Under these circumstances some discoveries of the Augustinians of the Assumption, in the grounds of their monastery in Jerusalem, appear to be of importance.[180] They found at various times in excavating for building purposes four vessels, which seem to have been a series of measures. Taking the larger one as the unit, the capacity of the one next smaller is three-quarters of the capacity of the first; the third was just half the first; the fourth, a quarter of it. These vessels all appear to have been in a building which had a Hebrew inscription over its door. Although the inscription was broken, the word “Corban”[181] was still legible. Père Germer-Durand assumes, accordingly, that the building was used as a place where temple tithes were paid, and that this series of vessels were standard measures employed in collecting tithes. The quantities of material contained by these vessels are as follows: Largest, 21.25 litres or 19.6 quarts. Second, 15.937 litres or 14.7 quarts. Third, 10.625 litres or 9.8 quarts. Fourth, 5.312 litres or 4.9 quarts. Père Germer-Durand thinks from a study of Josephus and Epiphanius that the largest of his vessels represents the Ephah of dry measure or the Bath of liquid measure. If this assumption is right, it gives a series of measures which are each about 7/12 smaller than the smallest of the series referred to above. On this basis Hebrew dry measures become: Homer or Cor = 196 quarts or 6 bushels and ½ peck. Ephah = 19.6 quarts or 2 pecks, 3.6 quarts. Seah = 6.533+ quarts. Omer = 1.96 quarts. Cab = 1.888+ quarts. Liquid measure becomes: Homer or Cor = 196 quarts or 49 gallons. Bath = 19.6 quarts or 4.9 gallons. Seah = 6.533+ quarts. Hin = 3.266+ quarts. Cab = 1.888+ quarts. Log = .272 quarts or approximately ½ pint. It is not certain that the vessels found by the Augustinians represent the measures that Germer-Durand supposes, but it is as likely that they do as that the confused statements of Josephus and Epiphanius afford an accurate basis for calculations. It is probable that in actual business there was in ancient times a great deal of variation allowed from the ordinary standard of measures. We know of no rigid regulation of the matter by a central authority. =2. Weights.=--The two weights most often mentioned in the Bible are the talent and the shekel. The Bible nowhere tells us of how many shekels a talent was composed. In Babylonia the talent consisted of 60 manas,[182] and each mana of 60 shekels, so that the talent consisted of 3600 shekels. The Phœnicians divided the mana into 50 shekels, and it is thought by scholars that the Hebrews did the same, though we have no positive evidence on the point. Manas are not mentioned in the Bible, unless in Dan. 5:25.[183]