According to Georges Jean(1992, p. 12), standardised writing 'cannot be said to exist until there is an agreed upon repertoire of formal signs or symbols that can be used to reproduce clearly the thoughts and feelings'of those utilising them hope to put forth. Although writing's origins may be traced back to the renowned French cave paintings (said to be about 20,000 years old)in Lascaux, it is, ostensibly, the passing of nearly 17 millennia which would be require ...

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Chirography, Chirography - Brief History, Chirography - Modern Chirography, Chirography - Sources

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This period is conjectured to start sometime after 1800 BC and end sometime before 1000 BC. In this period (in which can be included the promise made to Abraham, centuries earlier, and its recall by Nehemias half a millennium later), the Hittites are mentioned about a dozen times as part of an almost fixed formula that lists the "seven nations greater and mightier than [the Hebrews]" whose lands will be eventually conquered. Five other "major nations" are mentioned in almost all instances of the formula: Canaanites, Amorites, Hivites, Jebusi ...

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Hittites in the Bible, Hittites in the Bible - Source and ordering of citations, Hittites in the Bible - From Noah to Abraham, Hittites in the Bible - Noah, Hittites in the Bible - From Abraham to Egypt, Hittites in the Bible - Abraham, Hittites in the Bible - Esau and Jacob, Hittites in the Bible - Joseph, Hittites in the Bible - Exodus and the conquest of Canaan, Hittites in the Bible - Abraham's covenant, Hittites in the Bible - Moses, Hittites in the Bible - Joshua, Hittites in the Bible - Judges, Hittites in the Bible - Kingdoms period, Hittites in the Bible - Saul, Hittites in the Bible - David, Hittites in the Bible - Solomon, Hittites in the Bible - Elisha, Hittites in the Bible - Babylonian exile and return, Hittites in the Bible - Ezekiel, Hittites in the Bible - Ezra, Hittites in the Bible - Books

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Scarabs featured prominently in Egyptian art and Egyptian mythology. The scarab was considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians because they believed that in its rolling dung balls around, it mirrored the way the great god Ra — or his avatar Khepri, himself depicted as a scarab — rolled the sun across the sky each day. Because of its additional habit of laying its eggs in animal dung and the bodies of dead animals, the scarab was also associated with rebirth, renewal and resurrecti ...

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Scarab beetle, Scarab beetle - The Scarabs of Ancient Egypt, Scarab beetle - Gallery

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The Egyptian sphinx is an ancient iconic mythical creature usually comprised of a recumbent lion – an animal with sacred solar associations – with a human head, usually that of a pharaoh. Main article:Great Sphinx of Giza. The largest and most famous is the Great Sphinx of Giza , sited on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile River, facing due east, with a small temple between its paws. The face of the Great Sphinx is believed to be the head of the pharaoh Khafra (often known by the Hellen ...

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Sphinx, Sphinx - Egyptian sphinx, Sphinx - Greek Sphinx, Sphinx - Similar creatures, Sphinx - Mannerist Sphinx, Sphinx - 19th century and symbolism

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During the era of the Trojan War, the Hellenes were a relatively small but vigorous tribe settled in Thessalic Phthia, centralized along the settlements of Alos, Alope, Trehine, and Pelasgian Argos.[2] Various etymologies have been proposed for the word Hellene, but none are widely accepted. These include Sal (to pray), ell (mountainous) and sel (illuminate). A more recent study traces the name to a city named Hellas next to ...

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Names of the Greeks, Names of the Greeks - General Names of Greece, Names of the Greeks - Achaeans Αχαιοί, Names of the Greeks - Hellenes Έλληνες, Names of the Greeks - Hellenes and barbarians, Names of the Greeks - Greeks Γραικοί Yunani Ίωνες and Yavan יָוָן, Names of the Greeks - Hellene comes to mean pagan, Names of the Greeks - Romans Ρωμαίοι and Romioi Ρωμιοί, Names of the Greeks - Byzantines Βυζαντινοί, Names of the Greeks - Revival in the meaning of Hellene, Names of the Greeks - Hellenic continuity and Byzantine consciousness, Names of the Greeks - Contest between Hellene Roman and Greek, Names of the Greeks - Bibliography, Names of the Greeks - In English, Names of the Greeks - In other languages

Read more here: » Names of the Greeks: Encyclopedia II - Names of the Greeks - Hellenes Έλληνες

The custom of sending greeting cards can be traced back to the ancient Chinese, who exchanged messages of good will to celebrate the New Year, and to the early Egyptians, who conveyed their greetings on papyrus scrolls. By the early 1400s, handmade paper greeting cards were being exchanged in Europe. The Germans are known to have printed New Year's greetings from woodcuts as early as 1400, and handmade paper Valentines were being exchanged i ...

