An '''''åtting''''' (also known in Continental Scandinavian languages as ''atting'', ''åttung'', {{lang|sv|attung}}, or ''otting'', and in Icelandic as ''áttungur''), literally meaning an "eighth", is a historical unit of measurement in Scandinavia. The term has had a wide variety of uses.
==As a unit of land== In medieval Sweden, the ''åtting'' (usually in this sense referred to with the form ''attung'') was a common unit of measurement for usable arable land (though not for area in general). Opinions differ as to what an ''attung'' corresponded to, but according to some it was a measure that corresponded to the arable and pasture area that a normal-sized family could support themselves on, in the Middle Ages about twelve acres or six hectares.<ref name=":13">[https://runeberg.org/nfaa/1307.html Attung] in ''Nordisk familjebok'' (första upplagan, 1876).</ref> The ''attung'' is often mentioned in purchase documents during the period 1180–1220 in the Swedish provinces of Uppland, Närke, Värmland, Östergötland and Öland, among others. As a measure of area in this sense, the ''attung'' remained longest in Östergötland and some of the Småland regions that also belonged to the Östgöta lagsaga (such as Kinda, Ydre, Tjust and Tveta).<ref name=":13" />
In a separate usage, the ''åtting'' was used in to mean one eighth of a large territorial unit such as a ''härad'' or ''fylke''.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":0" /><ref>''Dictionary of Old Norse Prose'', under [https://onp.ku.dk/onp/onp.php?o5613 2''áttungr''].</ref>
==As a unit of volume== As a unit of volume, an ''åtting'' was originally an eighth of a tun (Norwegian ''tønne''). The value of a tun itself varied across time and space.<ref name=":12">{{Citation |last=Hofstad |first=Knut |title=åtting |date=2024-11-26 |work=Store norske leksikon |url=https://snl.no/%C3%A5tting |access-date=2026-01-09 |language=no}}</ref>
In Norway, an ''åtting'' of fluids, butter or fish was equivalent to seventeen ''potter'' or, after 1824, 16.4 litres. An ''åtting'' of grain was equivalent to one eighth of a corn-tun (''korntønne'') or eighteen ''potter'' or, after 1824, 17,37 litres.<ref name=":12" /> In Sweden (and present-day Finland), a 1665 chart of weights and measures put the ''åtting'' at six ''kannor'' (jugs) or 15.7 litres.<ref name=":0">''Svenska Akademiens ordbok'', s.v. ''[https://www.saob.se/artikel/?unik=%C3%85_0211-0142.sSwo-0002 ÅTTING]''.</ref><ref>R. Klimpert: ''[https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Lexikon_der_M%C3%BCnzen_Masse_Gewichte_Z%C3%A4hl/Qfv6PYGh2PUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Lexikon+der+M%C3%BCnzen,+Ma%C3%9Fe,+Gewichte,+Z%C3%A4hlarten+und+Zeitgr%C3%B6ssen&pg=PR1&printsec=frontcover Lexikon der Münzen, Maße, Gewichte, Zählarten und Zeitgrössen].'' Verlag C. Regenhardt, Berlin 1896, p. 18.</ref>
== Other uses == In Oppdal in Norway, ''åtting'' could also refer to a small roll of chewing tobacco (half of a ''kvartrull'' or quarter-roll).<ref>Donali, Ingeborg (2007): ''Oppdaling. ord og uttrykk.'' Oppdal. ISBN 978-282-303-0956-8.</ref>
==See also== Barrel of land
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Units of volume Category:Units of area Category:Obsolete units of measurement