Zolotnik
Encyclopedia
A zolotnik was a small Russia
n unit of weight
, equal to 0.1505 avoirdupois ounce
s, or 4.2658 gram
s (about 65.83 grain
s). Used from the 10th to 20th centuries, its name is derived from the Russian word zoloto, meaning gold
. It is therefore related to the words gold and yellow
. As a unit, the zolotnik was the standard for silver
manufacture, much as the troy ounce
is currently used for gold and other precious metal
s.
This unit was originally based on a coin
of the same name. The zolotnik circulated in the Kievan Rus until the 11th century; it was equal in weight to the Byzantine Empire
's solidus
.
, was equal to three zolotnik. There were 96 dolya in a single zolotnik.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n unit of weight
Weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity. Its magnitude , often denoted by an italic letter W, is the product of the mass m of the object and the magnitude of the local gravitational acceleration g; thus:...
, equal to 0.1505 avoirdupois ounce
Ounce
The ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems...
s, or 4.2658 gram
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
s (about 65.83 grain
Grain (measure)
A grain is a unit of measurement of mass that is nominally based upon the mass of a single seed of a cereal. From the Bronze Age into the Renaissance the average masses of wheat and barley grains were part of the legal definition of units of mass. However, there is no evidence of any country ever...
s). Used from the 10th to 20th centuries, its name is derived from the Russian word zoloto, meaning gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. It is therefore related to the words gold and yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
. As a unit, the zolotnik was the standard for silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
manufacture, much as the troy ounce
Troy weight
Troy weight is a system of units of mass customarily used for precious metals, gemstones, and black powder.There are 12 troy ounces per troy pound, rather than the 16 ounces per pound found in the more common avoirdupois system. The troy ounce is 480 grains, compared with the avoirdupois ounce,...
is currently used for gold and other precious metal
Precious metal
A precious metal is a rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical element of high economic value.Chemically, the precious metals are less reactive than most elements, have high lustre, are softer or more ductile, and have higher melting points than other metals...
s.
This unit was originally based on a coin
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
of the same name. The zolotnik circulated in the Kievan Rus until the 11th century; it was equal in weight to the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
's solidus
Solidus
Solidus may refer to:*Solidus , the "⁄" grammatical punctuation character, also used in mathematics*Slash a sign, "/" used as a punctuation mark and for various other purposes...
.
Relation to other units
The Russian pound was known as the funt. Originally, there were 96 zolotnik in a pound; this ratio was changed to 72. A smaller unit, the lotLot (unit)
A lot is an old unit of weight used in many European countries since Middle Agesuntil the beginning of the 20th century.Most often it was defined as either or of a pound....
, was equal to three zolotnik. There were 96 dolya in a single zolotnik.
See also
- Zloty
- Obsolete Russian weights and measures
- Obsolete Tatar weights and measures