Aln (aln) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:aln

Plural:alnar

Category:Length

What is a Aln?

Definition

The Aln (Swedish), Alen (Danish and Norwegian) was a traditional Scandinavian unit of length, analogous to the English ell or cubit. Its length varied significantly by region and time but was generally based on the length of the forearm.

Key standardized or common values include:

Swedish Aln: Officially standardized (as the Rydaholmsaln) in 1665 and confirmed in 1735 as exactly 2 Swedish fot (feet). This equates to approximately 0.5938 meters (or 59.38 cm / 23.38 inches).
Danish Alen: The common standard (Sjællandsk alen) was 2 Danish fod (feet), equating to approximately 0.6277 meters (or 62.77 cm / 24.71 inches).
Norwegian Alen: Often followed the Danish standard due to political union. After 1824, it was legally defined as 2 Norwegian fot, equating to 0.6275 meters (or 62.75 cm / 24.70 inches), very close to the Danish value.

The Aln/Alen was typically subdivided into 4 kvarter (quarters).

History

The Aln/Alen originates from the Proto-Germanic word for forearm (alinō), reflecting its basis as an anthropomorphic unit, similar to the cubit in other cultures. For centuries, its length was inconsistent, varying between regions, cities, and trades within Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.

Early Variations: Numerous local standards existed, often based on physical rods kept by authorities or guilds.
Standardization Efforts:
- Sweden: Attempts at standardization culminated in the adoption of the Rydaholmsaln (based on a specific iron standard bar from Rydaholm church) in 1665, defined as 2 fot. This standard (≈0.5938 m) became mandatory nationwide in 1735.
- Denmark & Norway: The Sjællandsk alen (Zealand ell, ≈0.6277 m) became the dominant standard in Denmark and, consequently, in Norway during their union. Norway later formally adopted a slightly different value (≈0.6275 m) based on its own fot definition in 1824.
Metrication: The Aln/Alen was officially replaced by the metric system during the 19th and early 20th centuries: Norway in 1875, Sweden in 1889, and Denmark in 1907.

Common Uses

Historically, the Aln/Alen was a fundamental unit for everyday trade and craft:

Textiles: Its most prominent use was measuring cloth (wool, linen, silk). Standardization was often driven by the textile trade.
Timber and Lumber: Measuring lengths of wood.
Rope and Cordage: Measuring lengths of rope.
Construction: Used in building measurements, though perhaps less formally than in trade.
General Trade: Measuring various goods sold by length.

It was less commonly used for land surveying, where units like the stång (rod) or mil (mile) were preferred.

Unit FAQs

How long is an Aln/Alen?

There isn't one single value, as it depended on the country and era. The main official standards were:

Swedish Aln: ~0.594 meters / ~23.4 inches
Danish Alen: ~0.628 meters / ~24.7 inches
Norwegian Alen: ~0.628 meters / ~24.7 inches (very close to Danish)

Always consider the context (Swedish, Danish, or Norwegian) when encountering this unit in historical documents.

What's the difference between the Aln in different countries?

The primary difference was length:

The Swedish Aln (≈59.4 cm) was noticeably shorter than the Danish and Norwegian Alen (both ≈62.8 cm).
All were typically defined as 2 local fot (feet), but the length of the fot itself varied between the countries.

Is the Aln related to the English Ell?

Yes, both the Aln/Alen and the English Ell are historical units of length derived from the concept of the cubit or forearm length (Latin ulna). However, their standardized lengths differed significantly. The most common English Ell was 45 inches (1.143 m), much longer than any standard Scandinavian Aln/Alen.

Is the Aln/Alen still used today?

No, the Aln/Alen is obsolete. It was officially replaced by the meter in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway during the metrication process in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its use today is purely historical.

Is the Aln an SI unit?

No, the Aln/Alen is not an SI unit. It is a traditional unit from the historical Scandinavian systems of measurement. The SI base unit for length is the meter (m).

