Graham: "There is no evidence for 80 palms because the palm didn't then exist. Petrie was at a loss to explain the royal's makeup"


On the contrary, there is clear evidence for a palm linear unit then - a Dyn 3 diagram of a curved roof has dimensions in cubits, palms, and fingers: 3 cubits 3 palms 2 fingers; 3 cubits 2 palms 3 fingers; 3 cubits; 2 cubits 3 palms; 1 cubit 3 palms 1 finger.


The 'Palermo Stone' has inundation records going back to the Early Dynastic period. Khufu's reign has an inundation level of 3(?) cubits 6 palms 3 1/2 fingers, which means the cubit in use then had more than 6 palms. Snefru's reign has 3 cubits 5 palms; 5 cubits 2 palms 2 3/4 fingers etc.


The cubit in use then was about 524mm long, and was most probably divided up into 7 palms and 28 fingers for reasons I have outlined earlier. The hieroglyphic signs indicate the cubit, palm, finger units were most probably inspired by the length of an idealized forearm, hand / palm and 4 fingers of the hand.

CT