Sajene to Span Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert sajenes to spans with our free online length converter.
Sajene to Span Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Sajene).
- The converted value in Span will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Length category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Sajene to Span
Converting Sajene to Span involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Sajene = 9.333333 spansExample Calculation:
Convert 10 sajenes: 10 × 9.333333 = 93.33333 spans
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
What is a Sajene and a Span?
The Sajene (Russian: сажень or саже́нь, IPA: [ˈsaʐɨnʲ] or [sɐˈʐɛnʲ]) is an historical Russian unit of length. It was a fundamental unit in the traditional Russian system of measures.
The standard or "state" Sajene (kazyonnaya sazhen) was legally defined as:
- 3 Arshins (another Russian unit)
- 7 English Feet (after Peter the Great's reforms aligned some Russian units with English standards)
- 84 English Inches
This equates to:
- Exactly 2.1336 meters (m)
- Exactly 7 feet (ft)
- Exactly 84 inches (in)
The Sajene was subdivided as follows:
- 1 Sajene = 3 Arshins
- 1 Arshin = 16 Vershoks (meaning 1 Sajene = 48 Vershoks)
The Span is an ancient unit of length based on the distance across an outstretched human hand, measured from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger (or sometimes the index finger). As an anthropomorphic unit, its length was inherently variable, depending on the size of an individual's hand.
Historically, it was often defined in relation to other body-based units:
- Typically considered half a cubit.
- Often equated to 3 palms (where a palm is the width of the hand across the base of the fingers).
- Sometimes defined as 12 digits (fingerbreadths).
A common, though unofficial, modern estimate for a span is around 9 inches or approximately 22.86 centimeters (cm).
Note: The Sajene is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Span belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Sajene and Span
The Sajene was used in Russia for centuries, likely originating from an anthropomorphic measurement related to the span of outstretched arms or a person's reach, similar to the fathom in other systems. The name itself may derive from Slavic roots related to reaching or stretching.
While informal variations existed, the unit was standardized over time, notably under Peter the Great (reigned 1682–1725), who aligned the Arshin with 28 English inches, thereby fixing the standard Sajene at exactly 7 English feet (2.1336 m).
The Sajene remained a primary unit for larger measurements in Russia until the metric system was adopted following the Russian Revolution. The metric system became compulsory in the USSR on January 1, 1925, rendering the Sajene and other traditional units obsolete for official use.
The span is one of the oldest informal units of measurement, used by numerous ancient civilizations, including the Egyptians, Israelites, Greeks, and Romans, due to the convenience of using the human hand.
- Ancient Egypt & Mesopotamia: The span was used alongside the cubit and digit. The relationship (often 1 span = 1/2 cubit) was fundamental in their systems.
- Biblical References: The span is mentioned in the Bible (e.g., Exodus 28:16 describing the High Priest's breastplate, Goliath's height in some interpretations).
- Ancient Greece & Rome: Used as a practical subdivision of the cubit.
- Medieval Europe: Continued in informal use and sometimes appeared in texts defining lengths. In England, it was often standardized (unofficially) as 9 inches.
Like other anthropomorphic units, the span fell out of official use with the development and adoption of more standardized systems like the Imperial (inches, feet) and Metric (meters) systems, which provided necessary precision for trade, science, and industry.
Common Uses for sajenes and spans
Explore the typical applications for both Sajene (imperial/US) and Span (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for sajenes
The Sajene is now obsolete but was historically essential in various fields in Russia:
- Land Surveying: Measuring land plots, distances, and property boundaries.
- Architecture and Construction: Specifying dimensions of buildings, structures, and materials like timber.
- Shipbuilding: Measuring lengths related to ship design and construction.
- Rope Making: Measuring lengths of rope.
- Cartography: Used in mapmaking and geographical measurements.
- Folk Measurement: Appeared in everyday language and descriptions of distance or height.
Common Uses for spans
The span is now obsolete for precise or official measurements but is still encountered or used in specific contexts:
- Informal Estimation: Used for quick, rough measurements of moderate lengths where precision is not critical (e.g., gardening, crafts, estimating object sizes).
- Historical Texts: Found in ancient and medieval documents, requiring understanding for interpretation.
- Anthropology & Archaeology: Relevant when studying historical measurement systems or interpreting dimensions from ancient sites.
- Figurative Language: Can be used metaphorically to denote a small distance or extent ("life span").
- Understanding Historical Units: Key to grasping the relationship between units like the digit, palm, and cubit in ancient systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Sajene (sajene)
How long is a Sajene?
The standard Russian Sajene (kazyonnaya sazhen) is exactly:
- 2.1336 meters
- 7 English feet
- 84 English inches
- 3 Arshins
What were the subdivisions of the Sajene?
