Archaic Length Measures Calculator
Historical Length Units:
From tiny barleycorns to vast leagues, explore length measurements used throughout history for surveying, sailing, trading, and daily life.
About Archaic Length Measures
Small Measures
- Barleycorn: 1/3 of an inch - still used in UK shoe sizing (size 1 = 8.46mm)
- Hand: 4 inches - still used to measure horse height at the withers
- Cubit: ~18 inches - ancient measure based on forearm length (elbow to fingertip)
- Ell: 45 inches - used in textile trade, originally based on arm length
Surveying Measures
- Rod (Pole/Perch): 16.5 feet - basic surveying unit, length of an ox goad
- Chain: 66 feet (4 rods) - Gunter's chain, revolutionized surveying in 1620
- Furlong: 660 feet (1/8 mile) - "furrow long", length of medieval plowed field
Nautical Measures
- Fathom: 6 feet - depth measurement, originally distance between outstretched arms
- Cable: ~608 feet - 1/10 nautical mile, ship's cable length
- Nautical Mile: 1,852 meters - one minute of latitude
Long Distance
- League: ~3 miles - distance walkable in an hour, varies by region