The ancient Egyptian balance

The oldest known balances are equal-armed instruments that have been found in Egypt and are represented on Egyptian drawings and reliefs. In its simplest form the beam was made of wood or stone and provided with a central boring for the balance suspension and two borings at the ends of the beam for the pan suspensions. The existence of a balance standard in the Fifth Dynasty is testified. A plummet line was hung parallel to the balance suspension so that the horizontal position of the beam could be checked by comparing the right angles formed between beam and plummet line. From the time of the Middle Kingdom the pans were suspended by four cords. In the New Kingdom tubular beams were introduced whose ends were shaped in lotus flower or papyrus form. The strings of the pans came out together from inside the beam and diverged to the sides, the lower beam ends acting as knife edges. In most cases a pointer is either missing or so short that it is hardly helpful. This type of elaborate standard balance which was also distributed in Syria, Greece and Persia, is often depicted in the Books of Death of the New Kingdom in the scene showing the “Death Tribunal” with “Weighing of the Heart”.Unclear drawings led to misinterpretations as to the design and mode of operation of these balances. By style analysis and comparison with finds exhibited in the Cairo Egyptian Museum, it was possible, however, to clarify details.