English measures.

Volume measures

Bucket

The main Russian premetric measure of the volume of liquids is bucket= 1/40 barrel = 10 mugs = 30 pounds of water = 20 vodka bottles (0.6) = 16 wine bottles (0.75) = 100 glasses = 200 scales = 12 liters(15 l - according to other sources, rare) V. - iron, wooden or leather utensils, mostly cylindrical in shape, with ears or a bow for carrying. In everyday life, two buckets on a rocker should be “fit for a woman.” Division into smaller measures was carried out according to the binary principle: the bucket was divided into 2 half-buckets or 4 quarters of a bucket or 8 half-quarters, as well as into mugs and cups.

Until the middle of the 17th century. the bucket contained 12 mugs; in the second half of the 17th century. the so-called government bucket contained 10 mugs, and a mug contained 10 cups, so the bucket contained 100 cups. Then, according to the decree of 1652, the glasses were made three times larger than before (“three glasses of glasses”). The sales bucket held 8 mugs. The value of the bucket was variable, but the value of the mug was constant, 3 pounds of water (1228.5 grams). The volume of the bucket was 134.297 cubic inches.

Barrel

The barrel, as a measure of liquids, was used mainly in the process of trade with foreigners, who were prohibited from conducting retail trade in wine in small quantities. Equal to 40 buckets (492 l)

The material for making the barrel was chosen depending on its purpose:
oak - for beer and vegetable oils,
spruce - under water,
linden - for milk and honey.

Most often, small barrels and kegs from 5 to 120 liters were used in peasant life. Large barrels could hold up to forty buckets (forty)

Barrels were also used for washing (beating) linen.

In the 15th century ancient measures were still common - golovazhnya, bow And cleaning. In the XVI-XVII centuries. along with quite common box And belly Vyatka grain measure is often found marten, Perm sapsa(measure of salt and bread), old Russian bast And sewing. Vyatskaya marten was considered equal three Moscow quarters, sapsa accommodated 6 pounds of salt and approximately 3 pounds of rye, bast - 5 pounds of salt, sewing- near 15 pounds of salt.

Household measures of the volume of liquids were very diverse and were widely used even at the end of the 17th century: Smolensk barrel, bocha-selyodovka (8 pounds of herring; one and a half times less than Smolensk).

Measuring barrel "... from edge to edge one and a half arshins, and across - an arshin, and to measure up, like a leader, half an arshin."

In everyday life and in trade they used a variety of household vessels: cauldrons, jugs, pots, bratins, valleys. The significance of such household measures varied in different places: for example, the capacity of boilers ranged from half a bucket to 20 buckets. In the 17th century a system of cubic units based on the 7-foot fathom was introduced, and the term cubic (or "cubic") was also introduced. A cubic fathom contained 27 cubic arshins or 343 cubic feet; cubic arshin - 4096 cubic vershoks or 21952 cubic inches.

Wine measures

The Wine Charter of 1781 established that every drinking establishment should have “measures certified in the Treasury Chamber.”

Bucket– Russian premetric measure of the volume of liquids, equal to 12 liters

Quarter<четвёртая часть ведра>= 3 liters (previously it was a narrow-necked glass bottle)

Measure" bottle"appeared in Russia under Peter I.
Russian bottle = 1/20 of a bucket = 1/2 of a shtof = 5 glasses = 0.6 liters (the half-liter appeared later - in the twenties of the 20th century)

Since the bucket held 20 bottles (2 0 * 0.6 = 12 liters), and in trade the bill was on buckets, the box, according to established tradition, still holds 20 bottles.

For wine, the Russian bottle was larger - 0.75 liters.

In Russia, glass production began in a factory way in 1635. The production of glass vessels also dates back to this time. The first domestic bottle was produced at the plant, which was built on the territory of the modern Istra station near Moscow, and the products were, at first, intended exclusively for pharmacists, with their mixtures.

Overseas, a standard bottle holds one-sixth of a gallon - in different countries this ranges from 0.63 to 0.76 liters

A flat bottle is called a flask.

Shtof (from German Stof) = 1/10 of a bucket = 10 glasses = 1.23 liters. Appeared under Peter I. Served as a measure of the volume of all alcoholic beverages. The shape of the damask was like a quarter.

Mug(the word means “for drinking in a circle”) = 10 glasses = 1.23 l.

Modern faceted glass was previously called "doskan" ("planed boards"), consisting of fret-boards tied with rope around a wooden bottom.

Charka (Russian measure of liquid) = 1/10 shtofa = 2 scales = 0.123 l.

Stack= 1/6 bottle = 100 grams It was considered the size of a single dose.

Shkalik (popular name - “kosushka”, from the word “mow”, according to the characteristic movement of the hand) = 1/2 cup = 0.06 l.

Quarter (half a scale or 1/16th of a bottle) = 37.5 grams.

Barrelware (that is, for liquid and bulk products) was distinguished by a variety of names depending on the place of production (baklazhka, baklusha, barrels), on the size and volume - badia, pudovka, sorokovka), its main purpose (resin, salt, wine, tar) and the wood used for their manufacture (oak, pine, linden, aspen). Finished cooperage products were divided into buckets, tubs, vats, kegs and casks.

Endova
Wooden or metal utensils (often decorated with ornaments) used for serving drinks. It was a low bowl with a spout. The metal valley was made of copper or brass. Wooden valleys were made from aspen, linden or birch.

Leather bag (skin) – up to 60 l

Korchaga - 12 l
Nozzle - 2.5 buckets (Novgorod liquid measure, XV century)
Ladle
Zhban

Tub – vessel height – 30-35 centimeters, diameter – 40 centimeters, volume – 2 buckets or 22-25 liters

Krynki
Sudenci, misa
Tuesa

The oldest (first?) “international” measure of volume is g o r st (palm with fingers folded into a boat). A large (kind, good) handful - folded so that it holds a larger volume. A handful is two palms joined together.

The box is made from solid pieces of bast, sewn together with strips of bast. The bottom and top cover are made of boards. Sizes – from small boxes to large chests of drawers

Balakir is a dugout wooden vessel with a volume of 1/4-1/5 of a bucket.

As a rule, in the central and western parts of Russia, measuring containers for storing milk were proportional to the daily needs of the family and consisted of a variety of clay pots, pots, milk pans, lids, jugs, throats, milking bowls, birch bark with lids, containers, the capacity of which was approximately 1 /4- 1/2 buckets (about 3-5 l). The containers of makhotok, stavtsy, tuesk, in which fermented milk products were kept - sour cream, yogurt and cream, approximately corresponded to 1/8 of a bucket.

