The Arab, Arabic, or Arabian mile (Arabic: الميل, al-mīl) was a historical Arabic unit of length. Its precise length is disputed, lying between 1.8 and 2.0 km. It was used by medieval Arab geographers and astronomers. The predecessor of the modern nautical mile, it extended the Roman mile to fit an astronomical approximation of 1 minute of an arc of latitude measured along a north–south meridian. The distance between two pillars whose latitudes differed by 1 degree in a north–south direction was measured using sighting pegs along a flat desert plane.
There were 4000 cubits in an Arabic mile. If al-Farghani used the legal cubit as his unit of measurement, then an Arabic mile was 1995 meters long. If he used al-Ma'mun's surveying cubit, it was 1925 meters long or 1.04 modern nautical miles.[1]
During the Umayyad period (661–750), the "Umayyad mile" was roughly equivalent to 2,285 metres (7,497 ft), or a little more than two kilometers, or about 2 biblical miles, for every Umayyad mile.[2]
Another estimate given by his astronomers was 56⅔ Arabic miles (111.8 km per degree), which corresponds to a circumference of 40,248 km, very close to the current values of 111.3 km per degree and 40,068 km circumference, respectively.[1][4]
^ abEdward S. Kennedy, Mathematical Geography, pp=187–8, in (Rashed & Morelon 1996, pp. 185–201)
^See: p. 608 (note 11) in: Cytryn-Silverman, Katia (2007). "The Fifth Mīl from Jerusalem: Another Umayyad Milestone from Southern Bilād Al-shām". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 70 (3): 603–610. doi:10.1017/S0041977X07000857. JSTOR 40378940. S2CID 162314029.
^Gharā'ib al-funūn wa-mulah al-`uyūn (The Book of Curiosities of the Sciences and Marvels for the Eyes), 2.1 "On the mensuration of the Earth and its division into seven climes, as related by Ptolemy and others," (ff. 22b-23a)[1]
^ Gharā'ib al-funūn wa-mulah al-+uyūn , 2.1" On the mensuration of the Earth and its division into seven Climes, es related by Ptolemy and others, "(ff. 22b-23) [2]
Bibliography
Paul Lunde. “Al-Faraghani and the Short Degree.” The Middle East and the Age of Discovery Aramco World Magazine Exhibition Issue, 43:3. pp. 15–17.
Rashed, Roshdi; Morelon, Régis (1996), Encyclopedia of the History of Arabic Science, vol. 1, Routledge, ISBN0-415-12410-7
April 28, 2023
arabic, mile, arab, arabic, arabian, mile, arabic, الميل, mīl, historical, arabic, unit, length, precise, length, disputed, lying, between, used, medieval, arab, geographers, astronomers, predecessor, modern, nautical, mile, extended, roman, mile, astronomical. The Arab Arabic or Arabian mile Arabic الميل al mil was a historical Arabic unit of length Its precise length is disputed lying between 1 8 and 2 0 km It was used by medieval Arab geographers and astronomers The predecessor of the modern nautical mile it extended the Roman mile to fit an astronomical approximation of 1 minute of an arc of latitude measured along a north south meridian The distance between two pillars whose latitudes differed by 1 degree in a north south direction was measured using sighting pegs along a flat desert plane There were 4000 cubits in an Arabic mile If al Farghani used the legal cubit as his unit of measurement then an Arabic mile was 1995 meters long If he used al Ma mun s surveying cubit it was 1925 meters long or 1 04 modern nautical miles 1 During the Umayyad period 661 750 the Umayyad mile was roughly equivalent to 2 285 metres 7 497 ft or a little more than two kilometers or about 2 biblical miles for every Umayyad mile 2 Contents 1 Al Ma mun s arc measurement 2 See also 3 Notes 4 BibliographyAl Ma mun s arc measurement EditAround 830 AD Caliph Al Ma mun commissioned a group of Muslim astronomers and Muslim geographers to perform an arc measurement from Tadmur Palmyra to Raqqa in modern Syria They found the cities to be separated by one degree of latitude and the corresponding meridian arc distance to be 66 miles and thus calculated the Earth s circumference to be 24 000 miles 3 Another estimate given by his astronomers was 56 Arabic miles 111 8 km per degree which corresponds to a circumference of 40 248 km very close to the current values of 111 3 km per degree and 40 068 km circumference respectively 1 4 See also EditAncient Arabic units of measurement mile Biblical mileNotes Edit a b Edward S Kennedy Mathematical Geography pp 187 8 in Rashed amp Morelon 1996 pp 185 201 See p 608 note 11 in Cytryn Silverman Katia 2007 The Fifth Mil from Jerusalem Another Umayyad Milestone from Southern Bilad Al sham Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies University of London 70 3 603 610 doi 10 1017 S0041977X07000857 JSTOR 40378940 S2CID 162314029 Ghara ib al funun wa mulah al uyun The Book of Curiosities of the Sciences and Marvels for the Eyes 2 1 On the mensuration of the Earth and its division into seven climes as related by Ptolemy and others ff 22b 23a 1 Ghara ib al funun wa mulah al uyun 2 1 On the mensuration of the Earth and its division into seven Climes es related by Ptolemy and others ff 22b 23 2 Bibliography EditPaul Lunde Al Faraghani and the Short Degree The Middle East and the Age of Discovery Aramco World Magazine Exhibition Issue 43 3 pp 15 17 Rashed Roshdi Morelon Regis 1996 Encyclopedia of the History of Arabic Science vol 1 Routledge ISBN 0 415 12410 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arabic mile amp oldid 1140972586, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
