25Kb
Figure 7. The Roman cubit and much else
(all measures in inches)


Developments
    • 1. Z is created by the crossing of GH and DE. Z is equidistant from D and F (half a Greek cubit).
    • 2. ZD/ZF are taken as the radii of a circle and a circle is drawn.
    • 3. FE 8.75 inches is extended to W on the circumference of the circle.

Outcomes
    • 1. FW is 17.5 inches, the Roman cubit (1 1/2 Roman feet).
    • 3. The following measures and proportion can be distinguished in Figure 7:

      Measure/proportion Location/source
      British imperial foot ABC
      British imperial yard Squares on ABC, see Figure 1
      ancient Egyptian remen DF
      ancient Egyptian royal cubit KTF
      ancient Egyptian common (short) cubit AJPOA
      ancient Egyptian common cubit digit SO
      Roman foot/ancient Egyptian "forearm" DE
      Roman inch (uncia) Remainder of DE minus GH halved
      Roman cubit FW
      Greek foot FH
      Greek cubit FX also DV
      ancient Egyptian remen digit FX minus FW
      22/7 LN / KM
    • 4. The Greek cubit of 18 11/48 inches is equivalent to 24.85795454 ... (24 151/176) common cubit digits. The latter number takes on great significance in succeeding material which describes how the ancient Egyptians devised a measure for the world.

Remarks

    • Arguably, no geometry in history has been as influential as that in Figure 7. From it stems a system of measures and weights (not discussed here) that brought order out of chaos. Science and commerce were, and still are, the great beneficiaries. In other material prepared by the present writer it is clearly demonstrated that the geometric configuration under consideration created further historically significant measures and it produced all the essential design particulars (base dimensions etc.) for the major ancient Egyptian pyramids, including the Great Pyramid, Khephren's Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, the Red Pyramid and the Maidum Pyramid.


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