Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acronyms and abbreviations
- Part 1 Past theories of rain and snow
- Part 2 Present theories of precipitation
- Part 3 Measuring precipitation
- 7 Early attempts to measure rainfall
- 8 Measuring precipitation with raingauges
- 9 Measuring snow
- 10 Measuring precipitation with radar
- 11 Measuring precipitation from satellites
- Part 4 The global distribution of precipitation
- Part 5 Future developments
- Index
- References
7 - Early attempts to measure rainfall
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acronyms and abbreviations
- Part 1 Past theories of rain and snow
- Part 2 Present theories of precipitation
- Part 3 Measuring precipitation
- 7 Early attempts to measure rainfall
- 8 Measuring precipitation with raingauges
- 9 Measuring snow
- 10 Measuring precipitation with radar
- 11 Measuring precipitation from satellites
- Part 4 The global distribution of precipitation
- Part 5 Future developments
- Index
- References
Summary
India
The first written reference to the measurement of rainfall appears in India in the fourth century BC, in Kautilya's Arthasastra (Shamasastry 1915). From it we read that ‘In front of the storehouse, a bowl with its mouth as wide as an Aratni (18 inches) shall be set up as a raingauge (Varshanana).’ Later it is said that
The quantity of rain that falls in the country of Jangala is 16 dronas; half as much more in moist countries; 13½ dronas in the country of Asmakas … The forecast of such rainfall can be made by observing the position, motion and pregnancy of Jupiter, the rise and set motion of the Venus and the natural or unnatural aspect of the sun … Hence, according as the rainfall is more or less, the superintendent shall sow the seeds which require either more or less water.
Palestine
The second known written record of the measurement of precipitation is in the Mishnah, a book recording 400 years of Jewish life in Palestine from the early second century BC to the end of the second century AD (Danby 1933). Rainfall is reported for a full year, although it is not clear if this is just one year or the average of many (Vogelstein 1894). The year is divided into three periods. The ‘early period’, or autumn rain, is from October to mid December, ‘which moistens the land and fits it for the reception of the seed’.
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- Chapter
- Information
- PrecipitationTheory, Measurement and Distribution, pp. 139 - 150Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006