The Measure of All Things: A Brief History of Metrology

The system of measures which is at the basis of all metric systems of the ancient world and China had
already been conceived prior to the appearance of cuneiform writing in Mesopotamia in approximately
2,900 B.C.

In Oriental, Latin and Greek documents up to the Carolingian Age (approximately 800 A.D.), there is a
consensus that an adult free male would consume two basic pints of wheat a day, whilst women and
slaves were expected to subsist on half of the ration.

It would not be until 1875 at the Metre Convention that scientists would recognise the need to establish
a system of internationally agreed measurement standards. Prior to this, various systems existed across
the world and were merged and transformed through trade and acculturation.

The Egyptian Cubit

The Egyptian cubit, an ancient unit based on the forearm length, ranged between 43 and 53 cm
throughout antiquity and depended on the Pharaoh reigning. The Egyptian royal cubit is the earliest
recognised standard of measurement.

The Roman Mile

the Roman mile of antiquity had consisted of a thousand paces of two steps each. Conquering armies
marching through unchartered territory would drive sticks into the ground after each 1,000 paces

Medieval Metrics

In medieval England, one form of measurement was used to calculate ounces of bullion and other
tradable commodities
The Role of Microscopy

Microscopy, one of the earliest methods of particle sizing, dates back to 1590 when two Dutch spectacle
makers, Hans and Zaccharias Janssen, developed the first compound microscope.

Defining the Metre

The distance from the North Pole to the equator was chosen as the simplest reference of measurement
to calculate. In the same year, the metre was defined as being equal to the ten millionth part of one
quarter of the terrestrial medium.

The metre materialised the concept of a “unit which in its determination was neither arbitrary nor
related to any particular nation on the globe.”

The Decimal Metric System

The decimal metric system was introduced in 1795 by a weights and measures law and by 1799 the
system had extended to encompass the first standards of the metre and kilogram.

The Industrial Revolution

The emergence of the Industrial Revolution depended on the adoption of accurate units of
measurement, as mass production, equipment commonality and assembly lines would be impossible
without one.

In a typical act of Anglo-Franco rivalry, the British imperial system of units was adopted in the Weights
and Measures Act of 1824 and was retained until the UK joined the European Economic Community in
the 1970s.

The Système International d'Unités (SI Units)

In 1960, the Système International d'Unités (SI) was adopted to ensure a practical system of
measurement. It established the use of seven SI base units:

metres (m) - a measure of length

kilograms (kg) - a measure of mass

seconds (s) - a measure of time

amperes (A) - a measure of electric current

kelvins (K) - a measure of thermodynamic temperature

moles (mol) - a measure of the amount of substance

candelas (cd) - a measure of luminous intensity

Initially, metrology emerged as a scientific system of calculation from a natural basis in order to pre-
empt the subsistence needs of growing populations. Since antiquity, it has progressed to become to a
universal language within science, industry and commerce, to permit the continuing enlightenment and
advancement of humankind, as well as the distribution of knowledge and resources across