From the literary remains then of the Greeks, Hebrews and Latins, it is beyond all doubt that in the early stages of society nothing is weighed but the metals and wool (for the apportioning of tasks). In this the records of all three nations agree, whilst from Homer we learn that the Greeks were using gold by weight, when as yet neither silver, copper nor iron was sold or appraised by that process. To proceed then to a people compared to whom the Greek and Hebrews in point of antiquity of civilization are but the upstarts of yesterday. The Egyptians seem to have used weight exclusively for the metals; the _Kat_ and its tenfold the _Uten_ seem always used in connection with metals, whilst corn is always connected with measures of capacity. The following instances taken from the list of prices of commodities given by Brugsch (_History of Egypt under the Pharaohs_, II. p. 199, English Transl.) will suffice for our purpose: a slave cost 3 _tens_ 1 _Kat_ of silver; a goat cost 2 _tens_ of copper; 1 _hotep_ of wheat cost 2 _tens_ of copper; 1 _tena_ of corn of Upper Egypt cost 5-7 _tens_ of copper; 1 _hotep_ of spelt cost 2 _tens_ of copper; 1 _hin_ of honey 8 _Kats_ of copper. Even drugs were not weighed by the Egyptians in the time of Rameses II. The physicians prescribed by measure, as we learn from the Medical papyrus Ebers[169]. Passing then to the far East, we naturally are curious to learn whether the oldest literary monument of any branch of the Aryan race, the Rig-Veda, throws any light on our question. We get there but meagre help: but yet, scanty as it is, it is of great importance. As we saw above the Indians of the Vedic age were still ignorant of the use of silver, although possessing both gold and copper. Now, whilst we have no evidence bearing upon the latter metal, there are two very remarkable and important words used in connection with gold which beyond doubt refer to the weighing of that metal. In the _Mandala_ (VIII. 67, 1-2; 687, 1-2) a hymn commences: “O India, bring us rice-cake, a thousand Soma-drinks, and an hundred cows, O hero, bring us apparel, cows, horses, jewels along with a mana of gold.” Again, “Ten horses, ten caskets, ten garments, ten _pindas_ of gold I received from Divodāsa. Ten chariots equipped with side-horses, and an hundred cows gave Açvatha to the Atharvans and the Pāyu” (_Mandala_, VI. 49, 23-4). As we shall have occasion later on to deal with the terms _manâ_ and _hiranya-pinda_ at greater length, it will suffice our present purpose to point out that we have a distinct mention of a weight of gold in the expression _manâ hiranyayâ_. In only these two passages have we any allusion to weighing, and in both it is in direct connection with gold. The Aryans of the Veda are beyond all doubt in a far less civilized state than the Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks or Romans of the historical period. Hence we may without danger infer that they did not use weight for any cereals they may have cultivated.