Le marchand et les poids et mesures

These chapters, which have been published in French in this Variorum volume, cover over twenty years of research and publication. They explore how merchants used local weights and measures throughout the Middle Ages and the modern era, ranging from the Carolingian Empire to pre-Columbian Mexico and post-colonial Java or Madagascar. The book also discusses salt springs, fish, fishing ports, and the history of food, bread, and cereals. It expands on an earlier survey published in the Variorum series, which was well-received by the educated public. The French Revolution of 1789 ended the chaos of old measures by inventing the metre and decimal system.

Format: Hardback
Length: 254 pages
Publication date: 01 November 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published in French within this Variorum volume, these chapters encompass a remarkable twenty-year span of scholarly research and publication. Numerous contributions have undergone updates and translations, with German and Italian versions being rendered into French for the first time. The chapters revolve around merchants, a subject on which the author holds unparalleled expertise, and their utilization of local weights and measures throughout the Middle Ages and the modern era. The reader is transported on a captivating journey, spanning from the Carolingian Empire to pre-Columbian Mexico, post-colonial Java or Madagascar, and even venturing into the measures of ancient Rome and the contemporary aluminum can of the 21st century.

Given the author's specialization in the history of salt, saltworks, or the sea, the book also provides ample space for discussing salt springs, fish, and fishing ports in northern Europe. This scholarly exploration eventually leads to the history of food, bread, and cereals. The book expands upon the earlier survey published in the Variorum series, which primarily focused on Venice and salt and received widespread acclaim among the educated public. Many continue to marvel at how people navigated the complexities of the old measurement systems. The revolutionary events of 1789 marked a significant turning point, as they introduced the meter and the decimal system, effectively ending this era of chaos and bringing order to measurement practices.

Weight: 660g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032345475