Kvass was prepared for the whole family in vats, tubs, barrels and tubs (lagushki, izhemki, etc.) with a capacity of up to 20 buckets, and for a wedding - for 40 or more poods. In drinking establishments in Russia, kvass was usually served in kvass pots, decanters and jugs, the capacity of which varied in different areas from 1/8-1/16 to about 1/3-1/4 of a bucket. The commercial measure of kvass in the central regions of Russia was a large clay (drinking) glass and jug.

Under Ivan the Terrible, eagle-shaped (branded with the sign of an eagle), that is, standardized drinking measures: bucket, octagon, half-octagon, stop and mug, first appeared in Russia. Despite the fact that valleys, ladles, staves, stacks remained in use, and for small sales - hooks (cups with a long hook at the end instead of a handle, hanging along the edges of the valley).

In Old Russian measures and in vessels used for drinking, the principle of volume ratio is laid down - 1: 2: 4: 8: 16.

Ancient volume measures:

1 cu. fathom = 9.713 cubic meters meters

1 cu. arshin = 0.3597 cubic meters meters

1 cu. vershok = 87.82 cubic meters. cm

1 cu. ft = 28.32 cu. decimeter (liter)

1 cu. inch = 16.39 cu. cm

1 cu. line = 16.39 cu. mm

1 quart is a little more than a liter.

In trade practice and in everyday life, according to L.F. Magnitsky, the following measures of bulk solids were used for a long time (" grain measures"):
flipper - 12 quarters
quarter (chet) – 1/4 part of kadi
ocmina (octah - eighth part)

Kad (tub, shackle, looks like a small barrel / keg) = 20 buckets or more
"Big tub" - bigger tub

Tsybik - box (of tea) = from 40 to 80 pounds (by weight).
Details: Tea was compacted tightly into wooden boxes, “tsibiki” - leather-covered frames in the shape of a square (two feet on a side), braided on the outside with reeds in two or three layers, which could be carried by two people. In Siberia, such a box of tea was called Umesta (“Place” is a possible option).

half an octagon
quadruple

Liquid measures ("wine measures"):

barrel (40 buckets)
cauldron (from half a bucket to 20 buckets)
bucket
half a bucket
quarter bucket
osmukha (1/8)
crumb (1/16 bucket)

Measures of volume of liquid and granular bodies:

1 quarter = 2.099 hectoliters = 209.9 l

Weights

In Rus', the following weight measures (Old Russian) were used in trade:
Berkovets = 10 poods
pud = 40 pounds = 16.38 kg
pound (hryvnia) = 96 spools = 0.41 kg
lot = 3 spools = 12.797 g
spool = 4.27 g
fraction = 0.044 g
...

The hryvnia (later pound) remained unchanged. The word "hryvnia" was used to designate both a weight and a monetary unit. This is the most common measure of weight in retail and craft applications. It was also used for weighing metals, in particular gold and silver.

BERKOVETS - this large measure of weight was used in wholesale trade mainly for weighing wax, honey, etc.
Berkovets - from the name of the island of Bjerk. This is what was called in Rus' a measure of weight of 10 pounds, just a standard barrel of wax, which one person could roll onto a merchant boat sailing to this very island. (163.8 kg).
There is a known mention of Berkovets in the 12th century in the charter of Prince Vsevolod Gabriel Mstislavich to the Novgorod merchants.

The spool was equal to 1/96 of a pound, in modern terms 4.26 g. They said about it: “the spool is small and expensive.” This word originally meant a gold coin.

POUND (from the Latin word “pondus” - weight, weight) was equal to 32 lots, 96 spools, 1/40 pood, in modern terms 409.50 g. Used in combinations: “not a pound of raisins”, “find out how much a pound of raisins is”.
The Russian pound was adopted under Alexei Mikhailovich.

Sugar was sold by the pound.

They bought tea with gold coins. Spool = 4.266g.

Until recently, a small pack of tea, weighing 50 grams, was called an “octam” (1/8 pound)

LOT is an old Russian unit of mass measurement equal to three spools or 12.797 grams.

SHARE is the smallest old Russian unit of mass measurement, equal to 1/96 of a spool or 0.044 grams.

PUD was equal to 40 pounds, in modern terms - 16.38 kg. It was already used in the 12th century.
Pud - (from the Latin pondus - weight, heaviness) is not only a measure of weight, but also a weighing device. When weighing metals, the pud was both a unit of measurement and a unit of counting. Even when the results of weighings were reported to tens and hundreds of poods, they were not transferred to Berkovites. Back in the XI-XII centuries. they used various scales with equal-armed and unequal-armed beams: “pud” - a type of scale with a variable fulcrum and a fixed weight, “skalvy” - equal-armed scales (two-cup).

The pud, as a unit of mass, was abolished in the USSR in 1924.

Measures of weight used in Russia in the 18th century:

Weights	Value in spools	Derivatives quantities	Value in grams	In kilograms	Note
Berkovets	38400	10 pounds 400 hryvnia (pounds) 800 hryvnia	163800	163,8
Flipper		72 pounds		1179 (1 ton)
Kad		14 pounds		230
Kongar (Kontar)	9600	2.5 pounds	40950	40,95
Pud	3840	40 pounds	16380	16,38 (0.1638 quintal)
Half a pound	1920		8190	8,19
Steelyard	240	2.5 hryvnia	1022	1,022 (1,024)
Half-badman	120		511	0,511
Ansyr	128		546	0,546
Large hryvnia (hryvnia) Lb trade	96	32 lots 1/40 pood	409,5	0,4095
Pound apothecary- skiy			307,3		according to other sources - 358.8g
Libra	72	72 spools	307,1	0,3071
Small hryvnia (grivenka)	48	1200 buds 4800 pies	204,8	0,2048
Half-grill wreath	24		102,4	0,1024

Lot	3	3 spools	12,797		Old Russian unit of mass measurement
Spool	1	96 shares 25 kidneys 1/96 lb	4,266		Old Russian unit of mass measurement; The spool was used to weigh small but expensive goods. A measure of the volume of bulk solids - how many of them will fit on the plane of a raised coin
Scrupul (pharmacist) skiy)		20 grains	1.24 grams		ancient unit of apothecary weight
Bud			171 milligram
Gran (pharmacist) skiy)			0.062 grams		used in old Russian pharmaceutical practice
Share	1/96		0.044 grams 44.43 mg

Pie			43 milligram

Note: the weights most commonly used at that time (18th century) are highlighted in font.

Area measures

The main measure of area was considered to be a tithe, as well as shares of a tithe: half a tithe, a quarter (a quarter was 40 fathoms of length and 30 fathoms of latitude) and so on. Land surveyors used (especially after the “Cathedral Code” of 1649) mainly the official three-arshine fathom, equal to 2.1336 m, so a tithe of 2400 square fathoms was equal to approximately 1.093 hectares.

