Note 262 — ALI SHAR[254] AND ZUMURRUD.
Richard Francis Burton translation
Arab. “Khumásiyah” which Lane (ii. 438) renders “of quinary stature.” Usually it means five spans, but here five feet, showing that the girl was young and still growing. The invoice with a slave always notes her height in spans measured from ankle-bone to ear and above seven she loses value as being full grown. Hence Sudási (fem. Sudásiyah) is a slave six spans high, the Shibr or full span (9 inches) not the Fitr or short span from thumb to index. Faut is the interval between every finger; Ratab between index and medius, and Atab between medius and annularis.