BentPotato

Malanggan Style

2005-04-05T00:14:00.000-07:00

Malanggan carvings take the form of friezes, masks, and sculpture,

Graebner, Fritz

2005-04-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

While a research assistant at the Royal Museum

La Guma, Alex

2005-03-31T04:03:00.000-08:00

La Guma was reared in a family active in the black liberation movement.

Obama, Barack, Jr.

2005-03-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

American politician who became the third African American, and the first African American male Democrat, to be elected to the U.S. Senate after the end of Reconstruction (1877). Obama's father, Barack Obama, Sr., was originally a goatherd in Kenya; he won a scholarship to study in the United States and eventually became a senior economist in the Kenyan

Kabir

2005-03-27T00:21:00.000-08:00

The birth of Kabir (Arabic: “Great”) remains to this day shrouded in mystery and legend. Authorities disagree

Leafbird

2005-03-26T09:03:00.000-08:00

Leafbirds are about 17 to 20 cm (6.5 to 8 inches) long. They live high up in the jungle canopy, feeding mainly on nectar, plus some insects and berries.

Avidius Cassius, Gaius

2005-03-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

The son of a high civil servant of the emperor Hadrian (ruled 117–138), Avidius directed operations in Rome's war against the Parthians (161–165). In 164–165 Avidius advanced into Mesopotamia and then sacked Ctesiphon, Parthia's capital, and Seleucia—both located in present-day central Iraq. Soon he was made commander of all Roman military

Wad Madani

2005-03-21T05:52:00.000-08:00

City, east-central Sudan. Wad Madani lies on the west bank of the Blue Nile, 85 miles (136 km) southeast of Khartoum, at an elevation of 1,348 feet (411 m). It owes its recent growth to the irrigated lands of the Jazirah (Gezira) irrigation scheme and is the commercial centre of the al-Jazirah cotton-growing area. Peanuts (groundnuts) and wheat are also grown in the area. The University of al-Jazirah

Wadi Halfa

2005-03-20T09:26:00.000-08:00

Town, extreme northern Sudan. It lies on the east bank of the Nile River 6 miles (10 km) below the Second Cataract, just south of the Egyptian border. Located within ancient Nubia, the town and its environs are rich in antiquities; the ruins of Buhen—an Egyptian colony of the Middle Kingdom period that existed until Roman times—lie across the river. A terminus of both railway

Scandinavian Literature, Icelandic literature

2005-03-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

The literary and linguistic renaissance in Iceland at the start of the 19th century was fostered by three men in particular: a philologist, Hallgrímur Scheving; a poet and lexicographer, Sveinbjörn Egilsson; and a philosopher and mathematician, Björn Gunnlaugsson. The principal movement in this renaissance was Romanticism. Inspired by the German philosopher Henrik

Berosus

2005-03-17T15:33:00.000-08:00

Chaldean priest of Bel in Babylon who wrote a work in three books (in Greek) on the history and culture of Babylonia; it was widely used by later Greek compilers, whose versions in turn were quoted by religious historians such as Eusebius and Josephus. Thus Berosus, though his work survives only in fragmentary

Hojo Tokimune

2005-03-17T07:42:00.000-08:00

Tokimune was 17 when he assumed the office of regent in 1268, the year that the Mongol conqueror of China, Kublai Khan, sent a message demanding that

Bradford, William

2005-03-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

As a boy in England, he was caught up in the fervour of the Protestant

Biblical Literature, The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men

2005-03-15T05:05:00.000-08:00

The first addition to Daniel (in Greek and Latin translations Dan. 3:24–68) contains the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men. These are the prayers of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, the three young men who praised God after they had been placed in the midst of the fiery furnace during a persecution of Jews in Babylon, as told in the Book of Daniel. The first prayer

Mountain

2005-03-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

Mountainous terrains have certain unifying characteristics. Such terrains have higher elevations than do surrounding areas. Moreover, high relief exists within mountain belts and ranges. Individual mountains, mountain ranges, and mountain belts that have been created by different tectonic processes, however, are often characterized by different

Koforidua

2005-03-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

Town, southeastern Ghana. It lies in the Densu River basin, near the southeastern base of the Kwahu Plateau. Koforidua is one of the country's oldest cocoa-producing centres. With the completion in 1923 of the Accra-Kumasi railway, it became an important road and rail junction. As cocoa production has moved westward to areas of virgin soil, Koforidua has become increasingly