The scale of use of tithes and quarters grew in accordance with the development of land and the increase in the territory of the state. However, already in the first half of the 16th century it became clear that when measuring lands in quarters, the general inventory of lands would take many years. And then, in the 40s of the 16th century, one of the most enlightened people, Ermolai Erasmus, proposed using a larger unit - a tetrahedral field, which meant a square area with a side of 1000 fathoms. This proposal was not accepted, but played a role in the process of introduction big plow. Ermolai Erasmus is one of the first theoretical metrologists, who also sought to combine the solution of metrological and social issues. When determining the areas of hayfields, tithes were introduced with great difficulty because the lands were inconvenient for measurement due to their location and irregular shapes. The most commonly used yield measure was shock. Gradually, this measure acquired a meaning linked to the tithe, and was divided into 2 half-shocks, 4 quarter-shocks, 8 half-quarters of a hay, etc. Over time, a haystack, as a measure of area, was equated to 0.1 tithes (i.e., it was believed that, on average, 10 copecks of hay were taken from a tithe). Labor and sowing measures were expressed through a geometric measure - tithe.

Area measures surfaces:

1 sq. verst = 250,000 square fathoms = 1.138 sq. kilometers

1 tithe = 2400 square fathoms = 1.093 hectares

1 kopn = 0.1 tithe

1 sq. fathom = 16 square arshins = 4.552 sq. meters

1 sq. arshin=0.5058 sq. meters

1 sq. vershok=19.76 sq. cm

1 sq. ft=9.29 sq. inches=0.0929 sq. m

1 sq. inch=6.452 sq. centimeter

1 sq. line=6.452 sq. millimeters

Units of measurement in Rus' in the 18th century

By the 18th century, there were up to 400 units of measures of different sizes used in different countries. The variety of measures made trading operations difficult. Therefore, each state sought to establish uniform measures for its country.

In Russia, back in the 16th and 17th centuries, uniform systems of measures were defined for the entire country. In the 18th century In connection with economic development and the need for strict accounting in foreign trade, the question of measurement accuracy and the creation of standards on the basis of which verification work ("metrology") could be organized in Russia arose.

The question of choosing standards from the many existing ones (both domestic and overseas) turned out to be difficult. In the middle of the 18th century. foreign coins and precious metals were weighed at customs upon arrival, and then reweighed repeatedly at the mints; At the same time, the weight turned out to be different.

By the mid-30s of the 18th century. There was an opinion that, more precisely, the scales at the St. Petersburg customs office. It was decided to make model scales from those customs scales, place them under the Senate and carry out verification using them.

A ruler that previously belonged to Peter I served as an example of a measure of length when determining the size of an arshin and a sazhen. The ruler was marked with a half-arshin. Using this half-arshin measure, samples of length measures were made - a copper arshin and a wooden fathom.

Among the measures of bulk solids received by the Commission, the quadrangle of the Moscow Big Customs was selected, according to which the measurements of bulk solids in other cities were verified.

The basis for liquid measurements was a bucket sent from the Kamennomostsky drinking yard in Moscow.

In 1736, the Senate decided to form a Commission of Weights and Measures, headed by the chief director of the Monetary Board, Count Mikhail Gavrilovich Golovkin. The commission created exemplary measures– standards, the relationship of various measures to each other has been established, a project for organizing verification work in the country has been developed. A project was introduced on the decimal construction of measures, taking into account the fact that the Russian monetary account system was built on the decimal principle.

Having decided on the starting units of measures, the Commission began to establish connections between different units of measurement using measures of length. Determine the volume of the bucket and quadrangle. The volume of the bucket was 136.297 cubic vershok, and the volume of the four-piece was 286.421 cubic vershok. The result of the work of the Commission was the “Regulations...”

According to the arshin, the value of which was determined by the Commission of 1736–1742, it was recommended in 1745 to produce arshins “in the entire Russian state.” In accordance with the volume of the quadrangle adopted by the Commission, in the second half of the 18th century. Quadruples, half-octagons and octagons were made.

Under Paul I, by decree of April 29, 1797 on the “Establishment of correct scales, drinking and grain measures throughout the Russian Empire,” a lot of work began on streamlining measures and weights. Its completion dates back to the 30s of the 19th century. The decree of 1797 was drawn up in the form of desirable recommendations. The decree concerned four issues of measurement: weighing instruments, weight measures, measures of liquid and granular bodies. Both the weighing instruments and all the measures had to be replaced, for which it was planned to cast cast iron measures.

By 1807, three arshin standards were made (stored in St. Petersburg): crystal, steel and copper. The basis for determining their value was the reduction of arshin and fathom to a multiple ratio with English. measures - in fathoms 7 English feet, in arshins - 28 English. inches. The standards were approved by Alexander I and transferred for storage to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. 52 copper tetrahedral arshins were made to be sent to each province. It’s interesting that before this, the saying: “Measure by your own yardstick” literally corresponded to reality. Sellers measured the length of the fabric with a yardstick - using a drawbar from their shoulder.

On July 10, 1810, the State Council of Russia decided to introduce a single measure of length throughout the country - the standard 16 vershok arshin (71.12 cm). The state-branded yardstick, priced at 1 silver ruble, was ordered to be introduced in all provinces, with the simultaneous withdrawal of old yardstick templates.

Stage

Stage [Greek. stadion - stages (measure of length)] - this ancient measure of distances is more than two thousand years old (from it - Stadium in other Greece; Greek stadion - place for competitions). The size of the stage is about two hundred meters. " ...right opposite the city<Александрии>lay the island of Pharos, at the northern tip of which stood the famous lighthouse of the same name, built of white marble, connected to the city by a long pier called the septastadium (7 stadia)" (F.A. Brockhaus, I.A. Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary)

Ancient measures in modern language

In modern Russian, ancient units of measurement and words denoting them have been preserved mainly in the form of proverbs and sayings

Sayings:

“You write in big letters” - large

"Kolomenskaya Versta" is a humorous name for a very tall person.

"Oblique fathoms in the shoulders" - broad-shouldered

in poetry:

You can’t understand Russia with your mind, you can’t measure it with a common (official) yardstick. Tyutchev

Dictionary

Currency

Quarter = 25 rubles
Gold coin = 5 or 10 rubles
Ruble = 2 half rubles = 100 kopecks
Tselkovy is the colloquial name for the metal ruble.
Fifty, fifty kopecks = 50 kopecks
Quarter = 25 kopecks
Two-kopeck = 20 kopecks.
Five-altyn = 15 kopecks
Pyatak = 5 kopecks.
Altyn = 3 kopecks
Dime = 10 kopecks
kidney = 1 half
2 money = 1 kopeck
1/2 copper money (half a coin) = 1 kopeck.
Grosh (copper penny) = 2 kopecks.

