Weights and measures of the Bolognese countryside

Many years after the definitive introduction of the metric system (1861), instruments with antique local system of weights and measures could still be found in use in the countryside. The table below lists the measures that a farmer would use to divide the grain with his landowner, determine compensation for the blacksmith, carpenter, cobbler, tailor and other travelling artisans such as hemp-combers called gargiolai. The dimensions of the farm were often expressed in terms of corbe of seeded grain in addition to surface area.

 

 

 
For measuring a farm, the length and width of fields and the spacing between trees and vines in the piantata
turnadùra
5 tornature = 1 hectare
pa
1 piede = 1 foot = 38 cm
pas
1 step = 5 feet
pérdga
1 pertica = 10 feet
 
 
For measuring grain
córba
1 dry corba = 78,64 dry liters
stèr
staio = 1/2 corba
quartiról
quartirolo=1/16 corba
 
 
For measuring wine must
córba
1 liquid corba = 78,59 liters
mèza
mezza castellata = 5 corbe
castlè
1 castellata = 19 corbe
 
 
For measuring special fertilizers (hoof-horn mixture, manure) to spread in fields, raw or combed hemp, and flour
stadira
Stadera
lira
libbra = pound
onza
onza = ounce