Cartilage

2005-03-12T02:29:00.000-08:00

Dense connective tissue forming the skeleton of mammalian embryos before bone formation begins and persisting in parts of the human skeleton into adulthood. Cartilage is the only component of the skeletons of certain primitive vertebrates, including lampreys and sharks. It is composed of a dense network of collagen fibres embedded in a firm, gelatinous ground

Arguedas, José María

2005-03-10T06:32:00.000-08:00

Arguedas's father was an itinerant judge. His mother, from a locally prominent family, died when he was only three years old. He was raised in part by Quechua Indians and learned to speak Quechua

Addams, Jane

2005-03-10T05:05:00.000-08:00

Addams graduated from Rockford Female Seminary in Illinois in 1881 and was granted a degree the following

Kiev

2005-03-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

Ukrainian Kyyiv , Russian Kiyev chief city and capital of Ukraine and capital of Kiev oblast (province). A port on the Dnieper River and a large railroad junction, it is a city with an ancient and proud history. As the centre of Kievan Rus, the first eastern Slavic state, 1,000 years ago it acquired the title “Mother of Rus Cities.” It was severely damaged during World War II, but by the mid-1950s it was fully restored, and

Indigo

2005-03-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

Some species, particularly

Morocco, Transportation and communications

2005-03-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

Morocco's road network effectively integrates the country's diverse regions. Established during the colonial period, the network has been well maintained and gradually expanded ever since. The railway system connects the principal urban centres of the north, and new rail links, together with improved roads, are being established to El-Aaiún (Laâyoune) in Western

Pacific Islands

2005-03-05T22:20:00.000-08:00

Geographic region of the Pacific Ocean. The term is commonly accepted as including all of those islands in the Pacific that are collectively referred to as Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, also sometimes known as Oceania. This usage rules out the Australian island continent, the Asia-related Indonesian, Philippine, and Japanese archipelagoes, and the Ryukyu,

Mineral, Cyclosilicates

2005-03-05T18:13:00.000-08:00

Silicon-oxygen tetrahedrons are linked into rings in cyclosilicate structures, which have an overall Si:O ratio of 1:3. There are three closed cyclic configurations with the following formulas: Si3O9, Si4O12, and Si6O18. The rare titanosilicate benitoite (BaTiSi3O9) is the only mineral that is built with the simple Si3O9 ring. Axinite [(Ca, Fe, Mn)3Al2(BO3)(Si4O12)(OH)] contains Si4O12 rings, along with

Colchester

2005-03-03T22:41:00.000-08:00

As Camulodunum, the town of Colchester was the capital of the pre-Roman Belgic ruler Cunobelinus and is so named on his coins. Although burned in 60 CE during the rising of the British queen Boudicca, Colchester soon became one of the

Germanic Religion And Mythology, The gods

2005-03-01T11:33:00.000-08:00

Old Norse sources name a great number of deities. The evidence of place-names suggests that one cult succeeded another. Names, especially those in southeastern Norway and southern Sweden, suggest that there was once widespread worship of a god Ull (Ullr). Indeed, an early poem reports an oath on the ring of Ull, suggesting that he was once one of the highest gods, at least

Tivoli

2005-02-27T04:47:00.000-08:00

The park was opened in 1843 by the writer-architect

Integrator

2005-02-24T10:52:00.000-08:00

The earliest integrator was a mechanical instrument called the planimeter (q.v.). The illustration (top) shows a simple mechanical integrator of the disk-and-wheel variety,

Beyer, Absalon Pederssøn

2005-02-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

Born on a farm, Beyer was adopted by a bishop after the death of his parents and educated at the universities of Copenhagen and Wittenberg, where he studied under the famous Protestant Reformation scholar Philipp Melanchthon. Beyer was a lecturer at the Bergen Cathedral

Jakarta, The city layout

2005-02-18T04:21:00.000-08:00

Although the Dutch were the first to attempt to plan the city, the city layout is probably more British than Dutch in character, as can be seen from such large squares as the Medan Merdeka (“Freedom Field”) and Lapangan Banteng (meaning “place of the gaur [large wild ox]”). The Oriental style, or “indische” style, as the Dutch call it, is apparent not only in the city's way of life but

