Alen - From 1687 1 alen was 62.8 cm., and in 1824 this was adjusted to 62.75 cm. Alnemålet (same as an alen) was equal to 2 feet (actually 2'¾") and equal to 24 tommar. In the middle ages the alna was somewhat smaller.
 

Famn - Customarily rekoned to be 3 alen or about 6 feet.
 

Mil - One Norwegian mile before the metric system (which was adopted in 1870). The distance was reckoned to be 18,000 alen, or about 11.3 km (about 7 miles). In the mountain and forest reckoning the Norwegian mile was shorter.
 

Rast - A measure of distance between two resting places, or a stretch of road one can walk without resting. The distance varies from place to place according to the terrain. This was probably the basis for the Norwegian mile.
 

Tomme - 24 tommar = 1 alen. From 1824 1 tommen = 2.615 cm. (about 1 inch).
 

Veke sjø - Of distance measured on the sea. In old Norwegian written vika sjovar. The distance between two harbors. Alternatively, distance from place to place by water. The origin was probably the Norwegian mile, but the measured distance was to be sure often somewhat smaller.
 

Weights and Measures
 

Bismarpund (-pound) - 5.14 kg., graduated into 24 marks. Later somewhat larger, in 1824 adjusted to 5.977 kg.
 

Kvintin - About 4 grams. (see lodd)
 

Laup - Weight and measurement for butter (smør). 17.43 kg., divided into 3 bismarpund, and equal to 72 mark. Also measures 16.2 liters (of butter).
 

Lodd - Small measurements used on a balance for precious metals, equal to 1/16 mark, graduated into 4 Kvintinar.
 

Mark - Measured in bismar-measures, originally 214.32 grams (24 mark = 1 bismarpund). In 1824 adjusted to 249.056 grams. The mark in the shipping system was somewhat larger. In addition, the mark was used in minting coins, and was graduated into 16 skilling.
 

Skippund (shipping pound) - There exsisted from the middle ages different skippund systems with weights that varied between about 148 and 185 kg. From 1683 the skippund was standardized to 159.7 kg. In western Norway the skippund was graduated into 4 vetter and the vett into 6 spann.
 

Spann - There were 24 spann in one skippund. ( 1 spann = 6.65 kg.)
 

Tønne (tonn) - Weight and measurement used for grain and salt and also for fish (especially herring). From 1683 1 tønna was equal to 139.4 liter, in earlier times this was somewhat larger. 1 tønne barley = 90 kg. 1 tønne oats = 62 kg. 1 tønne mixed grain (barley with oats) = 79 kg.
 

Vett - There were 4 vetter in one skippund (about 40 kg.)
 

Property
 

Månadsmatsbol (month's rent) - For property which required yearly or monthly rent and property taxes, this was paid with one month's food, or a renter may owe for one month's food. Reckoned to be 1 laup smør (a bucket of butter!).
 

Skyldmark - Land registers were organized in order to prepare tax rolls in 1886. The Skyldmark was the unit used in assessing land value for taxation.

Spesiedalar  - (spd.) This was a coin which was worth about one dollar.

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ahw