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<insert ancient aliens guy> I feel like this might be slightly retconned to fit nicely. From what I've read the Egyptian cubit sticks actually varied in length
by adrianN 4y ago
<insert ancient aliens guy>
I feel like this might be slightly retconned to fit nicely. From what I've read the Egyptian cubit sticks actually varied in length by a couple of centimeters.
- ncmncm 4y agoMedieval cubits also varied. You do have to calibrate to the King's Chamber cubit, which seems defensible. But the numbers do check out: 2phi²/(5pi/3) = 1.000015 is pretty trippy, no matter how you slice it. Likewise 5sqrt(6)pi/3-2sqrt(2) = 9.997. There's no denying the ancients would be impressed with that sort of thing. Maybe even Newton, too. Of course, none of this proves the Egyptians knew about any of it. Probably the lesson for us is that numerical coincidences are way more common and less significant than we are inclined to think. [Also: pi ~ 3.14159265...]