What Is This Tool?
This converter transforms quantities measured in the US assay ton, a traditional mass unit used in mining and assaying, into the ancient Hebrew bekan, a biblical weight unit representing half a shekel. It's designed to support historical, archaeological, and precious metal data comparisons.
How to Use This Tool?
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Enter the value in ton (assay) (US) you wish to convert.
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Select the target unit as bekan (Biblical Hebrew).
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Click convert to get the equivalent amount in bekan.
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Review the result to assist with historical or scholarly studies.
Key Features
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Converts mass units between ton (assay) (US) and bekan (Biblical Hebrew).
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Supports bridging of modern assay data with ancient biblical weight units.
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Includes example conversions for quick reference.
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Browser-based tool requiring no installation.
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Facilitates analysis in mining, biblical scholarship, and archaeology.
Examples
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1 ton (assay) (US) equals approximately 5.1169596491 bekan.
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3 ton (assay) (US) converts to about 15.3508789473 bekan.
Common Use Cases
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Reporting precious metal content on assay certificates as ounces per assay ton.
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Calculating payments or settlements in mining based on metal content per assay ton.
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Converting historical assay data into ancient weight units for resource comparison.
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Analyzing Biblical texts on half-shekel temple taxes or offerings.
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Conducting numismatic and archaeological research on Ancient Hebrew silver weights.
Tips & Best Practices
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Understand that the exact mass of a ton (assay) (US) has varied historically, so specify the exact mass when possible.
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Consider the variability of bekan weights due to differing ancient shekel standards when interpreting results.
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Use this converter to assist research that requires bridging modern assay units and biblical measures.
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Cross-reference conversion results with scholarly resources for archaeological or religious studies.
Limitations
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The US assay ton's mass has historically varied by jurisdiction and context, affecting conversion precision.
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The bekan's value depends on ancient shekel standards, making the conversion approximate rather than exact.
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Uncertainties in historical definitions and varying modern interpretations may limit accuracy.
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This tool does not account for specific jurisdictional or temporal variations in unit definitions.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the ton (assay) (US) used for?
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It is a historical mining and assaying mass unit used to report precious metal content and calculate payments based on metal quantities per assay ton.
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Why does the bekan weight vary?
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The bekan represents half a shekel, and because ancient shekel standards differed, the bekan's weight varies depending on which shekel standard is referenced.
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Can I get exact conversions between these units?
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No. Due to historical variability in unit definitions and ancient standards, conversions are approximate and should be used accordingly.
Key Terminology
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Ton (assay) (US) [AT (US)]
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A historical mass unit used in US mining and assaying to define standard sample mass for reporting precious metal content, with varied exact mass by jurisdiction.
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Bekan (Biblical Hebrew)
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A Biblical Hebrew unit of weight denoting half of a shekel; its exact mass varies in modern interpretation depending on ancient shekel standards.
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Conversion Rate
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The factor used to convert from one unit to another; here, 1 ton (assay) (US) equals approximately 5.1169596491 bekan.