Archaic Area Measures Calculator
Historical Land Measurement:
From roods and acres to medieval hides and Roman jugera, explore the fascinating units used to measure farmland, estates, and territories throughout history.
About Archaic Area Measures
Common Land Units
- Square Perch: Also called square rod or square pole - basic surveying unit
- Rood: 1/4 acre (40 square perches) - small field or garden plot
- Acre: 43,560 sq ft - still widely used! Originally land plowable by 1 ox in 1 day
Medieval English Farming Units
- Oxgang (Bovate): ~15 acres - land tillable by 1 ox, 1/8 of carucate
- Virgate (Yardland): ~30 acres - typical peasant holding, 1/4 hide
- Hide: ~120 acres - land sufficient to support 1 family and dependents
- Carucate (Ploughland): ~120 acres - land 8 oxen could plow in a year
Regional Variations
- Scots Acre: 1.27 English acres - Scotland had a larger acre
- Irish Acre: 1.62 English acres - "plantation measure" from Irish colonization
Ancient Roman Land Measures
- Actus Quadratus: ~1,260 m² - Roman square
- Jugerum: ~2,520 m² (2 actus) - land plowable in 1 day
- Centuria: ~50 hectares (200 jugera) - centuriation grid system
Etymology & History
- "Acre" comes from Old English "æcer" meaning field
- "Hide" comes from "hid" - enough land to support a household
- "Virgate" from Latin "virga" (rod/staff) - measured with a rod
- "Oxgang" - literally what one ox can plow
- "Rood" from Old English "rōd" (rod or cross)
- These units were based on agricultural productivity, not fixed measurements!