Prehistoric India to 1000 B.C. c12.127

c12.127

The late Sir Flinders Petrie, one of the few persons who have studied ancient metrology on a wide basis, pointed out that the 13.2 inch foot was very widespread in Western Asia and in prehistoric and Roman Europe, surviving indeed as the builder’s foot used in English medieval buildings. The ‘Royal Cubit’ of 20.62 inches is equally widespread, and subdivides into palms and digits, the Harappā measure having on it divisions of one half-digit, correct to within 0.3 per cent. Behind these accurately constructed scales, and of course behind the whole lay-out of the Harappā street systems and house-plans, must lie a sound knowledge of practical geometry and land surveying.