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Cardmaking, Cardmaking - History of Cardmaking

Read more here: » Cardmaking: Encyclopedia II - Cardmaking - History of Cardmaking

History of astrology - Western astrology's Babylonian origins. The history of western astrology can now be traced back to ancient Babylonia, and indeed to the earliest phases of Babylonian history, i.e. to about 3000 B.C. In Babylonia as well as in Assyria as a direct offshoot of Babylonian culture (or as we might also term it "Euphratean" culture), astrology takes its place in the official cult as one of the two chief means at the disposal of the priests (who were called bare or "inspectors") for ascertaining the will and intention of the gods, the other being through the inspection of ...

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History of astrology, History of astrology - Overview, History of astrology - History, History of astrology - Western astrology's Babylonian origins, History of astrology - The spread of astrology from Babylonia, History of astrology - Greek and Egyptian contributions to astrology, History of astrology - Medieval and Renaissance astrology, History of astrology - Astrology's 20th century expansion, History of astrology - Astrology in the Jewish community, History of astrology - Noted predictions, History of astrology - Historical proponents of astrology, History of astrology - Historical opponents of astrology, History of astrology - Other miscellany

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Upon the death of Baldwin I in 1118, the crown was offered to the king's elder brother Eustace III, but Joscelin of Courtenay insisted that the crown pass to Baldwin of Bourcq, despite Count Baldwin having exiled Joscelin from Edessa in 1113. Baldwin of Edessa accepted and was crowned king of Jerusalem as Baldwin II on Easter Sunday, April 14, 1118. Almost immediately, the kingdom was simultaneously invaded by the Seljuks from Syria and the Fatimids from Egypt, although by showing himself ready and willing to defend his territory, Baldwin fo ...

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Baldwin II of Jerusalem, Baldwin II of Jerusalem - Ancestry, Baldwin II of Jerusalem - Count of Edessa, Baldwin II of Jerusalem - King of Jerusalem, Baldwin II of Jerusalem - Succession, Baldwin II of Jerusalem - Sources

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Early interpretations of the Bible led many Western scholars to believe that all of humanity was descended from Noah. Chapters 9 and 10 of the Book of Genesis deal with the branching off and splitting up of Noah's sons into the world, this is open to interpretation, but the name of Cush, Ham's eldest son, means 'black' in Hebrew. Noah curses Ham and Canaan, Cush's brother, saying that he and his descendants would be a "servant of servants". Hebrew scholars used this passage to justify the Israelite subjugation of Canaan. These scholars, working around the 6th century AD, introduced the ...

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Hamitic, Hamitic - Earlier uses of the term, Hamitic - Post-Egyptian use, Hamitic - Hamitic theory as an ideology within colonialism, Hamitic - Hamitic theory in Rwanda, Hamitic - Hamitic theory today

Read more here: » Hamitic: Encyclopedia II - Hamitic - Earlier uses of the term

Many members of the dog family can interbreed to produce fertile offspring. Molecular analysis indicates 4 divisions of canids: Wolf-like canids including the domestic dog, gray wolves, coyotes, and jackals The South American canids Old and New World red-foxlike canids, for example, red foxes and kit foxes Monotypic species, for example, bat-eared fox and raccoon dog The wolf, coyote, jackal, and domestic dog (including the dingo) all have 78 chromosomes arranged in 39 pairs. This ...

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Canid hybrid, Canid hybrid - Canid interfertility, Canid hybrid - Wolf-dogs, Canid hybrid - Dox, Canid hybrid - Coy-dog, Canid hybrid - Coy-Dingo, Canid hybrid - Dingo hybrids, Canid hybrid - Dogote, Canid hybrid - Coy-wolf, Canid hybrid - Jackal hybrids

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The first T-54 was built in 1945, replaced the T-44 in production from 1947 as a result of a WWII project. At the time it was better armed and armoured than its Western counterparts, the British Centurion and the American M26 Pershing. The T-54 was redesigned in 1958 as the T-55, with a thicker turret casting, more powerful engine, and NBC protection. Production continued until 1981 in the Soviet Union. It was also produced in Czechoslovakia, Poland and in China as the Type 59, later redesigned as the Type 69; the Type 69 is still man ...

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T-55, T-55 - Production history, T-55 - Variants, T-55 - Combat history

Read more here: » T-55: Encyclopedia II - T-55 - Production history

Sramana - Nicolaus of Damascus c.10 CE. Nicolaus of Damascus is famous for his account of an embassy sent by an Indian king "named Pandion (Pandyan kingdom?) or, according to others, Porus" to Caesar Augustus around 13 CE. He met with the embassy at Antioch. The embassy was bearing a diplomatic letter in Greek, and one of its members was a sramana ("Σαρμανο") who burnt himself alive in Athens to demonstrate his faith. The event made a sensation and was quoted by StraboSee also:

Sramana, Sramana - Etymology, Sramana - Sramana Movement, Sramana - Sramana Teachings and Schools, Sramana - Sramanas in Western litterature, Sramana - Nicolaus of Damascus c.10 CE, Sramana - Clement of Alexandria 150-211, Sramana - Porphyry 233-305, Sramana - Notes

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The red, fiery appearance of Mars is caused by iron oxide (rust) on its surface. Mars has only a quarter the surface area of the Earth and only one-tenth the mass, though its surface area is approximately equal to that of the Earth's dry land because Mars lacks oceans. The solar day (or sol) on Mars is very close to Earth's day: 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 35.244 seconds. Mars - Atmosphere. Mars' atmosphere is thin: the air pressure on the surface is only 750 pascals, about 0.75% of the average on Ear ...

