The Arshin: A Historical Unit of Length in Russia and Slavic Countries

Arshin (Russian: аршин) is a historical unit of length used in Russia and other Slavic countries. It was equal to 28 inches or 71 centimeters. The word "arshin" is derived from the Russian word "arysh", which means "to measure".

The arshin was used as a standard unit of measurement for cloth, textiles, and other goods, and it was also used in construction and land surveying. However, with the introduction of the metric system in Russia in the late 18th century, the use of the arshin declined, and it is now mostly used as a historical term.

It's worth noting that the arshin is still used in some contexts, such as in the measurement of old buildings or historical artifacts, where the use of metric units may not be practical or accurate.