Reproduction of ancient measuring tools.

Other things that involve bamboo

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brittain
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Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2015 9:45 pm
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Location: UK

Reproduction of ancient measuring tools.

Post by brittain »

After some months of research I have established to a degree of certainty that bamboo tubes were used to measure volumes of grain and rice in China 7000 years ago. The two essential units of measurement were the thickness of a thumb, which was the unit of measurement of depth and the diameter of the bamboo tube.

To ensure a consistant inner tube diameter (I am using 42mm as my reference) I need to bore out bamboo tube so that when it is dried the internal hole is exactly 42mm.

I can only do this with tools which were available at the time. So I will recreate tools based on hard stones such as jade that were used to bore, in the case of the rough jade bi discs, or to check the diameter and measure the depth of food, in the case of the more elaborate and latterly decorated discs.

I have purchased some 55mm outside diameter dried bamboo but I think it is more likely that the banboo will be bored out when in a fresh or semi processed state. Then maybe finished when drier.

I either need to obtain some fresh bamboo maybe 60mm outside diameter. of the type that would be easily available in the Yangtze delta in pre history. Or find someone with bamboo working exerience who is willing to experiment.

I am in Manchester UK.
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