The Sajene was divided into smaller traditional Russian units:
- 1 Sajene = 3 Arshins
- 1 Arshin = 16 Vershoks
- Therefore, 1 Sajene = 48 Vershoks.
Were there different types of Sajene?
Yes, besides the standard "state" Sajene (7 feet), two other common variations based on body measurements existed historically, though their lengths were less standardized:
- Makhovaya Sajene (Маховая сажень - "swinging" or "sweeping" Sajene): The distance between the fingertips of a person's outstretched arms, roughly equivalent to a fathom (approx. 1.76 meters or 5.77 feet).
- Kosaya Sajene (Косая сажень - "oblique" Sajene): The distance from the toes of one foot to the fingertips of the opposite arm raised diagonally upwards (approx. 2.48 meters or 8.14 feet). This was often used idiomatically to describe someone tall and broad-shouldered.
The kazyonnaya sazhen (7 feet) was the official standard used for legal and technical purposes.
How does the Sajene compare to a Meter or Fathom?
- 1 Sajene = 2.1336 meters
- 1 Meter ≈ 0.4687 Sajenes
- The standard Sajene (2.1336 m / 7 ft) is slightly longer than the standard English fathom (1.8288 m / 6 ft). The Makhovaya Sajene (~1.76 m) was closer in concept and length to the fathom.
Is the Sajene an SI unit?
No, the Sajene is not an SI unit. It is a traditional unit from the historical Russian system of measurement. The SI base unit for length is the meter (m).
Is the Sajene still used today?
No, the Sajene is obsolete and not used in modern measurements in Russia or elsewhere. It was officially replaced by the metric system in 1925. Its significance today is purely historical, found in old texts, documents, literature, and descriptions of historical sites or objects.
About Span (span)
How long is a span?
There is no single, universally fixed length for a span because it's based on human hand size. However:
- A common historical and modern estimate is 9 inches (in).
- This is approximately 22.86 centimeters (cm) or 0.2286 meters (m).
- Historically, it was often defined as half a cubit, which varied (e.g., a common cubit of ~18 inches would yield a 9-inch span).
What is the relationship between a span and a cubit?
In many historical systems, a span was considered half (1/2) of a cubit. Since cubits themselves varied (e.g., common cubit vs. royal cubit), the exact length of the span derived this way also varied.
What is the relationship between a span and a palm or digit?
Common relationships, though varying by system, were:
- 1 span ≈ 3 palms (where a palm is the width of the hand).
- 1 span ≈ 12 digits (where a digit is the width of a finger).
Is the span an SI unit?
No, the span is not an SI unit. It is an ancient, non-standardized, anthropomorphic unit. The SI base unit for length is the meter (m).
Is the span still used today?
The span is not used for any official, scientific, or commercial measurements. Its use is limited to informal estimations, historical context, and figurative language. People might still use their own hand span for a quick size check.
Where does the name 'span' come from?
The word "span" comes from Old English spann, related to the verb spannan, meaning "to stretch, extend, or connect". This directly reflects the action of stretching the hand to measure the unit.
Conversion Table: Sajene to Span
| Sajene (sajene) | Span (span) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 9.333 |
| 5 | 46.667 |
| 10 | 93.333 |
| 25 | 233.333 |
| 50 | 466.667 |
| 100 | 933.333 |
| 500 | 4,666.667 |
| 1,000 | 9,333.333 |
All Length Conversions
Other Units from Length
- Meter (m)
- Kilometer (km)
- Hectometer (hm)
- Decimeter (dm)
- Centimeter (cm)
- Millimeter (mm)
- Inch (in)
- Foot (ft)
- Yard (yd)
- Mile (mi)
- Nautical Mile (NM)
- Micrometer (μm)
- Nanometer (nm)
- Light Year (ly)
- Astronomical Unit (AU)
- Parsec (pc)
- Angstrom (Å)
- Point (Typography) (pt)
- Mil/Thou (mil)
- Fathom (fath)
- Furlong (fur)
- Link (Gunter's) (li)
- Pace (pace)
- Digit (digit)
- Cable Length (cb)
- Ell (ell)
- Finger (finger)
- Roman Mile (m.p.)
- Stadion (stadion)
- Chi (Chinese) (chi)
- Shaku (Japanese) (shaku)
- Li (Chinese) (li)
- Toise (toise)
- Bolt (bolt)
- Rope (rope)
- Smoot (smoot)
- Ken (ken)
- Wa (wa)
- Vara (vara)
- Aln (aln)
- Cubit (Royal/Egyptian) (cubit)
- Versta (versta)
- Arpent (arpent)
- Ri (Japanese) (ri)
- Klafter (klafter)
- Yojana (yojana)
- Skein (skein)