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Weight/Mass | Convert from carat [international] to mina [Hebrew] |
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Common Weight Conversions Metric Weight Conversions Unit Definition (carat [international]) The carat [international] is a unit of mass used for diamonds and other precious stones. Originally spelled karat, the word comes from the Greek keration, a carob bean; carob beans were used as standards of weight and length in ancient Greece in much the same way barleycorns were used in old England. Traditionally the carat was equal to 4 grains. The definition of the grain differed from one country to another, but typically it was about 50 milligrams and thus the carat was about 200 milligrams. Unit Definition (mina [Hebrew]) The mina is a historic unit of weight, originating in Babylonia and used throughout the eastern Mediterranean. The mina is roughly comparable to the pound, but over the centuries it varied quite a bit. In Babylonian times it was a large unit, roughly 2 pounds, almost as much as a kilogram. The Hebrew mina, frequently mentioned in the Bible, is estimated at 499 grams (1.10 pounds). The Greek mina was equal to 100 drachmai or 431 grams (0.95 pound). In Biblical times the mina was equal to 60 shekels, and there were 60 minas in a talent.
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