deben

unit of weight

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June 25, 2026

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The deben was an ancient Egyptian unit of weight. It was part of a decimal system, where 10 kites equaled 1 deben, and 10 debens equaled 1 sep. The weight of the kite, and consequently the deben, varied throughout Egyptian history. The kite ranged from approximately 4.5 to 29.9 grams.1

The mina was an even earlier unit of weight, created by the Babylonians and adopted by various ancient civilizations, including the Hebrews and Greeks. Its weight also varied, with some Babylonian forms weighing around 640 grams and others nearly 978 grams. The Hebrew sacred mina is estimated at 499 grams, while the Greek mina was about 431 grams.2

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measurement system
The Egyptians
…ratio, 10 kites equaling 1 deben and 10 debens equaling 1 sep. Over the long duration of Egyptian history, the weight of the kite varied from period to period, ranging all the way from 4.5 to 29.9 grams (0.16 to 1.05 ounces). Approximately 3,500 different weights have been recovered from…
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…ratio, 10 kites equaling 1 deben and 10 debens equaling 1 sep. Over the long duration of Egyptian history, the weight of the kite varied from period to period, ranging all the way from 4.5 to 29.9 grams (0.16 to 1.05 ounces). Approximately 3,500 different weights have been recovered from…
Read More