Sar
/sɑːr/noun
An ancient Babylonian unit of area, conventionally estimated at about 3,600 square metres.
Did you know?In Mesopotamian mathematics, the sar was tied to the number 3,600, reflecting the civilization’s enduring base-60 system—the ancestor of our 60-minute hour and 360-degree circle.
Etymological Timeline
3rd Millennium BCE
Sumerian
šar
“A large numerical unit associated with 3,600 in the sexagesimal counting system.”
2nd Millennium BCE
Akkadian
šar
“A numerical and metrological term used in Mesopotamian accounting and measurement.”
Ancient Babylonian Period
Akkadian
šar
“A unit used in systems of land and other measurements, conventionally equated with roughly 3,600 square metres.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σάρος (sáros)
“A cycle or interval of approximately 18 years and 11 days, later called a saros and used in eclipse calculation.”
Modern English
English
sar
“An English scholarly term for the ancient Babylonian unit of area.”
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