A New Interpretation of the Grid System Reform in the Late Period

This paper offers a new art-historical interpretation of the grid reform of anthropomorphic representations in Egypt around the mid-seventh century BC. The objective of this paper is two-fold. First, it will demonstrate the problems with previous interpretations, which depended, on the one hand, upon the written record of Diodorus Siculus regarding the Egyptian method of statue production, and upon comparative analyses of the two-dimensional representation of human figures on the other. Secondly, this paper is devoted to providing a new understanding of the art-historical context of the grid reform. This reform – in which Late Period Egyptians abandoned the tradition that had been utilised for nearly 1,800 years and created a completely new system by uniting the Egyptian metrological system and the traditional method of grid projection – less reflects improvement in the appearance of the image, and rather demonstrates a metaphysical development that had never been seen or experienced before.

30 years to COOMET: results and prospects for cooperation

The history of Euro-Asian Cooperation of National Metrological Institutions (COOMET) has already spanned three decades (12 June 1991 is considered the date of its establishment – the day when the COOMET Memorandum of Understanding was signed). COOMET is an officially recognized regional metrology organization, as well as a regional legal metrology organization. Cooperation in COOMET and its outcomes allow member countries to successfully tackle metrological issues, faced by the national economy under market globalization, as well as to ingrate in the international metrological system. A brief overview of the history of creation and results of activity of COOMET is provided. The effectiveness of cooperation is evaluated, the promising areas of COOMET's activities are outlined.

Features of the Functioning of the National Metrological System in the Health Sector

The legislative requirements for metrological support in the healthcare sector, the issues of ensuring metrological traceability and the hierarchical scheme of calibrations and measurements in laboratory medicine according to the recommendations of JCTLM and their adaptation at the national level are considered. The features of the provided metrological control of measuring instruments for medical purposes, including when conducting their compliance assessment with the requirements of technical regulations. The current state of affairs in the confirmation of the technical competence of medical laboratories, including the need for their participation in proficiency testing schemes through inter-laboratory comparisons, in the transition from certification to accreditation is considered. The analysis of the used methods and means of calibration and reference measurements proposed by JCTLM and other leading orga­nizations in the field of laboratory medicine is observed. Information is provided on the work carried out by the SE «Ukrmetrteststandart» for metrological support of medical measuring instruments. The necessity of legal improvement, the regulatory and methodological base of the metrological system in the field of healthcare is substantiated. As a result of the work performed, the authors consider: the legislative base of metrological support in the field of healthcare is not perfect and in need of refinement of the profile of the central executive authorities in order to build technically sound organizational and regulatory frameworks for metrological support in this area; proficiency testing through interlaboratory comparisons in the field of laboratory medicine is an effective tool for confirming the technical competence of the laboratory. Laboratories should parti­cipate in proficiency testing schemes on a regular basis. Proficiency testing providers should pay particular attention to the method of determining reference values of indicators in proficiency testing samples, using predominantly metrologically sound procedures based on the use of standards, certified reference materials and/or reference measurement methods; the heads of medical laboratories should be careful about the choice of suppliers of legal acts in the metrology.

ANCIENT SCALE WEIGHTS MADE OF COINS

The study of scale weights of the ancient centers of the Northern Pontic region is of greater importance both for the study of metrology, monetary and weight systems of this region, and for understanding the general picture of trade and economic processes in ancient times. This paper presents small-sized weights made of bronze coins that are kept in the Scientific Repository of the Institute of Archaeology of the NAS of Ukraine. All of them are the chance finds from the territory of ancient sites of the Northern Pontic region. These findings were donated by V. A. Anokhin along with other finds of lead weights and bronze ingots. The collection contains weights in the shape of sub-square and sub-rectangular tiles of lead and bronze, round lead weights, weights made of bronze coins which are the chance finds from the territory of Olbia and its settlements, and other sites. During the processing this collection a small group of weights made of coins was distinguished. Among seven published weights six ones are made of Olbia coins and one of Panticapaeum. Each scale weight was studied in detail, basing of which the weight of each item was correlated with the existing monetary systems. Thus, it was possible to determine the metrological standards to which each particular instance belongs. The study of these findings showed that weights made of Olbian bronze coins belong to the Olbian metrological system as well as, in particular, the control scale weight which corresponds to 30 Olbian tetartemories, and the item made of bronze Panticapaeum coin refers to the Panticapaeum monetary system.

METROLOGICAL SYSTEM OF KHIVA KHANATE

The article on the basis of historical documents examines metric units that were used in the late Middle Ages in the Khiva Khanatå and the differences between the sizes of thîse units. Special attention in the study is paid to the definition of metrological units,describing the measures of length, volume, area, weight, and methods of their application in practice.