In ancient Egypt, the main unit of mass. Often romanized as deben; Akkadian sources indicate it was pronounced "tiban". The value changed with time:
| Old Kingdom, 2700-2200 BCE. Weigall refers to it as the "egyptian Gold Standard; Petrie as a "beqa". |
13.6 grams |
| Middle Kingdom, 2100-1788 BCE | 91 grams |
| New Kingdom, 1580-1090 BCE | 91 grams, = 10 qdt |
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Last revised: 15 September 2001.