Sauja žinių, arba Kaip senovės lietuvis savimi matavo

LTStraipsnis skirtas žmogaus kūno dalims, kurios lyg matematiniai dydžiai sudarė senovės lietuvio pločio, ilgio, aukščio ir ploto matų lentelę; kalbama ir apie tai, kaip rankomis seikėjami biralai. Vienos bendros senovinių matų lentelės Lietuvoje neišliko, autorius siekia ją atkurti remdamasis įvairiose vietovėse surinktais Amelijos Lengvenaitės-Urbienės (1909–1997), Antano Mažiulio (1914–2007) ir Didžiojo lietuvių kalbos žodyno duomenimis. Prieinama išvada, kad matuodamas senovės lietuvis dažniausiai rėmėsi pirštais ir rankomis, pagrindinis jo matas – sprindis (22–24 cm atstumas nuo nykščio iki didžiojo piršto galo); trys sprindžiai sudarė uolektį, arba mastą (66–71 cm), o trys uolektys – sieksnį (2,13 m). Straipsnis turi ir taikomąjį pobūdį, nes atlikdamas nesudėtingus kasdienius matavimus kūnu – priglausdamas, paliesdamas, palygindamas daiktu – žmogus pažįsta save ir aplinką, kuria tarpusavio ryšius. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Kūnas; Matai; Matematika; Prigimtinė kultūra; Prigimtinė kultūra, matų vienetai, kūno dalys, sprindis; Sprindis; Body; Body parts; Mathematics; Measures; Native culture; Span; Spindle; Units of measurement.

ENThe article is dedicated to parts of the human body, which, like mathematical measurements, made up the ancient Lithuanian table of width, length, height and area units of measurement. The unified ancient measurement table no longer exists in Lithuania, thus the author attempts to restore it based on data collected by Amelija Lengvenaitė- Urbienė (1909–1997) and Antanas Mažiulis (1914–2007) in the Great Lithuanian Dictionary. In measuring the ancient Lithuanians most often used their fingers and hands. The short measurements: under- nail (0.5–1 mm nail growth), fingernail (1–1.2 cm), knuckle (2.3–2.5 cm; another unit of measurement close to it – 2.2–2.4 cm thumb). Ten knuckles amount to one span (22–24 cm, the distance from a person’s thumb to the end of the middle finger) and it was the basis of the Lithuanian units of measurement. Three spans amount to one uolektis or mąstas (66–71 cm), while three uolektis – sieksnis (2.13 m). It should be noted that riddles were one of the key ways of teaching mathematics in indigenous culture. Using the measurements that are compared to body parts, many things were measured – wheat, homes that were being built, spinning yarn, and many other things – in essence, everything that needed to be measured. Units of measurement were impacted by the things being measured. However, it can be said in another way – a thing usually looks for its own suitable unit of measurement.A person’s body parts are all of different sizes, thus measuring of different units must be established using additional means and tools. For a long time (until states were established and attempts were made to unite and expand the economy) there was no reason to standardise these “personal” mathematics. The metric system was developed at an international level only from 1795. The seller and buyer would agree beforehand, in which unit of measurement the goods or traded items would be measured. This means that the old units of measurement were used as ratios. [From the publication]