Nature of the ‘ceremonial’ cubit rod
The information immediately above clearly indicates that these objects were not primarily utilitarian, but ceremonial. Some models recovered from private tombs also show that they could be
provided as honorary awards; a distinguishing offering to some particularly deserving craftsman or
architect. In that case the boon is addressed to the gods, like an intercession in favor of the recipient, such as in the dedication on the wooden cubit rod discovered in the tomb of Any, a craftsman
of Deir el-Medineh:26
Htp dj nsw jmn-ra ptH nsw tAwy DHwty nb mDw-nTr nTr aA Hr(y)-jb wnw
dj.sn anx wDA snb aHa.w nfr
Hr Sms
kA.sn n kA n sDm-aS m st-mAat Any
‘A boon which the king gives (to) Amun-Re and (to) Ptah, lord of the two lands, and (to) Thoth, lord
of divine words, great god who dwells in Hermopolis, that they may give life, prosperity and health,
and a good lifespan, following their ka’s, for the ka of the servant in the place of truth, Any.’
A similar inscription is found on one offered by Horemheb to Amenemope (Turin Museum, no. 6347):
Htp dj nsw nTrw nbw mH-nsw
dj.sn aHaw nfr m anx tp tA
‘An offering that the king gives to all the gods of the royal cubit so that they may give a perfect span
of life upon earth (...).’ 27
This symbolic aspect cannot overshadow the origin and the significance of the usual information
that is found on these miniature monuments. Mostly they are of a technical nature, and all of them
are related to spatial and chronological measurement.
I shall be constructing a ceremonial cubit NFT alongside a donation run, to award NJ Wildberger for his honourable and selfless contribution to the great work.
