Historical length units converter
Convert historical cubits, palms, digits and feet to modern units. Select a named variant because measures differed by place and period.
Sources and adopted values
- UCL Digital Egypt — Measuring length in Ancient Egypt — Egyptian cubit, palm, digit, small cubit and nbi values
- NIST — Guide to the SI, conversion factors — exact international foot and yard definitions
- Przegląd Mierniczy 1936, Warsaw University of Technology Digital Library — Polish Crown cubit after 1764
- University of Warsaw Faculty of Physics — history of units — New Polish cubit
How do I use this page?
- Enter a value.
- Select the precise historical unit variant.
- Choose the target unit and review the result and factor.
What this page does not do: The converter does not collapse every cubit or foot into one value. If a source omits period, place or standard, treat the result as approximate.
Further reading
Theory — why do historical length units have different values?
The name of a historical length unit did not always mean the same value, since cubits, palms, digits and feet varied by place and era. The Egyptian cubit used here, taken as 52 centimetres, was divided into 7 palms and 28 digits, while the short cubit had only 6 palms. In Poland cubits changed over time, so the calculator separates the crown cubit from other variants. Choosing a specific named variant is therefore necessary, because one general name does not describe a single, universal length.
Frequently asked questions
Why are several cubits listed?
Are Egyptian conversions exact?
How long is a foot?
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