Gabb, Thomas: Finis pyramidis or Disquisitions concerning the antiquity and scientific end of the great pyramid of Giza, or ancient Memphis, in Egypt, and of the first standard of linear measure (Retford, 1806)

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decide whether this be not a sufficient proof, that
Vitruvius calculated for the pyramidic foot.

But a further proof is gathered from what he relates con-
cerning the size of bricks (Chap. 2nd, Book 3rd,) he says
the Greek had three sorts of bricks, the didoron (Δ»δ»$«),
the tetradoron {T^eSeje»), and the pentadoron («oTabufw).
The didoron was that in use at Rome, and to prevent a
misconception of the real size, from the name didoron,
which means of two palms, he immediately tells us it
was a foot long and half a foot broad. Now the most that
can be made of two palms is a length = 6¿ or 7 of our
inches : but Vitruvius knew that the measure, termed a
palm, was a mere vague denomination, assumed by men
in an uncivilized state, and whatever was about two, but
not three, was called didoron ; when about three, but
not four, they called that length tridoron ; when about
four palms, they called it tetradoron, and soon. And the
case seems to be, that in a more enlightened state, they
still retained the same denominations, but restrained
them to precise quantities, yet so, as not to call a length
of three palms, by the name didoron ; which didoron
we flfid here called by Vitruvius a foot long : and by
this reasoning, three palms would have been more than
a foot ; yet the most that we can make of them, would
be 10| of our inches, of course the foot Vitruvius alludes
to, must be less than lOf inches.

But though this proves something in favor of the
pyramidic foot, the argument is but negative : I shall
therefore adduce a more satisfactory proof, that will be
better understood from what is premised, than it would
otherwise have been.

Vitruvius, then, Chap. 8th ibid : informs us that when
the population of Rome became too numerous to be

lodged