Agriculture, Botany & Everyday Tech
Precision linear measurement (Indus ruler)
c. 2600-1900 BCEIndus Valley CivilisationLothal ivory scale; Mohenjo-daro shell scaleGujarat
2,600 BCE
Finely graduated rulers with very small, consistent divisions used in construction.
- Dated
- 2,600–1,900 BCE
- As scholars put it
- c. 2600-1900 BCE
- Originator
- Indus Valley Civilisation
- Source text
- Lothal ivory scale; Mohenjo-daro shell scale
- Region
- Gujarat
- Discipline
- Agriculture, Botany & Everyday Tech
- Evidence
- Documented
- Confidence
- High
- Verification
- Reference-cited
Meanwhile in the West
Comparable precision standardisation is otherwise much later.
Fair to say
Interpretation of the scales is archaeological.
Path to modern innovation
Precise measurement underpins all engineering.
Transmission
Independent metrology.
References
- 1Indus archaeology (Lothal, Mohenjo-daro)
Further reading
Corrections and additional sources: edit IND-110 on GitHub.