Katz, Sir Bernard

2005-02-16T22:29:00.000-08:00

German-born British biophysicist (b. March 26, 1911, Leipzig, Ger.—d. April 20, 2003, London, Eng.), shared (with American biochemist Julius Axelrod and Swedish physiologist Ulf von Euler) the 1970 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for discoveries concerning the chemistry of nerve transmission. Katz was singled out for his studies on the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and the mechanism

Gabardine

2005-02-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

Any of several varieties of worsted, cotton, silk, and mixed tightly woven fabrics, embodying certain features in common and chiefly made into suits and overcoats. It is a relatively strong and firm cloth, made with a twill weave, and somewhat resembling whipcord but of lighter texture. The weft, or filling, lies entirely at the back and is therefore not visible from the

Sicard, Roch-ambroise Cucurron, Abbé

2005-02-11T00:22:00.000-08:00

From 1786 to 1789, Sicard, an abbé, was principal of a Bordeaux school for deaf-mutes. He then succeeded Abbé de l'Epée in Paris. Although he long supported teaching deaf-mutes through sign language, Sicard turned to the oral method toward the end of his long career.

Roman Script

2005-02-08T07:04:00.000-08:00

Also called Antiqua Script, Italian Lettera Antica, in calligraphy, script based upon the clear, orderly Carolingian writing that Italian humanists mistook for the ancient Roman script used at the time of Cicero (1st century BC). They used the term roman to distinguish this supposedly classical style from black-letter and national hands. It was upon the model of antica, or roman, scripts that Renaissance scribes evolved

Euric

2005-02-07T04:19:00.000-08:00

Euric ascended the throne after assassinating his brother, King Theodoric II,

Italic Languages

2005-02-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

Fundamental works on Osco-Umbrian, most with selected texts, include Robert von Planta, Grammatik der oskisch-umbrischen Dialekte, 2 vol. (1892–97, reissued 1973); Carl Darling Buck, A Grammar of Oscan and Umbrian, new ed. (1928, reprinted 1995); Gino Bottiglioni, Manuale dei dialetti italici: Osco, Umbro, e dialetti minori (1954); A. Ernout, Le dialecte ombrien: lexique du vocabulaire des “Tables Eugubines” et des inscriptions (1961); and Gerhard Meiser, Lautgeschichte der umbrischen Sprache (1986). A detailed treatment of Paelignian, one of the central Oscan “minor dialects,” is Rafael Jiménez Zamudio, Estudio del dialecto peligno y su entorno lingüístico (1986). The most complete edition of Osco-Umbrian and Faliscan texts is Emil Vetter, Handbuch der italischen Dialekte, vol. 1, Texte mit Erklärung, Glossen, Wörterverzeichnis (1953); it is supplemented by Paolo Poccetti, Nuovi documenti italici (1979). Special studies of some of the more important Oscan texts include Annalisa Franchi De Bellis, Le iovile capuane (1981), and Il cippo abellano (1988). The most accurate text of the Iguvine Tables is found in Aldo L. Prosdocimi, Le tavole iguvine, vol. 1 (1984), with introduction and notes in Italian. Special studies of the Iguvine Tables include James Wilson Poultney, The Bronze Tables of Iguvium (1959); and Giacomo Devoto (ed.), Tabulae Iguvinae, rev. ed. (1940), in Latin. The authoritative edition of the South Picene texts is Anna Marinetti, Le iscrizioni sudpicene (1985– ); Ignacio-Javier Adiego Lajara, Protosabelio, osco-umbro, sudpiceno (1992), in Spanish, is also useful. A grammatical description of Faliscan with many of the texts is provided by Gabriella Giacomelli, La lingua falisca (1963). Similar treatment is given to Venetic in G.B. Pellegrini and Aldo L. Prosdocimi, La lingua venetica, 2 vol. (1967); Michel Lejeune, Manuel de la langue vénète (1974); and Giulia Fogolari et al., I Veneti antichi: lingua e cultura (1988). Important studies of onomastic material (so prominent in the Italic language texts) include, for Oscan, Michel Lejeune, L'anthroponymie osque (1976); and for Venetic, Michel Lejeune, Ateste à l'heure de la romanisation (étude anthroponymique) (1978); and Jürgen Untermann, Die venetischen Personennamen, 2 vol. (1961). Questions of ancient Italic poetics are treated in Calvert Watkins, How to Kill a Dragon: Aspects of Indo-European Poetics (1995), especially chapters 10 and 17–20.