Polushka (otherwise half money) was equivalent to a quarter of a penny. This is the smallest unit in the ancient money account. Since 1700, half coins have been minted from copper.

The modern penny (the one that saves the ruble), gradually going out of circulation due to inflation of money, becomes an antique.

Foreign names:

English, traditional "beer pint" - 0.56826 l.
Eighth of a pound = 1/8 pound
Fluid ounce (US) - 30 milliliters.
Gallon English - 4.546 l
Barrel - 159 liters
Carat - 0.2 g, weight of wheat grain
Ounce avoirdupois - 28.35 g
English pound - 0.45359 kg
1 stone = 14 pounds = 6.35 kilograms
1 small handweight = 100 pounds = 45.36 kg.

Whale. measures: 1 li = 576 m, 1 liang = 37.3 g, 1 fen = 1/10 cun = 0.32 cm - in zhenjiu therapy.
individual size = approximately 2.5 cm

In Tibetan medicine: 1 lan = 36 grams, 1<с/ц>en = 3.6 g., 1<п/ф>un = 0.36g.

An ounce (translated from Latin uncia - a twelfth part, of a whole, by weight, length or volume), before the introduction of the metric system of measures, was the most common unit of weight in the world (approximately thirty grams). Continues to be used in countries where weight is measured in pounds. A modern troy ounce, equal to 31.1 grams, is used when trading gold and other precious metals.
Read more on the Wikipedia website: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ounce

Foot (English foot) - 30.48 centimeters.
Yard -91.44 cm.
Nautical mile - 1852 m.
1 cable - a tenth of a mile.
Lieux maritimes (old French distance unit) = 5557 meters (1/20 degree meridian)
Rhumb - 11 1/4° = 1/32 fraction of a circle - a unit of angular measure.

Sea knot (speed) = 1 mph
// according to the old method of measurement, corresponds to the number of feet (they were tied in knots) of the measuring cable per minute.

Ancient Russian quantities:
Quarter - quarter, quarter
"a quarter of wine" = a fourth of a bucket.
"quadruple grain" = 1/4 cady
kad - an old Russian measure of bulk solids (usually four pounds)
Osmina, osmukha - eighth (eighth) part = 1/8
An eighth of a pound was called osmushka ("octam of tea").
"a quarter to eight" – time = 7:45 am or pm
Five - five units of weight or length
A ream is a measure of paper, formerly equal to 480 sheets; later - 1000 sheets
"one hundred and eighty osmago November day of osmago" - 188 November eighth
Pregnancy is a burden, an armful, as much as you can wrap your arms around.
Half a third - two and a half
Half a point = 4.5
Half elevenths = 10.5
Half a hundred and two hundred and fifty.
Field - "arena, lists" (115 steps - a variant of the magnitude), later - the first name and synonym for "verst" (field - million - mile), Dahl has a variant meaning of this word: "daily march, about 20 versts"<"успев до ночёвки">
“Printed fathom” - official (standard, with a state stamp), measured, three arshins
A cut is an amount of material in a single piece of fabric sufficient to make any clothing (for example, a shirt)
“No estimate” - no number.
Perfect, perfect - suitable, to match

Additional reading:

http://philolog.petrsu.ru/dahl/html/texts.htm - Texts of the works of Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl, an outstanding Russian scientist, linguist and writer, compiler of the “Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language”.
http://www.runivers.ru/lib/book3178/

Hello, dear guys! And greetings to you, dear parents!

All of you know length measures from mathematics. In our age of big technology, we easily calculate meters and kilometers, use a ruler and measure distances. The common units of measurement established not only in Russia, but throughout the world allow us to speak the same mathematical language.

Do you know how length was measured by our ancestors, because there were no lined rulers then! Does anyone hear such words about something that have come to us from afar, like a fathom, a span or an inch? How much is a verst or arshin? Ancient measures of length - that's what we'll do today.

Lesson plan:

What was measured in Rus'?

In ancient times in Rus', a person was used to measure length, or rather, his body parts - arms, palms, feet. Here are some of the oldest measuring methods that were used thousands of years ago.

Elbow

Starting from the 11th century, it was measured along the hand from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow joint, and according to various sources that have come down to us, the figure was about 45-47 centimeters. The elbow used by ancient people included six palms, and the palm included four fingers.

“But people are different!” - you will say, and you will be right. I had to come up with a single sample in the form of a conventional stick in order to use not an individual, but a “common” elbow. This length measure was widely used by merchants to measure cloth and linen.

This is interesting! They say about not very smart people: “The nose is as big as an elbow, but the mind is as big as a fingernail.” Indeed, it happens that a person sticks his long nose where it doesn’t belong.

Span

You can imagine how much it is if you stretch your thumb and forefinger out to the sides. Measure the distance between them, it should be 17.78-19 centimeters.

The large span will be between the thumb and middle finger (22-23 centimeters), as well as the span “with a kutyrka” - with the addition of two more joints of the index finger (27-30 centimeters).

This is interesting! Previously, icons were measured by spans; in everyday life it was a measure for the thickness of snow. They say about very smart people: “Seven spans in the forehead,” as if believing that a large forehead is proportional to a great mind. This saying should not be taken literally, otherwise just imagine that the forehead of a smart guy should be 1.26 meters high!

Fathom

This was one of the most used length measures in Rus'. It comes from the verb “to reach”, that is, as far as you can reach with your hand. At first it was the distance between two hands extended shoulder-width apart from the thumb of one to the thumb of the other (152 centimeters).

Then a great oblique fathom appeared, measured diagonally from the left leg turned to the side to the fingers of the right hand raised up (248 centimeters). The measurement between widely spaced male arms, calculated from the fingertips, was called a fly fathom (176 centimeters).

This is interesting! In construction and when surveying land plots, fattened ropes were used. If they say about you “Slant fathoms in the shoulders,” then you have something to be proud of, because this saying characterizes a broad-shouldered hero.

Verst

A measure used in Rus', which was used to reprimand the path. Previously, it was called “field”. Initially it indicated the distance from the turn of the plow to the next turn. What is noteworthy is that at different times different lengths were put into the mile, since there was a way mile, measuring the distance, and a boundary, measuring the land.

So, in the 15th century, there were 750 fathoms in a verst, in 1649, under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the boundary value included 1000 fathoms, and under Peter I, only the track was preserved, which covered only 500 (1070 meters), finally replacing the boundary measure.

