Table Of ContentITALIAN WEIGHTS
AND MEASURES
FROM THE
MIDDLE AGES
TO THE
NINETEENTH CENTURY
Memoirs of the
AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
Held at Philadelphia
For Promoting Useful Knowledge
Volume 145
RONALD EDWARD ZUPKO
AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
Independence Square Philadelphia
1981
Copyright ® 1981 by The American Philosophical Society
To
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 80-70299
My Daughter
International Standard Book Number 0-87169-145-0
Sarah J. Zupko
US ISSN 0065-9738
CONTENTS
Page
Introduction ............................................................................................... ix
Acknowledgments .................................................................................... xvi
Tables
1. Abbreviations .................................................................................... xviii
2. Current Metric Weights and Measures ..................................... xxi
3. Terminology in Weights and Measures ................................... xxix
4. Important Dates Used in Entries .............................................. xxxviii
5. Code Numbers for Regions and Cities
Used in Entries ................................................................................ xxxix
DICTIONARY OF ITALIAN WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ... 1
Bibliography
1. Sources Cited in the Text.............................................................. 309
2. Additional Sources .......................................................................... 334
INTRODUCTION
Unlike most metrological systems throughout Western
Europe, the Italian developed during the Middle Ages and
Early Modern era without any reference to a commonly accepted
set of national-ethnic standards. In England the Winchester,
and later the London, standards served as prototypes for
bringing all of the thousands of local units into eventual
alignment. In France the weights and measures of Paris
occupied this position. But Italy, with its many kingdoms,
duchies, communes, and the like, was never able to attain
any level of metrological standardization outside the con
fines of severely restricted, small, independent, political
jurisdictions. Generally not until the middle of the nine
teenth century, and practically not until unification was
achieved in I87I1 were Italian weights and measures given
a totally national character. And it was the metric system,
and not a conglomerate of units from the old, that finally
accomplished the task. This book presents a quantitative
compilation, synthesis, and analysis of the principal pre
metric weights and measures employed throughout Italy and
in those areas controlled or influenced by Italy from the
Later Middle Ages to the age of metrication in the later
nineteenth century.
The tables that follow will aid the reader in using
the dictionary. Table 1 is an alphabetic listing of all
[ Ix
X ] Introduction Introduction [ ^1
the abbreviations used throughout the work. Among weights them from their variant spellings (e.g., ANFORA — IL amfora;
and measures only common metric, United Kingdom (UK), and 1-7 L anfora; 1-9 L amphora; ^ amfora ...). The variants are
arranged according to the centuries in which they were most
United States (US) customary names have been abbreviated —
to do likewise with the principal units of the premetric commonly used; the numbers preceding them identify the cen
Italian system would only produce confusion and unnecessary turies:
cross-reference work for the reader. Table 2 lists the prin l=pre-12th century 6=l6th century
cipal multiplication factors, prefixes, symbols, and units 2=12th century 7=l?th century
of the metric or SI system employed throughout the world. 3=13th century 8=18th century
Each unit is defined in terms of its most common submultiples, 4=l4th century 9=19th and 20th centuries
and is converted into UK imperial and US customary equiva 5=15th century ?=no century given in source
lents . This table will enable the reader to make further If there is no citation for a certain variant spelling within
an entry, its source reference is indicated in parentheses
correlations between metric and nonmetric units that are
beyond the scope of this book. Table 3 defines all of the (e.g., BALLETTA — ^ baleto (Edler 1); 5-9 balletta; 9 bal
terms used to describe the weights and measures in the en letto (Edler 1) ...). The abbreviation L preceding a variant
indicates that that varisuit was a Latin form used in scholarly
tries , while Table k explains the meaning of important dates
found- in the entries. Finally, Table 5 consists of a list treatises in Italy.
of regions and a list of cities cited in the text. This The etymologies, always in square brackets, immediately
table provides the province and region in which each city follow the variant spellings and they have been compiled from
(generic for town, hamlet, etc.) is located; they are ar the works of the following authors (arranged alphabetically
ranged alphabetically by the spellings most commonly accepted by code name which refers to a corresponding title in the
today with the exception of those beginning with "San," bibliography): Battaglia, Battisti, Gabrielli, Giacchi, Mar-
"Santa," or "Santo" — these have been abbreviated to "S." tinori, Meyer-Lfibke, Palazzi, Petrocchi, Prati, Rohlfs, Wagner
as a space-saving device. and Zingarelli. Cognate words having identical or similar
etymologies are listed last within the brackets and are in
The dictionary uses a number of textual devices to help
capital letters (e.g., BALLONE ... [It ballone. large bundle
the reader gain rapid and accurate access to the material.
