David
I must disagree about about the use of "graduated measuring devices" which in your view are not used but story poles can be just that. The story poles whether stepped off or divided are graduated devices of the builder. Modularity of measurement has been with us a very long time.
How does this world foundational story make sense without devices of measurement?
14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
15And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits
