Page:The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, Volume I.pdf/63

	yôt shemaꜥ	Upper Egyptian barley	used in Problem	74
2. General term for grain,
	shes[1]	grain	used in Problems	35, etc.
3. Meal or flour,
	wedyet	wedyet-flour	used in Problems	72, etc.
	noid	meal	used in Problems	69 and 70
4. Other foods,
	ꜥôd	fat	used in Problem	66
	besha	besha[2]	used in Problem	71
	heket[1]	beer	used in Problems	71, 77, and 78.

The grain and flour words as generally written contain the grain sign

(see page 32).

The word shes occurs about 16 times and is a general term for any kind of grain. Thus in Problem 82 it appears to refer to both spelt and wheat. In many places it is used to introduce the standard notation, explained on pages 31-32, with the “Horus eye” fractions, “It makes of grain” being almost equivalent to “Express in standard form.”

Wedyet-flour is used in making bread and beer, and in Problem 82 in making feed for geese. Peet suggests that this may be a general term for flour or meal, just as shes is a general term for grain.

Peet gives a full and clear discussion of the uses of these words (pages 113-114).

1. See notes to Problems 41 and 71 in the Literal Translation in regard to the readings of these words.
2. A kind of grain or fruit, Erman and Grapow, Wörterbuch der Aegyptischen Sprache, Volume 1, Leipzig, 1926, page 478.