Skip to main content

Hitachi

High-Tech Channel Hitachi High-Tech GLOBAL

Ancient Indians knew the circumference of the earth!?

Base data: length.
Unit of distance dating back to ancient India, which is said to measure: 1 yojana = about 8 miles = about 12.8 km.

Once around the world is 3,300 yojanas

This is a unit of distance dating back to ancient India. It is said to be the distance of a one-day trip for an oxcart. It was apparently transcribed as “yojana” in the Chinese version of Buddhist scriptures. In a book written around the fifth century entitled Aryabhatiya, it is written that the circumference of the earth measures 3,300 yojanas, and this is fairly close to the actual distance.

©KASAKURA PUBLISHING Co.ltd 2015