Inductive Metrology: Or, The Recovery of Ancient Measures from the Monuments

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Cambridge University Press, Sep 5, 2013 - Literary Collections - 176 pages
Among the leading Egyptologists of his day, Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie (1853-1942) excavated over fifty sites and trained a generation of archaeologists. As a young man, he demonstrated an aptitude for mathematics and used this skill to measure monuments across the south of England, including Stonehenge. Published in 1877, this work was based in part on these early surveys and provides great insight into the linear measurements used by ancient civilisations. Notably, Petrie establishes that accurate measurement was possible in societies without writing systems. His innovative approach to metrology draws comparisons between units of measurement used by peoples separated by great spans of time and distance, ranging from medieval Ireland to ancient Egypt. Petrie went on to write prolifically throughout his long career, and a great many of his other publications are also reissued in this series.
 

Contents

PREFACE
1
145 Unit of 2 92 Jutland palm
4
7 Multiples and fractions that are likely to be found in
7
13 Probability of fallacies and the means of checking them
13
19 Probabilities of multiples of the probable error
19
25 Apparent accuracy in measurements often fallacious
26
45 Identity of these with units found inductively
45
36
51
87
87
72
89
94 Italian unit of 23 05
94
53
97
73
104
120 Unit of 4 89
105
RUDE STONE REMAINS AMERICA INDIA
112
75
118

88
53
60 Table of Persian results
60
63
74
170 Forms and derivatives of the 25 15 unit or Sacred
136
885
142
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