First standardized measure

The earliest known measurement system to be widely adopted dates to c. 3000 BC, when the cubit became standardized in ancient Egypt. The cubit – named from the Latin "cubitum" (elbow) – was defined as the average distance between the bottom of the elbow and the tip of the middle finger, although lengths understandably varied, typically between 17 and 21 inches (43–53 cm). The "royal cubit" was formalized with the creation of physical standards, based on the measurements taken from the reigning Pharaoh, although this measurement also changed with successive dynasties. The royal cubit used in the construction of the Great Pyramid in c.2560 BC was 52.4 cm (20.63 in), while the cubit adopted later by the Babylonians (c.1700 BC) measured c.53 cm (20.8 in).