of merchandise ... see BALLA, BALLETTA, BALLONCIELLO]). If
All entry headings are in capital letters, and a dash separates
xii ] Introduction
Introduction [ xii:
no etymology is given, an asterisk (*) indicates that the
nonymous with" or "used interchangeably with" are employed.
derivation of the word is unknovm. Terms used throughout the work to refer to historical period
Following the etymological comments either a general ex
ization conform to the commonly accepted definitions; hence,
planation for the unit is given or, if there are variations
Early Middle Ages (c500 to clOOO), High Middle Ages (clOOO to
within the unit, each major variation or group of variations
CI250), Later Middle Ages (cl250 to cl500), Early Modern period
is discussed in a separate paragraph or subsection. Depend
(GI500 to cl800), and Modern period (cl800 to the present).
ing on the complexities of the variations, they will be ar
Whenever possible, metric equivalents are included in paren
ranged either by size (normally smallest to largest), by city,
theses; the equivalents have been carried out to two decimal
provincial, or regional alphabetical order, or by some other
places for the approximate units and usually to three decimal
appropriate arrangement. If a local standard were identified
places for the exact.
traditionally by a particular descriptive phrase (e.g., After each major metrological variation or group of var
"braccio da panno" or "catena architettonica") it will appear iations there are citations from the appropriate sources:
in the text either in quotation ,■marks or in parentheses for The date at the beginning of these citations always
every city in which it was employed. All units are explained represents the year in which the manuscript or book
within the Italian system and in Italian nomenclature —
or other source was written and never the publication
equivalencies in English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, and
date.
other systems may be gleaned from the citations. Every time
The code name and numbers after the date identify the
the name of a unit other than the entry unit appears in the
source and page reference (e.g., 1307 Veneziane III.
explanation it will appear in capital letters the first time
92; Quodlibet bonum barille de medio bigoncio ...).
it is used and readers may refer to entries for these other
The code name always refers to a corresponding title in
units to gather additional information. If a unit's measure
the bibliography.
ment or description is identical to that of another more com
A Roman numeral following the code name, but preceding
monly known unit, the words "equivalent to" follow the etymo the period before the page number, supplies the volume
logical comments. If the unit were different by definition
(e.g., 1499 Sanuto II. 8?2).
from another unit, but commonly associated with it due to
An Arabic number in such a position refers to one of
identical physical properties or dimensions, the terms "sy-
several books listed under that particular code name
Introduction [ xv
xiv ] Introduction
and in the illustrative quotations. The second contains addi
in the bibliography (e.g., Tavole 1. 6l8 refers to
tional sources that were not cited in the text but which pro
the first book under the code name Tavole).
vide further information about Italian weights and measures
The number after the period is always the page number.
and which discuss some of the problems of premetric Italian
If there is no volume number and the bibliographical
metrology. No fictional sources are included.
code name has only one title listed under it, the
page number immediately follows the source reference
(e.g. , Martini 7'*+?) •
It should be noted that in the illustrative quotations
all manuscript abbreviations have been expanded and underlined
(e.g., "centu" or "quinq" is changed to "centum" or "quinque").
Also, letters superscripted in the source have been placed on
the same line as the rest of the word (e.g., "43°^,186" becomes
"43m,186"), except for the adjectival form of certain French
and Italian numbers. Similarly, whenever Roman numerals in
XXX
manuscripts were written above another numeral (e.g., M ) or
elevated to the right of some number (e.g., M^^) , they have
been placed on the text line, with brackets indicating the
change. If multiplication or addition is involved, the appro
priate arithmetical sign has been placed between the numbers
(e.g., V^VII=57 is changed to V [x] X [+] VII=57). Other
abbreviations, such as lb. or lib. for libra or libbra, and
the apothecary symbols 3 ^°^ scrupolo, J for dramma, "5 for
oncia, and for apothecary libbra, have been retained as in
the original source.
