The measures of Portugal differ little from those of Spain. The corn-unit is the Fanga (Sp. _fanega_, Ar. _faníqa_, sack) = 12·17 gallons. There appears to have been a larger unit of 6 fangas, as the name of the Alqueire, 1/4 fanga, implies that this smaller unit was a qirát, 1/24 of a large measure = 6 fangas.
The alqueire varies in capacity. In Brazil it is our Imperial bushel.
In Spain the fanega is the usual seed-measure of land; it is = 1·6 acre (exactly the saumado seed-measure of Provence), though probably that amount of land requires fully 2 fanegas of seed-corn.
The cubed Black cubit appears also as a corn-measure, its original purpose.
Original standard 34·73 gallons = 4·34 bushels Rebekeh of Egypt = 4·32 „ Cargo of Marseilles = 4·26 „ Setier of Paris = 4·29 „
3. The cubed Black foot, = 10·292 gallons, passed with the Moors to Spain; it was the standard of the old Burgos fanega until the fifteenth century, when the present Avila standard prevailed.
4. The Ardeb of 4 cubed Black feet, 4 × 10·292 = 41·168 gallons, is represented by the Cairo Ardeb of the present time, = 40 gallons or 5 bushels, generally somewhat more. It is divided into 6 Wuebe, each of 4 Rūba or quarters, which are qiráts, 1/24 of the Ardeb. The standard of the Cairo Ardeb varies. It is sometimes put at as much as 5·44 bushels = 43·52 gallons. The official standard of the Ardeb of wheat is 297 lb., = 38·5 gallons at 60 lb. to the bushel.
The weights and measures of capacity seem a maze of confusion, until the clue is found. There is a double series of weights based on the dirhem and on the ounce. This ounce is not mentioned in the series of weights, but once discovered, it gives the clue to the maze, and the system is then seen to be really simple.
It has already been seen that the weights are in a double series giving the Oka of 400 dirhems, and the Cantar of 2000 Egypto-Roman ounces, = 124·7 lb., divided into 100 rottoli. The weight of the dirhem, = 49·5 grains in the cheké goldsmith’s weight, becomes = 49·6 in the Oka, 1/44 of the Cantar.
_Fluid-measure._—A double cantar, 2 × 124·7 lb. = 249·4 lb., was increased in water-wheat ratio, 249·4 × 1·25 = 311·75 lb. = 31·175 gallons. The actual capacity of this water-Cantar is 31·412 gallons. This measure is divided into 100 rottoli-measure (= 3·14 lb. of water), each of 2-1/2 rottoli weight = 50 ounces.