libra

See also libbra, but most of the units that have been spelled either way are on this page.

Contents

1. Ancient Rome

2. Spain

3. Colombia

4. Dominican Republic and El Salvador

5. Portugal

6. Argentina

7. Patras, Greece

8. Costa Rica

9. Chile

10. Cuba

10. Ecuador

1

In Rome and the Roman Empire, a unit of mass, about 327.45 grams. link to a table showing relationships between Roman units of mass

2

In Spain, ? – 20th centuries, a unit of mass, varying locally, but the libra most commonly used was the Castillian libra (libra de Castilla), about 460.093 grams, (approximately 1.014 pounds avoirdupois).  This is the value of the libra, 20th century, in Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru.

The table below shows the value of the libra in the mid-19th century in all Spanish provinces in which the Castillian libra was not the usual unit of mass.

Province Name of unit Size,1
grams
Albacete libra 458
Alicante libra 533
Baleares (Palma) libra 407
Barcelona libra 400
libra medicinal 300
Céceres libra 456
Castellón libra 358
Coruña libra 575
Gerona libra 400
Guipúzcoa libra 492
Huesca libra 351
Lérida libra 401
Lugo libra 573
Orense libra 573
Pamplona libra 372
Pontevedra libra 579
Tarragona libra de Gerona 400
Teruel libra 367
Valencia libra (but see below) 355
Vizcaya (Bilbao) libra 488
Zaragoza libra 350

Even this oversimplifies the situation. Consider just Valencia. According to Doursther2, there were four libra in use in Valencia:

1. Gaceta. Madrid, 28 December 1852. Official figures.

2. Doursther, page 233.

3

In Colombia, 20th century, a unit of mass = 16 onzas = 500 grams (approximately 1.1012 pounds). An example of seeking round values in the course of metrification.

United Nations, 1966.

4

In the Dominican Republic and El Salvador, 20th century , = 1 pound avoirdupois (approximately 453.592 grams). An example of the name of an old unit taking on a value from a new trading system.

United Nations, 1966.

5

In Portugal, ? – 19th century, a unit of mass, approximately 459 grams (approximately 1.012 pounds avoirdupois).  Also called an arratel.

From Portugal the unit spread to Brazil, 16 – 19th centuries, and survived to the 20th century1 in the Cape Verde Islands and Paraguay.

1. United Nations, 1966.

6

In Argentina, a unit of mass, about 459.35 grams (about 1.0127 pounds avoirdupois).

7

In Patras in the Peloponnese, Greece, 19th century, a unit of capacity determined by mass, used for oil and honey, a nineteenth of a barile, about 3.064 kilograms (6.775 pounds avoidupois).

Doursther page 208.

8

In Costa Rica, = 460.0627 grams, divided into 16 onzas. (In apothecary's weight, however, the libra was 345.04704 grams and divided into 12 onzas. Apothecary's weight was already out of use in Costa Rica in the 19th century.) In modern times, = 460 grams.

[Costa Rica. Ministerio de formento.]
Medidas y pesas del sistema métrico, y tablas de equivalencia con las antiguas.
San José de Costa Rica: Imprenta nacional, 1885.

Technical Factors..., 1972, page 137.

9

In Chile, a unit of mass, about 460 grams.

Technical Factors..., 1972, page 132.

10

In Cuba and El Salvador, a unit of mass, = 16 onzas = 460.00 grams.

Technical Factors..., 1972, pages 140, 155.

11

In Ecuador, a unit of mass, = 460.00 grams. chart symbol

Technical Factors..., 1972, page 150.

 

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