A pous is divided into
digits or
fingers (
daktyloi) which are multiplied as shown. Generally the sexagesimal or decimal multiples have
Mesopotamian origins while the septenary multiples have Egyptian origins. Greek measures of short median and long podes can be thought of as based on body measures. The lengths may be compared to the Imperial/U.S.
foot of 304.8 mm.
Stecchini and others propose the Greek podes are different sizes because they are divided into different numbers of different sized
daktylos to facilitate different calculations. The most obvious place to observe the relative difference is in the Greek orders of architecture whose canon of proportions is based on column diameters. ==References==