The bibliography is divided into two sections. In the
first are the sources that were used in the data compilations
Acknowledgments [ xvii
ACKKOWLEDGMENTS
Dr. Jon B. Eklund, Curator of Chemistry and Metrology in the
Division of Physical Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution;
Many persons and institutions provided assistance to me
Drs. Maureen Mazzuoui and John W. Barker, Professors of History
during the research and writing stages of this book. First,
at the University of Wisconsin; Professor Marie-Jeanne Tits-
I must express my deep gratitude to the Institute for Ad
Dieuaide of Bonn, Germany; Dr. Luigi Michelini Tocci of the
vanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, for appointing me to
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana; and Mr. Irving Antin, former
membership in the School of Historical Studies. In a semes
Director of the Office of Research Support, Marquette Univer
ter of uninterrupted research I was able to complete a sub
sity.
stantial portion of this work, being aided by the professional
For the prompt transmission of the photographic reproduc
staffs of the Institute’s Library and of the Firestone Library
tions of the mstny documents and monographs, I appreciate the
of Princeton University, assisted unselfishly by secretaries
endeavors of the Photo-Duplication Department of the Biblioteca
Elizabeth Horton and Sandra Lafferty, and encouraged con
Apostolica Vaticana, the Department of Printed Books of the Bri
stantly by professors Marshall Glagett, Kenneth Setton, Loren
tish Museum, the Science Museum Library at South Kensington,
zo Minio-Paluello, and David Billington.
London, the University of London Library, the London School of
A grant from the National Science Foundation enabled me
Economics Library, the Service Photographique of the Biblio-
to undertake initially the study of Italian metrology at li
theque Nationale, the Library Business Office of the University
braries and government depositories in Italy, France, Canada,
of Toronto, the University of Chicago Library, the Marquette
and the United States. I am also indebted to the American
University Library, the Photographic Division of Harvard Uni
Philosophical Society for two grants that provided additional
versity, the Photographic Section of the University of Pennsyl
research opportunities in Europe, and to the Committee on
vania Library, the Department of Photography-Cinema of the Uni
Research of Marquette University for a summer fellowship and
versity of Wisconsin, and the Books and Series Department of
several grants that financed the completion of the data com
University Microfilms.
pilation.
Finally, for their long and patient devotion to this pro
For their intellectual encouragement and, in some in
ject, I laud the work of Mr. Dennis Mueller and Mrs. Mary Lar
stances, letters of recommendation in connection with these
sen, my research assistants.
grants, the following individuals deserve special mention:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Ronald Edward Zupko
xvi ]
1981
TABLE 1 ABBREVIATIONS Tables C xix
kl = kiloliter neut = neuter
a = are dl = deciliter km = kilometer Nor = Norwegian
acc = accusative dm = decimeter 1 = liter Nord = Nordic
adj = adjective dst = decistere L = Latin OE = Old English
alter = alteration Du == Dutch Lang = Langobardian OF = Old French
Ar = Arabic E == English LB = Low Breton OHG = Old High German
BI = British Imperial F == French LG = Low German OIr = Old Irish
c = about, around fem == feminine LGr = Latinized Greek Olt = Old Italian
Calab = Calabrian Fr == Frankish LL = Late Latin OLG = Old Low German
Celt = Celtic g == gram m = meter ON = Old Norse
cent = century G == German m-a = measure of area ONF = Old North French
cf = compare Gael == Gaelic m-c = measure of capacity OPort = Old Portuguese
eg = centigram Gaul == Gaulic MDu = Middle Dutch OPr = Old Provenc^al
cl = centiliter Gmc == Germanic ME = Middle English OS = Old Saxon
cm = centimeter Goth == Gothic MedL = Medieval Latin OSp = Old Spanish
coll = collective Gr == Greek MF = Middle French OSw = Old Swedish
cu = cubic ha == hektare part = participle
mg = milligram
Dan = Danish hg == hektogram MHG = Middle High German perh = perhaps
der = derivative Hind == Hindustani ml = milliliter pi = plural
dg = decigram hi == hektoliter m-1 = measure of length Port = Portuguese
dial = dialect, dialectal hm = hektometer MLG = Middle Low German poss = possessive
dim = diminutive Icel = Icelandic Pr = Provenc^al
mm = millimeter
dkg = dekagram Ir = Irish modif = modification prob = probably
dkl = dekaliter It = Italian m-q = measure of quantity prop = properly
dkm = dekameter kg = kilogram m-v = measure of volume Sc = Scottish
xviiil Scand = Scandinavian
n = noun
