Antique Russian weights
The national system of measures has travelled a long way of development. The first weight measures of Ancient Russia were monetary items made of silver. They were used to weigh coins and spices, which were worth its weight in gold. The trade development resulted in separation of the actual measures of weight from their money prototypes. The oldest measure of weight was the grivna (160 g and 200 g), and starting from the XII century, written measures already have mentioned such measures as pood (16.38 kg), berkovets (10 pounds or 163.8 kg), zolotnik (4.266 g). During the following centuries, in our history there was a pochka (0.17 g), pirog (0.04 g), lot (12.8 g), bezmen/scalebeam (1.022 kg), pound (409.5 g), dolya/share (0.044 g) and other measures of weight.
Along with the development of the Russian system of measures, the form and materials of the weights has been changed. For example, until the XVII century, trade weights were mainly of iron and of an octagonal prism shape. At the end of the XVII century they were made of cast iron, although the handles were still made of iron. At the beginning of the 18th century, the weights were decorated, the edges of the octagonal body of the weights were often rounded. At the beginning of the 19 th century appeared conical weights, then later cast-iron weights were casted in spherical form with curved handles. By the end of the 19th century, the round weights were made with flat surface on both sides. Along with cast-iron and iron weights, there were copper, bronze, porcelain weights and set of weights.
By the end of the 19th century, the balance system was finally formed. "Regulation on measures and weights" developed by D.I. Mendeleev permitted the use of the following weights: 3.2 and 1 pood; 20.10, 5, 3, 2, and 1 pound; 48, 24, 12, 6, 3, 2, and 1 zolotnik; 48, 24, 12, 6, 3, 2 and 1 dolya (share). In 1916, along with traditional Russian measures, metric was legalized. In the 1930s, the transition to the metric system of measures was completed in our country. Since then, the kilogram becomes the basic unit of mass. Photos of vintage Russian weights are presented on this page.
The national system of measures has travelled a long way of development. The first weight measures of Ancient Russia were monetary items made of silver. They were used to weigh coins and spices, which were worth its weight in gold. The trade development resulted in separation of the actual measures of weight from their money prototypes. The oldest measure of weight was the grivna (160 g and 200 g), and starting from the XII century, written measures already have mentioned such measures as pood (16.38 kg), berkovets (10 pounds or 163.8 kg), zolotnik (4.266 g). During the following centuries, in our history there was a pochka (0.17 g), pirog (0.04 g), lot (12.8 g), bezmen/scalebeam (1.022 kg), pound (409.5 g), dolya/share (0.044 g) and other measures of weight.
Along with the development of the Russian system of measures, the form and materials of the weights has been changed. For example, until the XVII century, trade weights were mainly of iron and of an octagonal prism shape. At the end of the XVII century they were made of cast iron, although the handles were still made of iron. At the beginning of the 18th century, the weights were decorated, the edges of the octagonal body of the weights were often rounded. At the beginning of the 19 th century appeared conical weights, then later cast-iron weights were casted in spherical form with curved handles. By the end of the 19th century, the round weights were made with flat surface on both sides. Along with cast-iron and iron weights, there were copper, bronze, porcelain weights and set of weights.
By the end of the 19th century, the balance system was finally formed. "Regulation on measures and weights" developed by D.I. Mendeleev permitted the use of the following weights: 3.2 and 1 pood; 20.10, 5, 3, 2, and 1 pound; 48, 24, 12, 6, 3, 2, and 1 zolotnik; 48, 24, 12, 6, 3, 2 and 1 dolya (share). In 1916, along with traditional Russian measures, metric was legalized. In the 1930s, the transition to the metric system of measures was completed in our country. Since then, the kilogram becomes the basic unit of mass. Photos of vintage Russian weights are presented on this page.
