A weighing scale is a device to measure weight or mass. According to various estimates, it was created from 5000 to 7000 years ago. The oldest scales that have ever been found by the archeologists were dated to 3000 years BC. They were equal-arm scales found in Egypt with pans hanging on threads on arm ends (pan scales). In order to determine the weight of an object, people put it on one pan and the weights on another pan which were the generally accepted standards of weight.
At present, scales are used in almost all spheres of human activity. Nowadays, we can measure the weight of the objects which our ancestors didn’t even think to measure. The modern scales can show the weight of a human hair or characters written with ink on a sheet of paper. At the same time, it is easy to weigh an elephant or a loaded wagon. In laboratories the special scales are used which allow scientists to determine weight with an accuracy of 1/100 000 000! The photos of ancient scales are presented in this section.
