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barril [Spanish]

In New Spain, a unit of liquid capacity, = 1/6th of a 456-liter pipa, and so 76 liters. But the basic standard of liquid capacity in New Spain was the cuartillo, and Stampa says “In practice, the barrel was considered equivalent to ten jarras, each of sixteen cuartillos; or it was 8½ jarras of eighteen cuartillos each,”¹ a difference of 7 cuartillos. Taking the cuartillo as 0.456 liter, the barril would be 72.96 liters, or 69.77 liters. There was a larger cuartillo for olive oil, but that would not seem to apply.

1. Manuel Carrera Stampa.
The evolution of weights and measures in New Spain.
The Hispanic American Historical Review, vol. 29, no. 1, pages 2 - 24 (February 1949).

Page 15.

1

In Mexico, ? – 20th century, a unit of liquid capacity, = 76 liters.

United Nations, 1966.

2

In Paraguay, ? – 20th century, a unit of liquid capacity, approximately 96.93 liters.

United Nations, 1966.

3

In Argentina, 20ᵗʰ century, a unit of liquid capacity, about 76 liters.

Technical Factors..., 1972, page 88.

In the 19ᵗʰ century an official survey reported various values:

In Tucuman, = 104 cuartas, about 61.752 liters.
In the provinces of Santiago de Estero and Salta, = 5 cuartillas = 25 frascos, about 59.378 liters.
In the province of Cuyo, the barril de vino varied from 65 to 75 liters.
In the province of Entre-Rios, = 1/6 pipa = 20 galons = 32 frascos = 128 cuartas, about 72.160 liters.

[Valentin Balbin].
Sistema de Medidas y Pesas de la República Argentina.
Publicacion Oficial.
Buenos Aires: Tipografia de M. Biedma, 1881.

Pages 62, 63, 210, 226, 228, 229.

4

In Venezuela , ? – 20th century, a unit of capacity, enclosing a mass of 70-99 kilograms (approximately 154-218 pounds av).

United Nations, 1966.

5

In Bolivia, ? – 20th century, various units of liquid capacity:

In the town of Sacaca in the department of Potosi, used for chicha (beer made from maize), = 16 liters.

In the town of Valle Grande in the department of Santa Cruz, two units of liquid capacity, 24 liters when used for wine, 30 liters when used for singanis (a Bolivian form of pisco).

In the town of Entre Rios in the department of Tarija, used for wine, = 25 liters.

[Bolivia] Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganaderia y Colonizacion. Dirección General de Economia Rural.
Resumen General de Medidas típicas de la República de Bolivia.
Corrected and revised by the Departamento de Muestreos y Padrones.
[La Paz]: Departamento de Muestreos y Padrones, 1956.

Page 27, 37 and 41. (Page numbering is not continuous.)

6

In El Salvador, a unit of liquid capacity used for molasses = 100 gallones = 412.50 liters.

Technical Factors..., 1972, page 155.

A map showing the location of Venezuela.

Where is Venezuela?