Ahatmose: “I think, although I am quite often wrong, that The Royal Cubit originated at Sakkara with the building of The Step Pyramid. I do not believe The Royal Cubit is attested in either The First or Second Dynasty. This leads to, as I have stated, that the Royal Cubit originated with the building of the first pyramid.”


A drawing of an arc with measurements, on a flake of limestone from Netjerikhet's Dyn. 3 mortuary complex, has the following measurements:
1 cubit, 2 palms, 1 finger
2 cubits, 3 palms
3 cubits
3 cubits, 2 palms, 3 fingers
3 cubit, 3 palms, 2 fingers
(Strudwick 2005: 153)

According to the Nile height records on the Palermo Stone, already in the Early Dynastic Period, measurements were given in cubits, palms, fingers and fractions of fingers (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 2/3).  The cubit was probably divided into 7 palms and the palm divided into 4 fingers, as no palm measurement is more than 6 palms, and no finger measurement is more than 3 fingers.

Nile heights from Dyn 1 and 2:
Dyn 1
6 cubits
4 cubits 1 palm
5 cubits 5 palms 1 finger
5 cubits 1 palm
5 cubits
6 cubits 1 palm
4 cubits 1 span
3 cubits 1 palm 2 fingers
4 cubits 1 span
8 cubits 3 fingers
3 cubits 1 span
5 cubits 2 palms
5 cubits 1 palm 2 fingers
4 cubits 2 palms
2 cubits
5 cubits
4 cubits 1 span
6 cubits 1 palm 2 fingers
2 cubits 1 span
3 cubits 5 palms 2 fingers
Dyn 2
3 cubits 4 palms 2 fingers
4 cubits 2 fingers
4 cubits 1 palm 2 fingers
4 cubits 4 palms
3 cubits 4 palms 2 fingers
4 cubits 3 fingers
1 cubit
3 cubits 4 palms 3 fingers
3 cubits 5 palms 2 fingers
2 cubits 2 fingers
3 cubits
2 cubits 4 palms 1 1/2 fingers
2 cubits 3 palms 1 finger
1 cubit 6 palms 2 1/2 fingers
4 cubits 2 palms 2 2/3 fingers
4 cubits 2 palms
4 cubits 2 palms 2 2/3 fingers
4 cubits 1 2/3 palms
2 cubits 3 palms 2 3/4 fingers
3 cubits 3 palms 2 fingers
('Ancient Records of Egypt Vol 1, Breasted 2001 (1906): 58 - 65)

Chris