First principles:
Measuring actions and systems vary in precision
according to need and technology.
Until the modern period high precision is rare
and difficult to repeat on a regular basis.
Therefore, a statement such as ‘the Egyptian
cubit equals 52 centimetres’ raises questions such as:
- What
was the degree of precision of the unit?
- Who
authorised the unit?
- How
was the accuracy of the unit obtained and repeated?
All ancient, medieval and early modern measuring
systems are likely to operate in practice at a level of precision and in a
manner alien to those familiar to inhabitants of modern states.
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