- Portuguese customary units
-
The Portuguese customary units were used in Portugal, Brazil and other parts of the Portuguese Empire until the adoption of the Metric System in the 19th century.
The Metric System was adopted by Portugal and Portuguese colonies in 1852 and by Brazil in 1862.
The length and weight standards were defined, at national level, in the reign of Manuel I of Portugal in 1495. The others were different from one region to the other, but were similar to those established to Lisbon.
Contents
Route units
Portuguese name English name Subdivides in Equivalence in
Léguas de 20 ao grauMetrical equivalence Légua de 18 ao grau League of 18 to a degree 6173 m Légua de 20 ao grau League of 20 to a degree 3 milhas geográficas 1 5555 m Milha geográfica Geographical mile 1/3 1851 m Length units
Portuguese name English name Subdivides in Equivalence in Varas Metrical equivalence Braça Fathom 2 varas 2 2,2 m Toesa Toise 6 pés 14⁄5 1,98 m Passo geométrico Geometrical pace 5 pés 11⁄2 1,65 m Vara Yard 5 palmos 1 1,1 m Côvado Cubit 3 palmos 3/5 0,66 m Pé Foot 12 polegadas 3/10 0,33 m Palmo de craveira Span 8 polegadas 1/5 0,22 m Polegada Inch 12 linhas 1/40 27,5 mm Linha Line 12 pontos 1/480 2,29 mm Ponto Point 1/5760 0,19 mm Weight units
Portuguese name English name Subdivides in Equivalence in Arrateis Metrical equivalence Tonelada Tonne 13,5 quintais 1728 793,152 kg Quintal Hundredweight 4 arrobas 128 58,752 kg Arroba Arroba 32 arrateis 32 14,688 kg Arratel (1) Pound 4 quartas 1 0,459 kg Quarta Fourth 4 onças 1/4 0,11475 kg Onça Ounce 8 oitavas 1/16 28,6875 g Oitava Eight 3 escropulos 1/128 3,5859 g Escrópulo Scruple 24 grãos 1/384 1,1953 g Grão Grain 1/9216 0,0498 g (1) Also referred as libra (pound).
Liquid volume units (for Lisbon)
Portuguese name English name Subdivides in Equivalence in canadas Metric equivalence Tonel Cask 2 pipas 600 840 l Pipa Barrel 25 almudes 300 420 l Almude (1) 2 potes 12 16,8 l Pote Pot 6 canadas 6 8,4 l Canada 4 quartilhos 1 1,4 l Quartilho Pint 21⁄2 quartilhos 1/4 0,35 l 1/2 Quartilho 1/2 Pint 21⁄4 quartilhos 1/8 0,175 l 1/4 Quartilho 1/4 Pint 1/16 0,0875 l (1) Also known as cântaro.
See also
References
- Monteverde, Emilio Achilles (1861) Manual Encyclopedico para Uzo das Escolas de Instrucção Primaria, Lisboa: Imprensa Nacional.
- (2002) Dicionário Enciclopédico Lello Universal, Porto: Lello & Irmão.
- Barroca, M.J. (1992) «Medidas-Padrão Medievais Portuguesas», Revista da Faculdade de Letras. História, 2ªa Série, vol. 9, Porto, pp. 53–85.
- Seabra Lopes, L. (2003) «Sistemas Legais de Medidas de Peso e Capacidade, do Condado Portucalense ao Século XVI», Portugalia, Nova Série, XXIV, Faculdade de Letras, Porto, p. 113-164.
- Seabra Lopes, L. (2005) «A Cultura da Medição em Portugal ao Longo da História», Educação e Matemática, nº 84, Setembro-Outubro de 2005, p. 42-48.
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