Old weights and measures (Spain)

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On the Iberian Peninsula, even after the unification of the empire in 1492, until the introduction of the metric system from 1852, numerous units were in use. The standardization attempted in 1801 was particularly successful with regard to the definition of the mile ( legua regular antigua ) to 6666⅔ Vara and the use of the pound ( libra ) of Avila (0.460093 kg). The units used were also used in the Central American colonies , but soon deviated from the models here too.

Castile

Lengths

punto Point = 0.16 mm
línea line 12 puntos = 1.96 mm
pulgada inch 12 líneas = 2.36 cm
pie foot 12 pulgadas = 2.83 dm
vara Cubit 3 pies = 0.848 m
paso step 5 pies = 1.413 m
legua mile 5000 varas = 4.240 km

Areas and dimensions

The Acumbre was an old Castilian wine measure (2.0165 l) for four Cuartillos of 4 copas, which was in use for a long time , especially in Cuba. In Bilbao it was 2.22 liters in the province of Guipuzcoa it was 2.52 liters.

On the one hand, the Almud was equal to ½ Fanegada respectively. 50 square var. In Mexico and Central America also called estajo , there 33.027 m², in Spain 32.198-35.112 m². The grain measure in Mexico was 4.675 l (1/12 Fanegada), in Paraguay it was 24 l. It was also used as an oil measure in Portugal and Brazil.

An estadale, estado or braza had four varas, which, according to the law 1801-52, corresponded to 3,344 m, the lengths used in the provinces were between 5½ and 15 pies. An estadio, on the other hand, was 174.147 m in Spain and 258.207 m in Portugal.

With the quintal , a distinction was made between the Castilian quintal macho with six arrobas or 150 libras which corresponded to 69 kg, and the usual, mostly 46.014 kg heavy, with 4 arrobas of 25 pounds. When the quintal métrico was mentioned, one meant the quintal with 100 kg.

Derivation

The Spanish foot, like the Saxon foot , is derived from the Roman foot .
The ratio of the two former to the latter is (28 × 64 =) 1792: 1875 (= 15 × 125).
In the end, both lengths are based on the nippur cubit .

Local dimensions

Overview of the weights and measures used in various Spanish cities in the early 19th century:

place Vara ("tail")
(cm) 		Libra ("pounds" at 16 ounces)
(kg) 		(Media) Cántara or
Arroba (wine, etc.)
(l) 		Arroba (oil)
(l) 		Media Fanega
(bulk material)
(l) 		Legua (to 6666⅔ Vara)
(km)
Álava 0.836 0.4601 16.133 12,563 55.501 (Fanega) 5.5727
Albacete 0.837 0.458 6.365 28.325
Alicante 0.912 0.533
("Libra gruesa" at 18 oz.) 		0.60 11.55 20.775 5.555
Almeria 0.833 0.46001 8.18
("media arroba") 		--- 27.531 5,573
Ávila 0.836 0.46001 7.96
("media arroba") 		--- 28.20
Badajoz 0.836 0.46001 8.21 6.21 27.92 5,573
Balearic Islands 0.782 0.407 35.17
Barcelona 1.555 ("cana") 0.400
("medicinal:" 0.300) 		30.35 ("barrilón") 4.15 ("cuartán") 34.759
Burgos 0.836 0.4001 7.05 --- 27.17 5,573
Cacéres 0.836 0.456 1.73 ("cuarto") 1.60 ("cuarto") 26.88
Cadiz 0.836 0.46001 7,922 6.26 5,573
Canary Islands 0.842 0.46001 5.08 ( Santa Cruz )
5.34 ( Las Palmas ) 		31.33 (Santa Cruz)
Castellon 0.906 0.358 11.27 12.14 16.60 5,573
Ciudad Real 0.839 0.46001 8.00 6.22 27.29 6.687
Cordoba 0.836 0.46001 16.31 --- 27.60 5,573
La Coruña 0.843 0.575 15.58 (wine)
16.43 (aguardiente) 		12.43 16.15 (flour) 5,573
Cuenca 0.836 0.46001 7.88 --- 27.10
Girona 1.559 ("cana") 0.400 15.48 ("mallal") --- 18.08 3,762
(4500 varas castellanas)
Granada 0.836 0.46001 8.21 --- 27.35 5,573
Guadalajara 0.836 0.46001 8.21 --- 27.40
Guipuzcoa 0.837 0.492 27.65
Huelva 0.836 0.46001 7.89 --- 27.531 5,573
Huesca 0.772 0.351 9.98 0.37
("medida de libra") 		22.46 4.1173
("hora de camino")
Jaén 0.839 0.46001 8.02
("medida arroba de vino") 		7.12
("medida arroba de aceite") 		27.37
Leon 0.836 0.46001 7.92 --- 18.11
Lérida 0.778 0.401 11.38 --- 18.34
Logroño 0.837 0.46001 16.04 --- 27.47 5,573
Lugo 0.855 0.573 0.47 ("cuartillo") 13.13
Madrid 0.843 0.46001 8.15 --- 27.67 5,573
Málaga 0.836 0.46001 8.33 ("media arroba") --- 26.97 5,573
Murcia 0.836 0.46001 7.80 ("media arroba") --- 27.64 5,573
Navarre 0.785 0.372 11.77 0.41 ("libra para media aceite") 28.13 5.495
Orense 0.836 0.574 15.96 13.88 18.79
Palencia 0.836 0.46001 7.88 6.12 27.7505
Pontevedera 0.836 0.579 16.35 15.58 20.86
Salamanca 0.836 0.46001 7.99 ("medio") 27.29 5,573
Segovia 0.837 0.46001 8th --- 27.30
Seville 0.836 0.46001 15.66 --- 27.35 5,573
Soria 0.836 0.46001 7.90 --- 27.57
Teruel 0.768 0.367 10.96 --- 21.40 5,573
Toledo 0.837 0.46001 8.12 ("media cantara") 6.25 ("media arroba") 27.75 5,573
Valencia 0.906 0.355 10.77 11.93 16.75
Valladolid 0.836 0.46001 7.82 --- 27.39 5,573
Vizcaya 0.836 0.488 6.74 28.46 5,573
Zaragoza 0.772 0.350 9.91 13.93 (aceite)
13.33 (aguardiente) 		22.42 5,573

See also

literature

  • Institutó Geográfico y Estadís; Equivalencias entre las pesas y medidas usadas antiguamente; Madrid 1886 ( full text )

Remarks

  1. ↑ Commercially rounded. According to more detailed tables in: Institutó Geográfico y Estadís; Equivalencias entre las pesas y medidas usadas antiguamente; Madrid 1886
  2. ↑ "Krug" to 4 Cuartillos. In eastern Spain Cántar o . In the West Indies = 15.44 l, in Peru 16.17 l.
  3. ↑ The legal measure 1801: to 12 celemins à 4 cuartillos. Much larger in the colonies.
  4. ↑ Exactly: 0.460093 kg. National standard under the law of 1801.
  5. ↑ Exactly: 0.835905 m, the Vara generally used as a standard also in the Latin American colonies . Established by law since 1801.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Joseph von Niedermayr, About rewards in the state with an overview of the orders of merit, decorations and medals of the states of Europe and their statutes, EA Fleischmann, Munich 1836, p. 3

Web links