Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Skíros sīˈrəs [key], island (1991 pop. 2,901), c.80 sq mi (210 sq km), E Greece, in the Aegean Sea, largest of the N Sporades. It is a summer resort noted for its fine beaches and grottoes. Skíro...

(Encyclopedia) bestiary bĕsˈchēĕrˌē [key], a type of medieval book that was widely popular, particularly from the 12th to 14th cent. The bestiary presumed to describe the animals of the world and to show what ...

(Encyclopedia) Mercator, Gerardus gārˈhärt krāˈmər [key], 1512–94, Flemish geographer, mathematician, and cartographer. He studied in Louvain, where he had a geographical establishment (1534). From 1537 to 1...

(Encyclopedia)  Dynasties of Ancient Egypt Old Kingdom (or Old Empire) First Intermediate Period Middle Kingdom (or Middle Empire) Second Intermediate Period New Kingdom (or New Empire) ...

(Encyclopedia) Greek language, member of the Indo-European family of languages (see Indo-European). It is the language of one of the major civilizations of the world and of one of the greatest literatures of all tim...

(Encyclopedia) Southampton, city and unitary authority (2011 pop. 236,882), S England, at the head of Southampton Water. Southampton is Britain's second largest port. The London-Southampton railway, finished in 1840...

(Encyclopedia) navy, originally, all ships of a nation, whether for war or commerce; the term navy now designates only such vessels as are built and maintained specifically for war. There have been three major devel...

(Encyclopedia) physical education and training, organized instruction in motor activities that contribute to the physical growth, health, and body image of the individual. The historical roots of physical education ...

(Encyclopedia) resurrection rĕzˌərĕkˈshən [key] [Lat.,=rising again], arising again from death to life. The emergence of Jesus from the tomb to live on earth again for 40 days as told in the Gospels has been f...

(Encyclopedia) Beersheba bērshēˈbə, bērˈshēbə [key] [Heb.,=seven wells or well of the oath],...