This is interesting! Verstoy was not only a name for distance; it was also the name given to high pillars standing along the roads. Do you know why tall people are sometimes called “Verst Kolomenskaya”? Along the main road from Moscow to the village of Kolomenskoye, where the summer house of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was located, huge pillars were erected, which were not found anywhere in Russia. This is how the expression stuck to those who were incredibly tall.

Step

Distance was often measured in steps, the average length of which was 71 centimeters. During duels this was the most common measure.

This is interesting! At a distance of 10 steps, Dantes shot Alexander Pushkin in 1837 in St. Petersburg.

Arshin

The measure of length appeared under the need to trade with the East, and they came along with foreign merchants. Converted to centimeters, this is 71.12, and previously the arshin was tied to the length of a human arm.

So that no one would deceive anyone during trade, a wooden ruler was made in Moscow, of which copies were made and distributed throughout Russia. The ends of the government arshin were bound with iron and marked with the state seal so that the measure could not be shortened. Arshin replaced such lengths as cubit and span from the system of measurements.

This is interesting! What do you think the proverb “Like a yardstick swallowed” means? This is what they say about someone who walks unnaturally straight, as if “toe the line,” as if he had a wooden ruler inside him.

Vershok

This measure of length appears along with the arshin in the 17th century and is the length of the main phalanx of the index finger, approximately 4.45 centimeters. Usually, human height or the height of animals was measured vertically.

This is interesting! Do you think it’s correct to say “The pot is two inches away, and already the pointer”? Let's do the math: two inches is only about 9 centimeters (4.45 * 2). Are there such people? Error?! Absolutely not. The fact is that previously a person’s height was measured starting from two arshins, since a little more than 142 centimeters was mandatory for an adult. Then they added tops to this base. So from a pot of two inches – that’s 151 centimeters!

Line

The tiny length, equal to the width of a wheat grain, is 2.54 millimeters.

Previously, it was used to measure the neck of a glass lamp. It was also a unit of measurement for the caliber of firearms.

This is interesting! Do you know why the rifle is called three-line? I think you guessed correctly: the caliber of this weapon is three sizes of a measure called “line” - 3 * 2.54mm.

By the 13th century, there were about 400 different measures in different countries, which complicated trade between them. In 1835, Russia correlated its measurements with English ones, after which inches and feet came to us, displacing fathoms and arshins. In 1918, the meter was adopted as the basis for the unit of length.

These were the measurements before. Now, if you come across the words “verst”, “arshin” and “fathom” somewhere in a literary work, you can easily explain what it is, how it is measured and how much it is. Well, for a scientific project on this topic, you can easily get an A and surprise your classmates with new information.

Good luck in your studies!

Evgenia Klimkovich.

Popova Anna

Today we use modern terms for measures of length everywhere, and this is the norm. However, in literature and history we often come across “elbows”, “arshins”, “palms”, “spans”, and this is also normal. All these concepts, which we use in everyday life, enrich not only the language of works of art, but also our inner world. After all, in our speech we often use them in sayings, proverbs that came to us from ancient times, sometimes without even noticing it. All this is part of the culture of our great country, part of the history of Russia. I believe that we not only must, we are obliged to know and understand expressions that have long gone out of use, the terminology of past centuries. This enriches us culturally, increases our intellectual level, helps us plunge into the glorious past of Rus', better understand the values of our ancestors, and learn the history of our native country.

Relevance: The question of the significance of units of measurement is always relevant, since metrology is always the focus of human activity.

Purpose of the study: establish ancient measures of length, compare them with the new measuring system and find reflection of these measures in Russian proverbs and sayings, in literary works.

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Private educational institution “Boarding School No. 24”
secondary general education open joint stock company
"Russian Railways"

Ancient length measures
in the works of poets and writers

Individual project

Completed by: Popova Anna
5 B grade, boarding school No. 24
JSC Russian Railways

Head: Oksana Nikolaevna Frolova, mathematics teacher, boarding school No. 24
JSC Russian Railways

Taishet 2016

Introduction........................................................ ........................................................ ........
	Historical overview……………………………………………………..
	1. 1. Why does a person need measurements………………………………..
	1. 2. Units of measurement of Ancient Rus'……………………………..
	1. 3. Metric system of measurements…………………………………….
	Old Russian measures of length in literature…………………………….
	2. 1. In oral folk art……………………………………
	2. 2. In prose and poetry………………………………………………………
	Practical part………………………………………………………...
Conclusion................................................. ........................................................ ...
Literature................................................. ........................................................ ....
Applications………………………………………………………………………………….

Introduction

Relevance : The question of the significance of units of measurement is always relevant, since metrology is always the focus of human activity.

Purpose of the study: establish ancient measures of length, compare them with the new measuring system and find reflection of these measures in Russian proverbs and sayings, in literary works.

As part of achieving this goal, I set the following tasks :

Get acquainted with the measuring system that existed previously.
Establish the relationship between the old measuring system and the new one.
Trace the reflection of old measures in Russian folklore.
Find out what the proverbs and sayings that contain the names of ancient measures of length mean. Translate ancient measures in proverbs and sayings into modern ones.
To acquaint school students with the results of the study in order to expand their knowledge and horizons in general.

Research methods:

Study of educational and fiction literature.

Practical work.

1. Historical overview

1.1. Why does a person need measurements?

In the first stages of human development, measurements were associated with the production of household items. The required amount of material for the production of tools, clothing, and structures was measured. With the development of human society, new needs for measurements began to arise. Trade and the development of crafts required precise determination of weights and lengths. The collection of taxes required determining the areas of land plots. With the development of navigation, the need arose for astronomical measurements to determine the location of a ship by the stars.

Currently, the development of science and technology has led to the fact that a person can carry out the most precise measurements of not only length and weight, but also many other parameters. In everyday life, production or science, most things begin with measurements and calculations. They measure distance, weight, temperature, pressure, speed and much more.

Doctors begin examining patients by measuring body temperature, height, weight and blood pressure. Builders measure the length and width of the planned building. Chefs weigh the required amount of ingredients to prepare even the simplest dish.

Time passes. Instruments and methods of measurement change, but the goals remain the same - to describe the world around us, to design, model and control processes in production and scientific activity.

1. 2. Units of measurement of Ancient Rus'

For a long time, different peoples used small units of length of “natural” origin to measure small objects and distances. The first standards were individual parts of the human body. As with counting, those “measuring instruments” that were always with you were used - the hand and its parts. The length and width of the index finger, as well as the width of the palm, turned out to be very convenient for measurements. To determine the size of larger objects, the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger was used, which also corresponded well with the size of the finger and palm.

The first units for measuring quantities were not very accurate. For example, distances were measured in steps. Since the step size is different for different people, we took some average value. To measure long distances, the step was too small a unit, so long distances were measured in transitions or days of movement.

