Sazhen - this is how much? How many fathoms per meter and verst

In ancient times, in Rus, to measure distance and length, they used their bodies. Measured with fingers, palm, steps. The most common measure of length was sazhen. Its name comes from the verb "shyagat", which means - reach out by hand. This root has been preserved in the word "inaccessible". It is believed that such measures of length are very subjective, because the growth and size of the hands of all people are different. But despite this, beautiful temples and harmonious structures were built in Russia. With the introduction of the metric system in the USSR, the lengths of the old measures were forgotten. Therefore, nowadays very few people know, sazhen - this is how much.

Ancient measures of length

The distance our ancestors measured with steps or arshins, which were equal to 72 centimeters. In the measurement, the count was carried out in pairs of steps-simple fathoms or triples-with state fathoms. Long distances were measured in versts. In ancient times, this measure was also called "field." Its length varied depending on the length of the fathoms and their number. There were also boundary and track versts. The average distance is about a mile. How many fathoms in a verst, it is impossible to determine exactly. Usually from 500 to 750, and in the middle of the 17th century a verst 1000 fathoms was established.

To measure small distances, other measures were used. The fabric was measured with elbows, so the merchants chose the sellers of small stature. Another very ancient measure of length is the span. It was equal to the distance between the tips of elongated fingers: large and medium. It is approximately 19 to 23 centimeters. And the smallest measure of length - the top - almost 4.5 centimeters. This distance was measured folded together with two fingers - the index and the middle.

The history of Russian fathoms

For a long time, scientists could not understand what the Old Russian builders used. But after the archaeologists found a stone on which it was carved: "Gleb prince measured 10,000 and 4,000 fathoms", it was possible to calculate the value of the sazhen in 151 centimeters. This coincided with the results of other Russian people's measures. There were several different sazhens, which were used for various measurements and in construction. To do this, made special shed ropes and wooden "folding."

Now it is difficult to say, sazhen - this is how much? In the middle of the 17th century, a government sazhen was adopted, equal to 216 centimeters. It contained three arshins of 72 centimeters. But Peter the First called the Russian savages with English measures of length - and therefore the length of the arshin changed. It has diminished. And, accordingly, the length of the sazhen became 213 centimeters. And in 1924 these measures of length completely disappeared, metrics were used for measurements. The most common measure of length was 1 meter. How many sazhens in it was, it is now difficult to say. Many of the ancient knowledge is lost, but scientists are gradually restoring the old system of measures.

Sazhen - this is how much?

Originally all the Russian measures of length and distance were measured by the human body. And if the step and elbow - this is understandable how much, how to determine the length of the sazhen? If the bureaucrat was established in accordance with the length of the arshin, then the most widespread "people's sazhen" was determined by the distance between the arms of an adult man. It was about two and a half arshins or 176 centimeters. But this is the oldest measure of length, according to which the bell tower of Ivan the Great was built in the Kremlin. Since the 17th century it was used only informally.

Different types of fathoms in Russia

The origin of many of them is still unknown. It was believed that some appeared in Russia, while others were borrowed. For example, they say that the church fathon, equal to 186 centimeters, is based on ancient Roman measures of length, the royal measures are Egyptian, and the great - Lithuanian. There was also a Greek, which was 230 centimeters long. Small, arshin, city, state, simple and many others are also known. They were not proportional and multiples of each other. Even often it happened that different people used different types for measurements.

The most common fathoms

There were several popular species that everyone used. These are the most ancient: a simple sazhen, equal to 150 centimeters, folk or mahovaya - 176 centimeters and oblique sazhen - 248 centimeters. Its length was determined by the distance between the elongated arm and the fingers of the opposite leg diagonally. This concept was preserved in the proverb "oblique sazhen in the shoulders." So they talked about heroes. There was still a small sazhen, equal to the distance from the arm extended to the floor. It was equal to 142 centimeters. Therefore it is very difficult to say: sazhen - this is how many centimeters. We must first decide on how much length is involved.

How the fathoms were used in Russia

Wooden and rope measures were used to measure distances, for example, to determine the size of a plot of land and in construction. It often happened that each master had his own personal sazhen. Distributed were about 10 different species, which were not whole numbers and were not multiples of each other. They were mainly used to measure average values. Now one sazhen is equal to two meters, but in general its size ranges from 142 to 248 centimeters. Therefore, those who are interested in how many sazhens in the meter, ask is not entirely correct question.

Russian architecture

Despite the fact that for construction in Russia they used different fathoms, ancient temples and other structures amaze with amazing harmony and proportionality. Why is this so? During the construction of buildings, ancient architects relied on natural proportions. What principles were used in construction?

The length of the walls and the height of the buildings formed of a whole number of fathoms. This was in accordance with the principles of the "golden section".

For the construction was always used, not one, but several fathoms. One for measuring the width of the building, the other for length. The height was determined with the help of the third sazhen, and the inner rooms were planned for the fourth. If the building had one more floor, then at its erection they used again a different fathom.

Another feature - in the construction of smaller measures of length was produced by dividing the sazhen by two. We obtained polsazheni, a quarter sazhen (or elbow), one eighth (span), and one thirty-second (top).

Why do ancient buildings seem so harmonious?

Despite the complexity of computing and using different fathoming systems, ancient structures still delight people with their proportionality and aesthetic perfection. Anyone feels comfortable in them, because they are built using the proportions of a person. And it does not matter that the fathoms did not have a fixed value. Each of them appeared from measurements made with the palms, elbows, hands or feet of a person.

All the ancient buildings seem surprisingly harmonious and proportionate also because they used a natural three-part, rather than a modern two-part principle. In addition, the scientists found that the ratio of longer sazheny to small corresponds to the "golden section." And this number is calculated to within four decimal places.

Modern people are familiar with the concept of "sazhen", mainly from the works of Russian classics or from proverbs. In addition to the expression "oblique sazhen in the shoulders," such as "you're from the business for a week, and it's from you to the sapling," "log to the log - sazhen," and some others. Therefore it is not surprising that many are interested in the question: sazhen - this is how much? Although, in fact, an unambiguous answer to it can not be given.