Atlanta Campaign

2005-02-02T05:52:00.000-08:00

In the American Civil War, an important series of battles in Georgia (May–September 1864) that eventually cut off a main Confederate supply centre and influenced the Federal presidential election of 1864. By the end of 1863, with Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Vicksburg, Mississippi, firmly under the control of the North, Atlanta, an important Confederate

Leaning Tower Of Pisa

2005-02-01T00:37:00.000-08:00

Italian Torre Pendente di Pisa medieval structure in Pisa, Italy, that is famous for the settling of its foundations, which caused it to lean 5.5 degrees (about 15 feet [4.5 metres]) from the perpendicular by the late 20th century. The bell tower, begun in 1173 as the third and final structure of the city's cathedral complex, was designed to stand 185 feet (56 metres) high and was constructed of white marble. Three of its eight stories

Philemon And Baucis

2005-01-30T07:48:00.000-08:00

In Greek mythology, a pious Phrygian couple who hospitably received Zeus and Hermes when their richer neighbours turned away the two gods, who were disguised as wayfarers. As a reward, they were saved from a flood that drowned the rest of the country; their cottage was turned into a temple, and at their own request they became priest and priestess of it. Long after, they

Raynaud's Disease

2005-01-28T22:53:00.000-08:00

Disease, occurring primarily in young women, in which spasms in the arteries to the fingers cause the fingertips of both hands to become first pale and then cyanotic—bluish—upon exposure to cold or in response to emotion. Often the fingertips become cold and numb and perspire. The fingers may ache and move awkwardly. If the attack is prolonged, the rest of the hands and

Baseball

2005-01-25T05:50:00.000-08:00

Robert Verdi

Wolf

2005-01-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

The gray wolf has a larger natural

Dietz, Howard

2005-01-21T18:44:00.000-08:00

After graduating from Columbia University in 1917, Dietz joined the Philip Goodman Advertising Agency, where he was assigned to devise a trademark for Goldwyn Pictures. Dietz used Columbia's lion mascot as an inspiration for the Goldwyn studio's “roaring lion” trademark, which thereafter

Kerogen

2005-01-19T03:08:00.000-08:00

Complex mixture of compounds with large molecules containing mainly hydrogen and carbon but also oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. It is the organic component of oil shales, hence their alternative names of kerogen shales or kerogenites. Kerogen is insoluble in water; upon heating, it breaks down into recoverable gaseous and liquid substances resembling petroleum.

Seven Against Thebes

2005-01-18T14:16:00.000-08:00

In Greek mythology, the seven champions who were killed fighting against Thebes after the fall of Oedipus, the king of that city. The twins Eteocles and Polyneices, who had been cursed by their father, Oedipus, failed to agree on which of them was to succeed to the Theban throne and decided to rule in alternate years. As Eteocles' turn came first, Polyneices withdrew to

Gisborne

2005-01-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

City (“district”) and port on Poverty Bay, Gisborne unitary authority, east coast of North Island, New Zealand. The city is located where the Waimata and Taruheru rivers join to form the Turanganui. It was the first area in New Zealand visited (1769) by Captain James Cook. It received its first permanent European settlers in 1852 and was surveyed in 1870 and given the name Gisborne for then

Lens

2005-01-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

In optics, piece of glass or other transparent substance that is used to form an image of an object by focusing rays of light from the object. A lens is a piece of transparent material, usually circular in shape, with two polished surfaces, either or both of which is curved and may be either convex (bulging) or concave (depressed). The curves are almost always spherical, i.e.,

Arduino, Giovanni

2005-01-11T05:21:00.000-08:00

From an early age, Arduino showed an interest in mining, establishing a reputation throughout northern Italy

Ancud

2005-01-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

Town and commune in Los Lagos región, Chiloé provincia, southern Chile. It lies on the northern coast of Chiloé Island, across the Straits of Chacao from the mainland. Founded in 1769 as San Carlos de Ancud, it was one of the last strongholds of royalist forces during Chile's struggle for independence from Spain in the first quarter of the 19th century. It was the provincial capital