The system of Old Russian measures of length included the following basic measures: verst, fathom, arshin, elbow, span and vershok.

For small measures of length, the base value was the “span” (since the 17th century - a length equal to a span was called differently - “a quarter of an arshin”, “a quarter” or “chet”), from which smaller fractions could easily be obtained - two vershoks (1 /2 span) or vershok (1/4 span).

Merchants, when selling goods, measured it each with their own arshin (ruler) or quickly - measuring “from the shoulder”. To exclude measurements, the authorities introduced a standard - the “official yardstick”, which is a wooden ruler with metal tips with a state mark riveted at the ends.

Vershok - Old Russian unit , was initially equal to the lengthtwo phalanges index finger,approximately 4.5 cm.The name “top” comes precisely from the word “top” (top of the finger, i.e. finger).

Pyad - Old Russian measure length, initially equal to the distance between the ends of the outstretched fingers of the hand - thumb and index. Three ancient Russian spans were distinguished. Small span was determined by the distance between the ends of the extended thumb and index fingers and was approximately 19 cm. Great span equal to the distance between the ends of the thumb and little finger - 23 cm. Somersault span was obtained by adding two lengths of the joint of the index (according to some sources - middle) finger to the small span and was equal to 27 cm.

Elbow equal to the length of the arm from the fingers to the elbow (according to other sources, the distance in a straight line from the elbow to the end of the extended middle finger of the hand or the hand clenched into a fist). The size of this ancient measure of length, according to various sources, ranged from 38 to 47 cm.

The cubit was widely used (along with the span and fathom) in construction. It acquired particular importance in trade: in the retail sale of fabrics it was considered the main unit of length, and in wholesale purchases it played the role of a control measure.

From the end of the 12th century. the cubit began to be replaced by a larger unit of length - the arshin, the use of which began with trade relations with the East. For a long time, kolot and arshin were used simultaneously with each other: the first was used to measure Russian-made fabrics, the second - foreign ones. However, over time, the arshin began to dominate and penetrated into various branches of production in the 17th century. was recognized as the official measure of length in the state.

Perhaps the word “arshin” comes from the Persian “arsh” - elbow, which was borrowed into Turkic languages.

Arshin - an ancient Russian measure of length, equal in modern terms to 72 cm. Arshin was also the name given to a measuring ruler, on which divisions in vershoks were usually applied.

Fathom - one of the most common length measures in Rus'. “Fly fathom” is the distance between the ends of the fingers of an adult man’s widely spaced hands (Fig. 1). “Oblique fathom” is the longest: the distance from the toe of the left foot to the end of the middle finger of the raised right hand. Name fathom comes from the verb to reach - as far as one could reach with one's hand. There were fathomed measuring ropes and wooden “folds” that were used for measurements in construction and for land surveying (dividing).

According to historians, there were more than 10 fathoms, they had their own names, were of different sizes and were not multiples of one another. Fathoms: City fathom = 2.85 m

Great fathom = 2.44 m

Greek fathom = 2.30 m

State fathom = 2.17 m

Tsarskaya fathom = 1.97 m

Church fathom = 1.86 m

Narodnaya fathom = 1.76 m

Masonry fathom = 1.59 m

Simple fathom = 1.50 m

Small fathom = 1.42 m

Yard (bridge) fathom = 1.34 m

Mach fathom = 1.76 m

Oblique fathom (originally "oblique") = 2.48 m

Fathoms were used before the introduction of the metric system of measures.

Rice. 1. Illustration of Old Russian measures of length.

Verst - Old Russian travel measure (its early name was “field”). This word originally referred to the distance traveled from one turn of the plow to another during plowing. The two names have long been used in parallel, as synonyms. There are known mentions in written sources of the 11th century. In manuscripts of the 15th century. there is an entry: “field of 7 hundred and 50 fathoms” (750 fathoms long). Before Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, 1 verst was considered 1000 fathoms. Under Peter the Great, one verst was equal to 500 fathoms, in modern terms = 1066.8 m.

"Verstoy" was also called a milestone on the road.
The size of the verst changed repeatedly depending on the number of fathoms included in it and the size of the fathom. The Code of 1649 established a “boundary mile” of 1 thousand fathoms. Later, in the 18th century, along with it, a “travel mile” of 500 fathoms (“five hundredth mile”) began to be used.

Mezhevaya Versta - Old Russian unit of measurement equal to two versts. A verst of 1000 fathoms (2.16 km) was widely used as a boundary measure, usually when determining pastures around large cities, and on the outskirts of Russia, especially in Siberia, and to measure distances between populated areas. Long distances, especially in Eastern Siberia, were determined in days of travel. In the 18th century boundary versts are gradually being replaced by travel ones, and the only verst in the 19th century. there remains a “travel” mileage equal to 500 fathoms.

Along with the main measures of length, there were units of measurement that were less widespread.

Finger – equal to the width of the index and middle fingers. Finger = 2 cm.

Korshok – equal to the width of a fist, comes from the word korkh (fist). Korshok = 9 cm

Step - One of the oldest measures of length, the average length of a human step = 71 cm.

Badog (batog) – a common measure, used during construction work,

½ part of a fathom. Badog = 1.06 m.

In the 18th century In connection with economic development and the need for strict accounting in foreign trade, in Russia the question of measurement accuracy, the creation of standards arose, on the basis of some it would be possible to organize a verification business (“metrology”).

Russia began to trade more with Western Europe. Measures were needed that would be easier to compare with Western measures. The names of the old measures were retained, but their length was changed. To do this, Peter I proposed using English measures, which had not changed for several centuries and were often used in trade.

In 1835, by Decree of Peter I, general measures of length were established and new ones were introduced, which were used before the introduction of the metric system.

A geographic mile was equal to 1/15 of a degree of the earth's equator. Geographic mile = 7.42 km

A nautical mile was equal to 1 minute of arc of the earth's meridian.

Nautical mile = 1.85 km

English mile = 1.61 km

1 verst = 500 fathoms = 1.0668 km
1 fathom = 3 arshins = 7 feet = 48 vershoks = 2.1336 m

Oblique fathom = 2.48 m

Mach fathom = 1.76 m

Yard = 91.44 cm

1 arshin = 4 quarters (spans) = 16 vershok = 28 inches = 71.12 cm
1 cubit = 44 cm (according to various sources from 38 to 47 cm)

1 foot = 1/7 fathom = 12 inches = 30.479 cm (A foot and an inch were equal in size to English measures).

1 quarter (span, small span, span, span) = 4 inches = 17.78 cm A synonym for “quarter” is “chet”.

1 vershok = 1/4 span = 1/16 arshin = 4.445 cm (equal to the width of the index and middle fingers).

