bâa [Arabic]

A widespread Arabic unit of length that belongs to the fathom family of units.

In Oman , 20^th century , a unit of length equal to the span of outstretched arms.¹

Similiarly, in Arabia, it was described in 1923 as “hand to hand, both arms extended.”²

In Egypt it was specified as 4 dhira mamari = 3 meters.³

In Tunisia, 1895, as 1.92 meters.

1. United Nations, 1966.

2. Consul Bullard to the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, October 31, 1923.
Foreign Office Annual Reports from Arabia, 1930-1960. Vol. 1, 1930-1934.
Archive Editions, 1993.
Page 58.

3. Saadeddine Bencheneb.
Bulletin des Études des arabes, Sept-Oct 1952, page 104.