Hand (unit) radix numbering system, where a hand is four inches. The hand, sometimes also called a handbreadth or handsbreadth, is an anthropic unit, originally based on the breadth of a male human hand, either with or without the thumb, or on the height of a clenched fist. On surviving Ancient Egyptian cubit-rods, the royal cubit is divided into seven palms of four digits or fingers each. Five digits are equal to a hand, with thumb; and six to a closed fist. The royal cubit measured approximately 525 mm, so the length of the ancient Egyptian hand was about 94 mm. In
The Measure of Civilization eastern and western civilizations across 15,000 years. The International Studies Association and Social Science History Association devoted panels to discussing the book at their 2013 annual meetings. The book has been translated into Chinese. The Measure of Civilization The Measure of Civilization: How Social Development Decides the Fate of Nations is a history book by the British historian Ian Morris, published in January 2013. It is the companion volume to Morris's 2010 award-winning book, "Why the West Rules—For Now". The book explains in details the evidence and statistical methods used to construct the social development index in "Why the West