Ell wide. Ell An ell (from Proto-Germanic *"alinō", cognate with Latin "ulna") is a unit of measurement, originally a cubit, i.e., approximating the length of a man's arm from the elbow ("" literally meant the bend ("bow") of the arm ("ell")) to the tip of the middle finger, or about 18 inches (457 mm); in later usage, any of several longer units. In English-speaking countries, these included (until the 19th century) the Flemish ell ( of a yard), English ell ( yards) and French ell ( yards), some of which are thought to derive from a "double ell". An ell-wand or
Ancient Mesopotamian units of measurement Ancient Mesopotamian units of measurement Ancient Mesopotamian units of measurement originated in the loosely organized city-states of Early Dynastic Sumer. Each city, kingdom and trade guild had its own standards until the formation of the Akkadian Empire when Sargon of Akkad issued a common standard. This standard was improved by Naram-Sin, but fell into disuse after the Akkadian Empire dissolved. The standard of Naram-Sin was readopted in the Ur III period by the Nanše Hymn which reduced a plethora of multiple standards to a few agreed upon common groupings. Successors to Sumerian civilization including the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians continued