Mardaïte

2005-01-08T04:05:00.000-08:00

Arabic Jurjumani, plural Jarajima, member of a Christian people of northern Syria, employed as soldiers by Byzantine emperors. The Mardaïtes inhabited the Amanus (Gavur) Mountains, in the modern Turkish province of Hatay, the 7th-century borderland between Byzantine and Muslim territory. In the period 660–680, allied with the Byzantine emperor Constantine IV, the Mardaïtes pushed southward into Arab-occupied

Dome

2005-01-06T16:03:00.000-08:00

In architecture, hemispherical structure evolved from the arch, usually forming a ceiling or roof. Domes first appeared as solid mounds and in techniques adaptable only to the smallest buildings, such as round huts and tombs in the ancient Middle East, India, and the Mediterranean. The Romans introduced the large-scale masonry hemisphere. The dome exerts thrusts

Aristotle, Third period: founding and directing of the Lyceum

2005-01-03T02:33:00.000-08:00

Aristotle remained in Stagira until 335, when, nearing 50 years of age, he once again returned to Athens. At this time the presidency of the Academy became vacant by the death of Speusippus, and Xenocrates of Chalcedon, his old associate in biological research, was elected to the post. Although Aristotle appears never to have wholly severed his links with the Academy, he nonetheless

Cinchona

2005-01-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

Four species of Cinchona were cultivated for many years, primarily in Java and also in India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Their bark was processed to obtain quinine, which is

Mindanao

2004-12-30T18:30:00.000-08:00

Ovary

2004-12-29T03:24:00.000-08:00

A simple or unicarpellate ovary is formed from a single carpel, an evolutionarily modified leaf. It has one chamber (locule), within

India, Regional states, c. 17001850

2004-12-27T21:42:00.000-08:00

The states that arose in India during the phase of Mughal decline and the following century (roughly 1700 to 1850) varied greatly in terms of resources, longevity, and essential character. Some of them—such as Avadh (Ayodhya) in the north or Hyderabad in the south—were located in areas that had harboured regional states in the immediate pre-Mughal period and thus could hark back

Trichogrammatid

2004-12-25T18:23:00.000-08:00

Any of the tiny parasitic chalcid insects of the family Trichogrammatidae (order Hymenoptera), particularly those of the genus Trichogramma. Adults of Trichogramma species are less than one millimetre long, with pear-shaped wings having a single vein and fringing hairs; the three-segmented tarsi are distinctive. Trichogramma larvae parasitize the eggs of moths

Papuan Languages

2004-12-22T04:54:00.000-08:00

Group of languages spoken in an area centred upon New Guinea and extending from the islands of Alor, Halmahera, and Timor in the west to the Santa Cruz Archipelago in the east. The Papuan languages include approximately 740 languages, used by about 3,000,000 speakers. The term Papuan was originally employed merely to distinguish these languages from the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian)

Hardee, William J(oseph)

2004-12-21T23:13:00.000-08:00

When Georgia seceded from the Union in

Venda

2004-12-19T11:50:00.000-08:00

Former republic (though never internationally recognized as such) in southern Africa. It consisted of an enclave within the Transvaal, Republic of South Africa, just south of Zimbabwe. Its capital, formerly at Sibasa, was moved to Thohoyandou when Venda was declared independent in 1979. Venda shared a boundary to the southeast with what was then the non-independent black

Giorgione

2004-12-17T00:41:00.000-08:00

Also called Giorgio Da Castelfranco , original name Giorgio Barbarelli extremely influential Italian painter who was one of the initiators of a High Renaissance style in Venetian art. His qualities of mood and mystery were epitomized in “The Tempest” (c. 1505), an evocative pastoral scene, which was among the first of its genre in Venetian painting.

Ha'aretz

2004-12-14T11:15:00.000-08:00

Khoei, Abolqasem Al-

2004-12-12T03:31:00.000-08:00

Khoei studied Persian poetry and religion as a child. At age 13 he was sent to study Islamic law (Shari'ah) at Al-Najaf, where he remained and became one of the most important Shi'ite clerics of his day,

Racine

2004-12-11T21:56:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1836) of Racine county, southeastern Wisconsin, U.S. It lies along Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River, just south of Milwaukee. Founded in 1834 as Port Gilbert by a lake captain, Gilbert Knapp, in 1837 it adopted its present name, which was derived either from the French word for “root” or from the Algonkian pakwasewin, meaning “a place where wild rice is gathered.” The improvement