Aln Conversion Formulas

To Meter:

1 aln = 0.594 m

Example: 5 alnar = 2.97 meters

To Kilometer:

1 aln = 0.000594 km

Example: 5 alnar = 0.00297 kilometers

To Hectometer:

1 aln = 0.00594 hm

Example: 5 alnar = 0.0297 hectometers

To Decimeter:

1 aln = 5.94 dm

Example: 5 alnar = 29.7 decimeters

To Centimeter:

1 aln = 59.4 cm

Example: 5 alnar = 297 centimeters

To Millimeter:

1 aln = 594 mm

Example: 5 alnar = 2970 millimeters

To Inch:

1 aln = 23.385827 in

Example: 5 alnar = 116.929134 inches

To Foot:

1 aln = 1.948819 ft

Example: 5 alnar = 9.744094 feet

To Yard:

1 aln = 0.649606 yd

Example: 5 alnar = 3.248031 yards

To Mile:

1 aln = 0.000369 mi

Example: 5 alnar = 0.001845 miles

To Nautical Mile:

1 aln = 0.000321 NM

Example: 5 alnar = 0.001604 nautical miles

To Micrometer:

1 aln = 594000 μm

Example: 5 alnar = 2970000 micrometers

To Nanometer:

1 aln = 594000000 nm

Example: 5 alnar = 2970000000 nanometers

To Light Year:

1 aln = 6.2784e-17 ly

Example: 5 alnar = 3.1392e-16 light years

To Astronomical Unit:

1 aln = 3.9706e-12 AU

Example: 5 alnar = 1.9853e-11 astronomical units

To Parsec:

1 aln = 1.9250e-17 pc

Example: 5 alnar = 9.6250e-17 parsecs

To Angstrom:

1 aln = 5939999999.999999 Å

Example: 5 alnar = 29699999999.999996 angstroms

To Point (Typography):

1 aln = 1683.778467 pt

Example: 5 alnar = 8418.892335 points

To Mil/Thou:

1 aln = 23385.826772 mil

Example: 5 alnar = 116929.133858 mils

To Fathom:

1 aln = 0.324803 fath

Example: 5 alnar = 1.624016 fathoms

To Furlong:

1 aln = 0.002953 fur

Example: 5 alnar = 0.014764 furlongs

To Link (Gunter's):

1 aln = 2.952756 li

Example: 5 alnar = 14.76378 links

To Pace:

1 aln = 0.779528 pace

Example: 5 alnar = 3.897638 paces

To Span:

1 aln = 2.598425 span

Example: 5 alnar = 12.992126 spans

To Digit:

1 aln = 31.181102 digit

Example: 5 alnar = 155.905512 digits

To Cable Length:

1 aln = 0.003207 cb

Example: 5 alnar = 0.016037 cable lengths

To Ell:

1 aln = 0.519685 ell

Example: 5 alnar = 2.598425 ells

To Finger:

1 aln = 5.19685 finger

Example: 5 alnar = 25.984252 fingers

To Roman Mile:

1 aln = 0.000401 m.p.

Example: 5 alnar = 0.002007 Roman miles

To Stadion:

1 aln = 0.003211 stadion

Example: 5 alnar = 0.016054 stadia

To Chi (Chinese):

1 aln = 1.782178 chi

Example: 5 alnar = 8.910891 chi

To Shaku (Japanese):

1 aln = 1.960396 shaku

Example: 5 alnar = 9.80198 shaku

To Li (Chinese):

1 aln = 0.001188 li

Example: 5 alnar = 0.00594 li

To Toise:

1 aln = 0.304772 toise

Example: 5 alnar = 1.523858 toise

To Bolt:

1 aln = 0.019488 bolt

Example: 5 alnar = 0.097441 bolts

To Rope:

1 aln = 0.097441 rope

Example: 5 alnar = 0.487205 ropes

To Smoot:

1 aln = 0.349042 smoot

Example: 5 alnar = 1.745211 smoots

To Sajene:

1 aln = 0.278403 sajene

Example: 5 alnar = 1.392013 sajenes

To Ken:

1 aln = 0.326733 ken

Example: 5 alnar = 1.633663 ken

To Wa:

1 aln = 0.297 wa

Example: 5 alnar = 1.485 wa

To Vara:

1 aln = 0.708661 vara

Example: 5 alnar = 3.543307 varas

To Cubit (Royal/Egyptian):

1 aln = 1.135755 cubit

Example: 5 alnar = 5.678776 cubits

To Versta:

1 aln = 0.000557 versta

Example: 5 alnar = 0.002784 versts

To Arpent:

1 aln = 0.010159 arpent

Example: 5 alnar = 0.050794 arpents

To Ri (Japanese):

1 aln = 0.000151 ri

Example: 5 alnar = 0.000756 ri

To Klafter:

1 aln = 0.313209 klafter

Example: 5 alnar = 1.566043 klafter

To Yojana:

1 aln = 0.000044 yojana

Example: 5 alnar = 0.00022 yojanas

To Skein:

1 aln = 0.005413 skein

Example: 5 alnar = 0.027067 skeins

Convert Aln

Need to convert Aln to other length units? Use our conversion tool.

Go to Length Converter Convert from Aln