Hi Hermione,

The imaginary Scandinavian unit was Thom's son's invention. As for emotional resistance to SI (Metric), it has been the standard international system in the scientific world for more than a century, so Thom and Smyth were both being exposed to it whether or not it was officially enforced by the government or not. Pyramid inches and megalithic yards was the result.

Ancient field systems are very interesting, and levels of organisation that are not based on linear measurement are clear in the ancient BA field systems of Britain I am sure. The example that you show as being 'pretty square' does indeed seem to have some linears that are set out regularly. When do these date from?

For the iron age it's possible that people in the UK were numerate before the Romans, perhaps back to 3 or 400 B.C., as they did use coins i.e. money.

But this is nowhere near as old as the stone henges etc (2300 - 2700 B.C.), which IMO were not built with any linear measurement in mind whatsoever. Counting the stones really doesn't count lol.

Dave Light