Aquaculture

2004-12-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

Fish may be confined in earth ponds, concrete pools, barricaded coastal waters, or cages suspended in open water. In these enclosures, the fish can be supplied

Babbitt, Isaac

2004-12-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

Trained as a goldsmith, Babbitt made the first britannia ware in the United States (1824) to compete with imports of utensils manufactured from this tin-based alloy, which was similar to pewter and then very popular. Ten years later he went to Boston

Earth, The Earth's magnetic field

2004-12-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

Brief surveys are Sydney Chapman, The Earth's Magnetism, 2nd ed. rev. (1951, reprinted 1961); and J.A. Jacobs, The Earth's Core and Geomagnetism (1963), and Reversals of the Earth's Magnetic Field (1984). For more in-depth coverage, consult Sydney Chapman and Julius Bartels, Geomagnetism, vol. 1, Geomagnetic and Related Phenomena (1940, reprinted 1962); George D. Garland, Introduction to Geophysics: Mantle, Core and Crust, 2nd ed. (1979), an informative overview; S. Matsushita, “Solar Quiet and Lunar Daily Variation Fields,” ch. III-1 in S. Matsushita and Wallace H. Campbell, Physics of Geomagnetic Phenomena, vol. 1 (1967), pp. 301–424, an extensive treatment; Ronald T. Merrill and Michael W. McElhinny, The Earth's Magnetic Field: Its History, Origin, and Planetary Perspective (1983), an attempt to bridge the gap between dynamo theory and paleomagnetology; W.D. Parkinson, Introduction to Geomagnetism (1983), a logical, systematic, and highly readable treatment; and S.K. Runcorn, K.M. Creer, and J.A. Jacobs (eds.), The Earth's Core: Its Structure, Evolution, and Magnetic Field (1982), an excellent introduction to the modern literature on the topic. See also S.J. Peale, “Consequences of Tidal Evolution,” ch. 12 in Margaret G. Kivelson (ed.), The Solar System: Observations and Interpretations (1986), pp. 275–288; and K.A. Wienert, Notes on Geomagnetic Observatory and Survey Practice (1970), an explanation of the basic principles of geomagnetic survey techniques.

Marsaxlokk

2004-12-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

Also called Marsa Scirocco, village, southeastern Malta. It lies along Marsaxlokk Bay, southeast of Valletta. It was the first landing place and anchorage of the Turkish fleet in the Great Siege of Malta in 1565. A fortress (now housing the marine sciences laboratory of the University of Malta) was built there in the early 17th century, and its garrison drove off a later Turkish landing attempt in 1614. There

Iapetus

2004-11-29T00:53:00.000-08:00

Exterior moon in the Saturn system, extraordinary because of its surface markings. Discovered by Gian Domenico Cassini in 1671, Iapetus orbits Saturn once every 79.33 Earth days at a distance of 3,561,000 km (2,212,800 miles). The satellite's radius and mass are, respectively, 730 ± 10 km (454 ± 6 miles) and 1.88 ± 0.12 ´ 1024 grams, implying a bulk density of 1.16 ± 0.09 grams per cubic centimetre. A solid object with so low a density must be composed

Painting, Western, Late Gothic

2004-11-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

The key to much 15th-century painting in northern Europe lies in the Low Countries. The influence of Paris and Dijon decreased, partly because of the renewal of the Hundred Years' War between England and France and partly because of the removal of the Burgundian court, after the mid-1420s, from Dijon to Brussels, which subsequently became the centre of an extensive court

Lusatian Mountains

2004-11-25T07:02:00.000-08:00

Czech Luzické Hory , German Lausitzer Gebirge mountain group, situated in extreme northern Bohemia, Czech Republic; it is part of the Sudeten mountains (Czech: Sudety). The group extends from the Ješted ridge in the east (3,320 feet [1,012 m]) to the gorge of the Elbe (Labe) River at Decín in the west and also into Poland and Germany. Sandstone is the group's most common constituent rock, but there are also volcanic rock formations in conical

'adud Ad-dawlah

2004-11-22T19:25:00.000-08:00

Becoming ruler of Fars province in southern Iran in 944, 'Adud ad-Dawlah did not actually reign on his own until almost a decade later. But by 979 his authority extended, through inheritance and conquest, over all southern Iran and most of what is now Iraq. He became famous for his public works, which included a dam still standing near

Magnus V Erlingsson

2004-11-21T07:10:00.000-08:00

The son of Erling the Crooked, Magnus became king in 1162 when his supporters, led by his father, defeated the forces of the incumbent king, Haakon II Sigurdsson.

