Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Arabah or Araba both: äˈräbä, ărˈəbə [key], depression, on the Israel-Jordan border, extending c.100 mi (160 km) from the Dead Sea S to the Gulf of Aqaba; part of the Great Rift Valley complex...

(Encyclopedia) Zaretan zärˈthăn [key], in the Bible, unlocated place in the valley of the Jordan, associated with the crossing of the Jews. Variants, all probably referring to the same place, are Zartanah, Zereda...

(Encyclopedia) Utah Lake, c.145 sq mi (380 sq km), N central Utah; largest freshwater lake in the state. It drains through the Jordan River to the Great Salt Lake. Utah Lake is what remains of the prehistoric Lake B...

(Encyclopedia) Longchamp, William of lôngˈshămp, lôNshäNˈ [key], d. 1197, chancellor and justiciar of England, bishop of Ely. After service with Geoffrey, duke of Brittany, he joined Richard (later Richard I) ...

(Encyclopedia) Walter, Hubert, d. 1205, English archbishop and statesman. He was clerk to his uncle, Ranulf de Glanvill, and in 1186 he was made dean of York. In 1189 he was appointed bishop of Salisbury, and he acc...

(Encyclopedia) Mortimer, Roger de, 4th earl of March and 2d earl of Ulster, 1374–98, English nobleman. He succeeded (1381) his father, Edmund de Mortimer, 3d earl of March, and was brought up as a royal ward. In 1...

(Encyclopedia) Maan məänˈ [key], town (1996 est. pop. 18,000), S Jordan. It is the terminus of the country's main rail line (which extends to Damascus, Syria) and carries on trade in agricultural produce. Importa...

(Encyclopedia) Decapolis dēkăpˈəlĭs [key] [Gr.,=ten cities], confederacy of 10 ancient cities, all E of the Jordan, except Scythopolis. The others were (according to Pliny) Dion, Pella, Gadara, Hippos, Gerasa, ...

(Encyclopedia) Gadara gădˈərə [key], ancient city of the Decapolis, the modern Umm Qays (Jordan), SE of the Sea of Galilee. Extensive ruins mark the site. This Gadara must be distinguished from Gadara, the capit...

(Encyclopedia) Aqaba, Gulf of, northeastern arm of the Red Sea, 118 mi (190 km) long and 10 to 15 mi (16.1 to 24.1 km) wide, between the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas; a part of the Great Rift Valley. The gulf, which...