Tønne (unit)

Not to be confused with Tonne.

A tønne (plural tønner)[1] is an old Norwegian unit of volume equivalent to a barrel. There was a dry tønne and a liquid tønne. The volume of a tønne has varied over time in Norway, including many local variations.

The dry tønne was standardized in 1824 as equivalent to 138.97 liters (3.944 U.S. bu).[2][3] A tønne of potatoes weighed about 100 kilograms (220 lb).[1] A dry tønne was divided into four fjerdinger, equivalent to 34.71 liters (0.985 U.S. bu) each. The liquid tønne was equivalent to 115.81 liters (25.47 imp gal; 30.59 U.S. gal).[4]

In addition, the term tønne (a "barrel of land") was used as a measurement of area equivalent to 3,937 square meters (0.973 acres). This corresponded to the amount of land that could be sown with one tønne of seed.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Språkrådet. Bokmålsordboka: tønne.
  2. ^ Krohn-Holm, Jan W. 1978. Hedrum bygdebok: Kulturhistorie. Hedrum, Norway: Hedrum kommune, p. 560.
  3. ^ Vik, Trygve. 1978. Ås bygdebok: Gårdshistorie. Ås, Norway: Ås kommune, p. 324.
  4. ^ Klonteig, Olav. 2000. Fjellbygder i attersyn: frå det gamle Tinn i Telemark. Porsgrunn: Forlaget Grenland, p. 71.