Cranbrook Academy Of Art

2004-11-19T16:12:00.000-08:00

Private, coeducational institution of higher learning in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., U.S. The school and its associated museum were designed largely by Finnish-American architect Eliel Saarinen. Cranbrook Academy of Art is devoted solely to graduate study in the arts, offering master's degree programs in fine arts and architecture. Areas of study include architecture,

Lear, William P(owell)

2004-11-17T06:02:00.000-08:00

The child of immigrant parents

Baratieri, Oreste

2004-11-14T22:36:00.000-08:00

Baratieri had been a volunteer for Giuseppe Garibaldi, the popular hero of Italian unification, serving

Pacific Ocean, Deepwater circulation

2004-11-13T23:24:00.000-08:00

It appears that the most important influence on the vertical circulation of the Pacific is the cold water generated around the Antarctic continent. This dense circumpolar

Trade Fair

2004-11-10T05:22:00.000-08:00

Temporary market organized to promote trade, where buyers and sellers gather to transact business. Trade fairs are organized at regular intervals, generally at the same location and period of the year, and usually last for several weeks. Such fairs assumed an increasingly important role in international trade during the 20th century. This was particularly evident

Póros

2004-11-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

Island of the Saronic group, lying close to the Argolis peninsula of the Peloponnese, part of the nomós (department) of Attikí, Greece. It actually comprises two islands totaling 9 square miles (23 square km), the larger of which is the wooded, limestone island of Kalávria, separated from the village of Galatás on the mainland by a narrow channel, or poros, whence the collective

Rimsky-korsakov, Nikolay

2004-11-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

In full Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov Russian composer, teacher, and editor who was at his best in descriptive orchestrations suggesting a mood or a place.

World Water Crisis: Is There A Way Out?

2004-11-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

On the face of it, the current water crisis as presented by the UN is a classic Malthusian dilemma: a geometrically expanding population will soon meet the limits of a fixed supply of water. Yet Malthusian predictions of famine and other catastrophes have been made since the principle was first enunciated in 1798, and no such prediction has ever come true. Take the UN's claim

Alisar Hüyük

2004-11-03T03:01:00.000-08:00

Site of an ancient Anatolian town southeast of Bogazköy in central Turkey. Thorough and extensive excavations there by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (1927–32) were the first systematic stratigraphic investigations on the Anatolian plateau. In the long succession of strata revealed at Alisar Hüyük—from Chalcolithic (c. 4000–c. 2600 BC) to Phrygian (c. 1200– c. 700 BC)—the only era

Smith, Hoke

2004-10-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

Admitted to the bar in 1873, Smith practiced law in Atlanta and became active in local Democratic politics. He published the Atlanta Journal (1887–1900), which he used as a forum to champion virtually all progressive measures of the period, with the notable exception

Jefferson, Thomas, Life at Monticello

2004-10-30T04:23:00.000-07:00

The domestic context at Monticello is the subject of several important books. Sarah N. Randolph, The Domestic Life of Thomas Jefferson (1871, reprinted 1978), provides an affectionate portrait by his descendants. Jack McLaughlin, Jefferson and Monticello: The Biography of a Builder (1988, reissued 1990), goes beyond architectural issues to explore the daily lives of all the residents on the mountain. Elizabeth Langhorne, Monticello: A Family Story (1987, reissued 1989), focuses on the white residents. Edwin Morris Betts (ed.), Thomas Jefferson's Farm Book (1953, reprinted 1987), reproduces Jefferson's plantation records. Susan R. Stein, The Worlds of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello (1993), recovers the material objects Jefferson gathered inside the mansion. Merrill D. Peterson (ed.), Visitors to Monticello (1989), reproduces the accounts of firsthand observers.

Beke, Charles Tilstone

2004-10-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

After beginning a business career (1820), Beke turned to the study of law. His interest in ancient and biblical history led him to publish Origines

Clouet, François

2004-10-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

The son of Jean Clouet, he was known also under his father's byname, Janet, a circumstance that created a persistent confusion between the works of these two painters. François worked with Jean possibly as early as 1536 and replaced him in 1540 as official painter

Haarlem

2004-10-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

Gemeente (commune) and capital, Noord-Holland provincie, western Netherlands. It lies along the Spaarne River, 4.5 miles (7 km) from the North Sea, just west of Amsterdam. Haarlem was mentioned in the 10th century and by the 12th century had become a fortified town and the residence of the counts of Holland. It was chartered in 1245 and was ravaged in 1346 and 1351 during the civil wars in Holland.