1 inch = 2.54 cm (equal to the width of your thumb or the length of three dry grains of barley).

1 finger = 2 cm

Line – equal to 1/10 inch = 2.54 mm

Point = 0.25 mm.

From the second half of the 18th century, the divisions of the inch were replaced by small English measures: inch, line and point, but only the inch took root. Lines and dots were used relatively little. The lines expressed the calibers of the guns. The dots were used only to determine the sizes of gold and silver coins.

Despite the royal decree, a variety of measures of length, volume and area were used everywhere. Only the transition to the metric system of measures put an end to this confusion.

1. 3. Metric measurement system

The needs of practice forced us to begin the search for a unified system of measures. At the same time, it was clear that it was necessary to abandon the establishment of connections between units of measurement and the dimensions of the human body. Then certain national units of measurement were created, for which samples of units of measurement were made - standards.

The metric system of measures was created in France at the end of the 18th – beginning of the 19th centuries. It is based on the unit of length meter - one forty-millionth of the earth's meridian. In our country, the metric system of measures was introduced in 1918.

The metric system of measures was approved for use in Russia (optional) by law of June 41899 , the project of which was developedD. I. Mendeleev , and introduced as mandatory in 1918.

Based on the metric system, it was developed and adopted in 1960 by the XI General Conference on Weights and MeasuresInternational system of units (SI). During the second half of the 20th century, most countries in the world switched to the SI system.

2. Old Russian measures of length in literature

2.1. In oral folk art

In our modern language, old units of measurement and words denoting them have been preserved, as a rule, in the form of proverbs and sayings.

One, like a finger. - Lonely man
Five miles to heaven, and all through forest. – It’s very far and inconvenient to get to.
Love is not measured by miles. – Feeling is not material, therefore it cannot be measured.
Don't point your finger at people! They wouldn't point a pole at you! – Don’t judge others prejudicially, you might end up on trial yourself
Two inches from the pot, and already the pointer. – A young man who does not have his own life experience, but teaches everyone.
Don't give up an inch. – Don’t give even the smallest amount.
He's as small as a fingernail, and has a beard as long as his elbow - He's small (or too young), but smart.
Each merchant measures with his own yardstick. – Everyone judges any matter one-sidedly, based on their own interests.
He sits and walks as if he had swallowed an arshin. – They talk about a person with an unnaturally straight posture.
A beard as long as a beard, but a mind as long as an inch. – About an adult, but stupid person.
Oblique fathoms in the shoulders. - A stately, broad-shouldered, tall man.
He sees three arshins into the ground. – About a perspicacious person from whom nothing can be hidden.
Kolomenskaya Versta is a humorous nickname for a tall man.
Seven spans in the forehead - About a very smart person.
Moscow is miles away, but close to the heart. – This is how Russian people characterized their love for the capital.
From word to deed - a whole mile. - Everyone can say, but not everyone will fulfill their promise.
A mile closer - a nickel cheaper. - About saving.
If you fall behind by a mile, you'll catch up by ten. – Even a small gap is very difficult to overcome.
By leaps and bounds - rapid growth, good development of something.
Seven feet of water under the keel. - Wishing a good voyage to a ship or person going to sea.
The word itself is as big as an inch, and the word is as big as a pot. - He’s small, but smart (big head).
You write in capital letters. – Large
The beard is as long as an elbow, and he is as long as a fingernail. - A short man with a long, thick beard.
Travel seven miles to slurp some jelly. - It is thoughtless to strive somewhere, having the opportunity to achieve what you want on the spot.
The native land is miles away, but close to the heart. - About love for the Motherland.
A hundred miles is not a detour for a young man. “The young man can’t even afford something like that.”
For a friend, seven miles is not a suburb. - For the sake of a loved one, a long, roundabout path seems short.
A head like a yard, but a mind like an inch. - The head is big, but stupid.
The nose is as big as an elbow, and the mind is as big as a fingernail. - He grew up big, but didn’t develop any intelligence.
An old man the size of a jug, a beard the size of an arshin. – About a short bearded man.
Stretch a mile, but don’t be easy.
They were looking for a mosquito seven miles away, but the mosquito was on their nose. - About something obvious.
You are a span away from the truth, and it is a fathom away from you. – The answer is closer than you try to find it.
We lived as long as an elbow, and life as long as a fingernail - i.e. lived long, but life turned out to be short.
In someone else's hands, a fingernail the size of an elbow. – About envy
Seven yards of beef and three pounds of ribbons. - They are talking about something meaningless.
Arshin for a caftan, two for patches. – Repairing the item will cost more than its value.
Log to log - fathom. – About the accumulation of reserves and wealth through savings.
We don’t need an inch of someone else’s land, but we won’t give up even an inch of our own.

In the morning it’s a fathom, at noon it’s a span, and in the evening it’s enough across the field. Answer: (shadow)

In epics We encounter many outdated words and measurements. So, reading the book Russian Heroes, in which I.V. Karnaukhova collected epics and fairy tales about the heroes of Rus', I came across many such references, here are some of them:

“Ilya delivers Constantinople from the Idol”: He is more than two fathoms tall, he is as thick as a hundred-year-old oak, his nose is like an elbow sticking out...
“The first battle of Ilya Muromets”: Go, Ilya, dear roundabout. True, it’s three hundred miles straight to Kyiv, and a whole thousand along the roundabout road.
“Three trips of Ilya Muromets”: The old good horse, his Burushka Kosmatushka, was good. Burushka has a tail of three fathoms, a mane to the knees, and wool of three spans...
“Epic about Ilya Muromets”:

Yes, the old man has moved away in three fields,

Yes, in Russian you can say yes for three verstonki.

2. 2. In prose and poetry

We also find the names of ancient units of measurement of length in the works of poets and prose writers.

A. S. Pushkin

"Winter road"

No fire, no black house,

Wilderness and snow... towards me

Only miles are striped

There are only one...

A. S. Pushkin

"The Tale of Tsar Saltan…"

God gave them a son in arshin,

And the queen over the child,

Like an eagle over an eaglet;

She sends a messenger with a letter,

To please my father.

P. P. Ershov

"The Little Humpbacked Horse"

Only three inches tall,

On the back with two humps

Yes, with arshin ears.

N. A. Nekrasov

"Grandfather Mazai and the Hares"

Every minute the water was rising

Less than a fathom in length.

S. Ya. Marshak

"The Tale of the Goat"

Hey, don't cry, grandma and grandpa!

I'll feed you lunch

I'll bake a mushroom pie

Two arshins wide.

N. A. Nekrasov

"Peasant Children"

And, walking importantly, in decorous calm,

A man leads a horse by the bridle

In big boots, in a short sheepskin coat,

In big mittens... and he himself is from a fingernail!

