Convert Long Reed (long reed) to Point (pt) instantly.
About these units
Long Reed (long reed)
The long reed is a traditional unit of length used in Egypt and other ancient cultures, roughly equivalent to 2 cubits. It was employed in surveying, architecture, and the measurement of agricultural fields. The unit's length made it suitable for laying out longer distances with relatively few measurements, especially in river valley contexts where precision at large scales was important for irrigation and crop management. Historical records show the long reed in use for temple construction, pyramidal measurements, and land division, illustrating the practical integration of human-based units into early engineering practices.
Point (pt)
A point is a typographic unit traditionally equal to 1/72 of an inch (in digital typography) or 0.352777 mm. Historically, however, the point system varied widely across regions and printing houses. In the era of metal movable type, each foundry often produced its own proprietary sizes, making typefaces and point values incompatible between printers. The modern point was standardized largely due to the demands of the publishing industry and later digital systems, especially PostScript and desktop publishing software. The point became essential because typography requires extremely fine control over letter height, line spacing, and layout—far beyond what conventional measurement systems could easily express. Designers and typesetters rely on points to specify the sizes of fonts, the spacing between lines (leading), and the thickness of rules or strokes. In digital environments, the point remains foundational even though screen resolutions vary. Software uses points as virtual units that are converted into pixels depending on display density. Thus, the point bridges the traditional world of print with modern digital rendering, maintaining continuity in the long history of written communication.