Coleus

2004-10-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

Bush coleus (C.

Turban Shell

2004-10-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

Any marine snail of the family Turbinidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class Gastropoda) that has a wide aperture in the first whorl of the stout shell, which is topped by a bulbous, turbanlike coil. The shell may be beaded, knobbed, or ridged. The largest species of turban shell is the 20-centimetre (8-inch) green turban (Turbo marmoratus), native to the East Indies and Australia;

Torgau

2004-10-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

City, Saxony Land (state), eastern Germany. It is a port on the Elbe River, northeast of Leipzig. First mentioned in 973 and chartered in 1255–67, it was, after 1456, a frequent residence of the electors of Saxony, who built the Hartenfels Castle (1533–44 and 1616–23; now a museum). In 1526 the Torgauer Bund, a league of evangelical princes against the Roman Catholic princes, was formed there. During that period Martin

Adams Family

2004-10-16T14:44:00.000-07:00

Established in America by Henry Adams, who emigrated from England to Massachusetts Bay Colony about 1636, the family made no special mark until the time of John Adams (1735–1826). Perhaps the most profound political

Chatelaine

2004-10-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Ornament, used by both men and women and usually fastened to belt or pocket, with chains bearing hooks on which to hang small articles such as watches, keys, seals, writing tablets, scissors, and purses. The word chatelaine is derived from a word meaning the keeper of a castle, thus the person entrusted with the keys. During the 18th century, chatelaines were particularly

Anambra

2004-10-12T23:02:00.000-07:00

Anambra is bounded by the states of Kogi on the north, Enugu on the east, Abia on the southeast, Imo and Rivers on the south, and Delta and Edo on the

Scotland, Daily life and social customs

2004-10-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

Although bagpipes have ancient origins elsewhere and are found throughout the world, they are one of the most recognized symbols of Scottish culture. By the 16th century, various clans had established hereditary pipers, and later the instrument was used in wartime to inflame the passions of soldiers in battle. The form of the kilt, Scotland's national costume, has evolved

Irigaray, Luce

2004-10-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Irigaray was a member of the Freudian School of Paris, founded by Jacques Lacan, and taught at the University of Paris VIII-Vincennes from 1968 until she was dismissed in 1974 because of her doctoral thesis. Entitled Speculum de l'autre femme (Speculum

Heidelberg Romantics

2004-10-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

Poets of the second phase of Romanticism in Germany, who were centred in Heidelberg about 1806. Their leaders were Clemens Brentano, Achim von Arnim, and Joseph von Görres; their brief-lived organ was the Zeitung für Einsiedler (1808). The most characteristic production of this school was the collection of folk songs entitled Des Knaben Wunderhorn (1805–08; “The Boy's Magic Horn”). Compared

Mesopotamia, History Of, Adad-nirari III and his successors

2004-10-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

Shamshi-Adad V died while Adad-nirari III (810–783) was still a minor. His Babylonian mother, Sammu-ramat, took over the regency, governing with great energy until 806. The Greeks, who called her Semiramis, credited her with legendary accomplishments, but historically little is known about her. Adad-nirari later led several campaigns against the Medes and also against Syria and

Marennes

2004-10-01T02:15:00.000-07:00

Popular edible variety of oyster (q.v.).

Italianate Painters

2004-09-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

Group of 17th-century northern European painters, principally Dutch, who traveled in Italy and, consciously adopting the style of landscape painting that they found there, incorporated Italian models and motifs into their own works. Chief among the Italianates were Bartholomeus Breenbergh, Andries and Jan Both, Nicolaes Berchem, and Jan Asselijn. The Both brothers,

Indo-gangetic Plain

2004-09-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

Also called North Indian Plain, extensive north-central section of the Indian subcontinent, stretching westward from (and including) the Brahmaputra River valley and the Ganges Delta to the Indus River valley. The region contains the subcontinent's richest and most densely populated areas. The greater part of the plain is made up of alluvial soil, deposited by the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers