View source for Rope (unit)

{{Short description|Unit of measurement}}
A '''rope''' may refer to any of several units of measurement initially determined or formed by [[Engineering:Rope|rope]]s or knotted cords.

==Length==
{{hatnote|Main articles: [[Schoenus|schoenus]], schoinion, & sen.}}
The Greco-Roman '''[[Schoenus|schoenus]]''', supposedly based on an Egyptian unit derived from a wound [[Biology:Juncaceae|reed]] measuring rope, may also be given in translation as a "rope". According to Strabo, it varied in length between 30 and 120 stadia (roughly 5 to 20&nbsp;km) depending on local custom.

The Byzantine equivalent, the '''schoinion''' or "little rope", varied between 60 and 72 Greek feet depending upon the location.

The Thai '''sen''' of 20 Thai fathoms or 40&nbsp;m also means and is translated "rope".

The Somerset rope was a former [[English units|English unit]] used in drainage and hedging. It was 20&nbsp;feet (now precisely 6.096&nbsp;m).<ref name=zuppy/><ref name=fte/>

==Area==
The Romans used the [[Schoenus|schoenus]] as an alternative name for the half-[[Jugerum|jugerum]] formed by a square with sides of 120 Roman feet.

In Somerset, the rope could also double as a measure of area equivalent to 20 feet by 1 foot. Walls in Somerset were formerly sold "per rope" of 20 sq ft.<ref name=zuppy>{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=A Dictionary of English Weights and Measures for the British Isles|author=Ronald Edward Zupko|article=rope|pages=356|publisher=DIANE Publishing|year=1985|isbn=9780871691682}}</ref><ref name=fte>{{cite book|title=The Dialect of West Somerset: A Paper Read Before the Philological Society, January 15, 1875|url=https://archive.org/details/dialectwestsome00elwogoog|author=Frederick Thomas Elworthy|authorlink=Frederick Thomas Elworthy|publisher=Trübner & co.|year=1875|page=[https://archive.org/details/dialectwestsome00elwogoog/page/n858 631]}}</ref>{{refn|See Lawrence for an example of calculating the expense of building a wall in Somerset by the rope.<ref>{{cite book|title=The New Farmer's Calendar, Or, Monthly Remembrancer|url=https://archive.org/details/newfarmerscalen00lawrgoog|author=John Lawrence|location=London|publisher=C. Whittingham|year=1801|chapter=On Fences, &c.|page=[https://archive.org/details/newfarmerscalen00lawrgoog/page/n255 245]}}.</ref>}}

==Garlic==
In medieval [[English units]], the rope of [[Biology:Garlic|garlic]] was a set unit of 15 heads of garlic. 15 such ropes made up the "[[Hundred (unit)|hundred]]" of garlic.<ref>{{Citation |title=Statutes of the Realm |volume=I |date=1810 |location=London |publisher=G. Eyre & A. Strahan |page=204 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Ancient Egyptian units of measurement|Egyptian]], [[Ancient Greek units of measurement|Greek]], Roman, [[Physics:Thai units of measurement|Thai]], and [[English units]]
* Knotted cord
* [[Physics:Knot (unit)#Origin|Knot]], a related unit

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Units of length]]
[[Category:Units of area]]



{{Sourceattribution|Rope (unit)}}