A. Pogorelsky

"Black chicken, or underground inhabitants"

D. Mamin-Sibiryak

"Gray Neck"

I. S. Turgenev

"Mu Mu"

“Of all her servants, the most remarkable person was the janitor Gerasim, a man twelve inches tall, built like a hero and deaf-mute from birth.”

K.M. Stanyukovich.

Around the world on the Korshun

“It was a small, slender and graceful ship, 240 feet long and 35 feet wide in the middle...”

L.N. Tolstoy

"Prisoner of the Caucasus"

“It was 25 miles to go. The convoy walked quietly..."

“Where there was a ford, the water went three arshins deep, turning over stones.”

3. Practical part

3.1. Questioning of students in grade 5b

We conducted a survey of 5b grade students, 22 people. The survey questions were the same for all respondents. The questions can be found in Appendix 2.

A survey conducted in grade 5 (Fig. 3) revealed thatstudents often encountered ancient measures of length when reading various literature, in everyday life, heard sayings and proverbs, but not everyone knows the relationship between ancient measures and modern ones. 22 people were interviewed.

Rice. 1. Results of the 5th grade survey.

3.2. Practical work

Practical work was carried out to convert the ancient measures of length that we encountered in literary works into a modern system of measurements. Writers often use ancient length measures in their works. Here are some of them that I came across on the pages of the books I read:

	Work	Mention of length measure	Conversion
D. Mamin-Sibiryak		“There was no more than fifteen fathoms of free space left to swim.”	15 fathoms = 32 m 55 cm
G.H.Andersen		“...in the cup of the flower sat a pretty tiny girl no more than an inch tall.”	1inch = 2 cm 54 mm
P.P. Ershov		"Yes, a toy skate Only three inches tall, On the back with two humps Yes, with arshin ears"	3 vershka =13cm 3mm 1 arshin = 71cm
N.N. Nekrasov		“With every minute the water was rising To the poor animals; there's nothing left underneath them Less than an arshin of land in width, Less than a fathom in length"	1 arshin = 71cm 1 fathom = 2 m 17 cm
A. Pogorelsky		“... a side door opened... and a lot of little people came in, no more than half an arshin tall.”	1/2 arshin = 35.5cm
A.S. Pushkin		“...God gave her a son worth a yard”	1 arshin = 71cm
V.M.Garshin		“.. dragging even a light frog for three thousand miles, God knows what a pleasure...”	3000 versts = 3198 km
I.S. Turgenev		“But Gerasim just nodded his head and began rowing so hard, albeit against the flow of the river, that in an instant he rushed a hundred fathoms. »	100 fathoms = 217 m
Folklore		“...Burushka’s tail is three fathoms long, his mane reaches to his knees, and his fur is three spans long...”	3 fathoms = 6 m 51 cm 3 spans = 53cm 34mm
Folklore	tease	The young woman is not big, she is as big as an inch, her head is as big as a pot	1 vershok = 4 cm 4 mm
Folklore	Proverb	You are a span away from the truth, and it is a fathom away from you	1 span = 17 cm 78 mm 1 fathom = 2 m 17 cm
Folklore	Proverb	They were looking for a mosquito seven miles away, but the mosquito was on their nose	7 versts = 7.4676 km

After repeating the study in my class, I got the following results:

The result has improved.

Conclusion

After conducting my research, I found out that modern children are little familiar with ancient units of measurement - this was shown by personal data. I am sure that the work I have done is interesting in many respects. I became more familiar with ancient Russian units of measurement and discovered the relationship between them and oral folk art. Ancient Russian proverbs and sayings are apt and expressive, and the poems I found, which accurately and vividly mention ancient units of measurement, also confirm how much the heritage of our ancestors means to us. Of course, most of the old measures have been forgotten and fallen out of use, but many of them still live today not only in ancient buildings, in ancient recipes for medicines and all kinds of foods, but also appear in modern literary works and historical monuments. These measures always lived, sometimes they grew old and died, but they were always reborn to a new life, just like our Russian spirit, which cannot be broken by any difficulties.

The history of measures is the history of trade, crafts, agriculture and construction in Ancient Rus', and ultimately, it is part of the history of all mankind. Information from the history of length measures, including native Russian ones, reveals the connection between mathematics and life. They show that people did not invent units of measurement, but initially took parts of their body as measures, which gradually turned into generally accepted standards. By studying the emergence of mathematical concepts, I penetrated into the way of thinking of ancient Russian people and thereby deepened my knowledge of both Russian history and literature.

Summing up the work, I came to the conclusion about its great significance, since knowing and understanding how the measures appeared, how they changed, what they brought to the people and how they influenced their lives is still interesting today. Most of the old measures have been forgotten and fallen out of use, but although they are rarely used, they are still used in modern life, for example, the fathom is still used in agriculture.

It seems to me that the materials of this work can be used as information and reference material for teachers and students in the classroom, in mathematics, history, literature, and technology lessons.

You can believe it or not believe it,

But everything in the world can be measured:

The clock will help you measure time,

Dimensions - ruler, weight - scales.

There are a lot of instruments for measuring

Speed, noise, volume, pressure.

The sea will be measured to the bottom by an echo sounder,

Temperature - thermometer.

And - if desired - everyone will find

The magnitude of your joy...

Do you think this is nonsense?

And we will reveal a secret:

With a simple ruler - without error -

Measure the width of your smile!

Literature

A.S. Pushkin. Selected works. In 2 volumes. T.1. – 1980. 814 p. - Fuck classics. Russian literature.
IN .AND. Dahl. Explanatory dictionary of the living Great Russian language. - M., 1955.
I.V. Karnaukhova. Russian bogatyrs. – M.: Det.lit., 2006. – 238 p.: ill. - (School library).
K.M. Stanyukovich. Around the world on the Kite: Scenes from sea life in two parts. – Odessa: Mayak, 1980. – 392 p., ill. – (Sea Library. Book 21)
Literature. 5th grade. Textbook For general education Organizations with adj. To electron. carrier. At 2 p.m. Part 1 / V.Ya. Korovina, V.P. Zhuravlev, V.I. Korovin. – 3rd ed. – M.: Education, 2014. – 303 p.: ill.
Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Language / ed. A.I. Molotkov. – M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1986.
Appendix 2.
Questionnaire
1. Are you familiar with the ancient measures of length: arshin, verst, span, fathom, vershok?
2. Do you know the approximate meaning of these measures in modern
Measurement system?
Arshin =
Versta =
span =
Fathom =
Vershok =
1. Do you know proverbs and sayings with these words?
2. Arrange in order of increase:
Finger
Vershok
Span
Arshin
Fathom
Verst
Step

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