Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c15.98

c15.98

Carpenters’ measure was different from that in common use. The vaḍu riyana, or carpenter’s cubit, was the ordinary cubit + a span + the four fingers’ width. The carpenter’s angala or ‘inch,’ 1/24 of the vaḍu riyana, was the length of the third joint of the forefinger. The span (viyata) was the space between thumb and little finger at full stretch, reckoned, it is said, at 7 angal.