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Mars, Mars - Mythology, Mars - Physical characteristics, Mars - Atmosphere, Mars - Geology, Mars - Topography, Mars - Canals, Mars - Ice patches, Mars - The moons of Mars, Mars - The exploration of Mars, Mars - Nomenclature, Mars - Early nomenclature, Mars - Modern nomenclature, Mars - Observation of Mars, Mars - Martian meteorites, Mars - Life on Mars, Mars - The Mars flag, Mars - Mars in fiction

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According to the actual meaning of the terms ante meridiem (am) and post meridiem (pm), as well as standards bodies such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the United States, 12:00 or noon (another word for meridiem) is neither am nor See also:

12-hour clock, 12-hour clock - Ambiguity at noon and midnight, 12-hour clock - Typography, 12-hour clock - Pronunciation, 12-hour clock - Criticism, 12-hour clock - History

Read more here: » 12-hour clock: Encyclopedia II - 12-hour clock - Ambiguity at noon and midnight

‘Ashtart was connected with fertility, sexuality, and war. Her symbols were the lion, the horse, the sphinx, the dove, and a star within a circle indicating the planet Venus. Pictorial representations often show her naked. ‘Ashtart was accepted by the Greeks under the name of Aphrodite. The island of Cyprus, one of ‘Ashtart's greatest cult centers, supplied the name Cypris as Aphrodite's most common byname. Other major centers of ‘Ashtart's worship were Sidon, Tyre, and Byblos. Coins from Sidon portray a chariot in whic ...

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Astarte, Astarte - General discussion, Astarte - ‘Ashtart in Ugarit, Astarte - ‘Ashtart in Egypt, Astarte - ‘Ashtart described by Sanchuniathon, Astarte - ‘Ashtart in Judea, Astarte - Other associations

Read more here: » Astarte: Encyclopedia II - Astarte - General discussion

According to Joseph Smith, Jr. and his associates, Smith translated reformed Egyptian characters engraved on Golden Plates into English through various means including the use of an ancient device called the Urim and Thummim which, like the plates, were said to have been eventually returned to the angel named Moroni (or in one version, Moroni's prophet ancestor Nephi) who originally gave them to Smith. Only two possible examples of reformed Egyptian characters currently persist. Only the first is the subject of serious study. Refo ...

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Reformed Egyptian, Reformed Egyptian - Claims of the Book of Mormon, Reformed Egyptian - Examples of Reformed Egyptian, Reformed Egyptian - The Anthon transcript or Caractors document, Reformed Egyptian - The Hofmann Forgery, Reformed Egyptian - Reformed Egyptian Studies, Reformed Egyptian - Crowley Study, Reformed Egyptian - Bryant Caractors Translation

Read more here: » Reformed Egyptian: Encyclopedia II - Reformed Egyptian - Examples of Reformed Egyptian

Spaceship Earth Disney - Construction facts. The building was designed with the help of science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, who also wrote the original story treatment for the ride. It was designed so that when it rains, no water pours off the sides onto the ground. (All water is "absorbed" into the ball by small openings.) Construction took 26 months and 40,800 labor hours to build. ...

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Spaceship Earth Disney, Spaceship Earth Disney - Attraction facts, Spaceship Earth Disney - Construction facts, Spaceship Earth Disney - Ride scenes, Spaceship Earth Disney - Timeline

Read more here: » Spaceship Earth Disney: Encyclopedia II - Spaceship Earth Disney - Attraction facts

Turquoise was among the first gems to be mined, and while many historic sites have been depleted, some are still worked to this day. These are all small-scale, often seasonal operations, owing to the limited scope and remoteness of the deposits. Most are worked by hand with little or no mechanization. However, turquoise is often recovered as a byproduct of large-scale copper mining operations, especially in the United States.

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Turquoise, Turquoise - Properties, Turquoise - Formation, Turquoise - Occurrence, Turquoise - Iran, Turquoise - Sinai, Turquoise - United States, Turquoise - Other sources, Turquoise - History of use, Turquoise - Imitations, Turquoise - Treatments, Turquoise - Valuation and care

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Vulture - Ancient Egypt. In Southern Africa, the name for a Nubian Vulture is synonymous with the term applied to lovers, because these vultures are always seen in pairs, mother and child remaining closely bonded together. Pairing, bonding, protecting, and loving are essential attributes associated with a vulture. Because of its immense size and its ability to soar high up in the sky, the vulture was thought to be close to the gods who resided in the sky. The Egyptians considered the vulture to be an excellent mo ...

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Vulture, Vulture - Cadavers, Vulture - Vultures in culture, Vulture - Ancient Egypt, Vulture - Western culture

Read more here: » Vulture: Encyclopedia II - Vulture - Vultures in culture

In Indian sources, the usage of the words "Yona", "Yauna", "Yonaka", "Yavana" or "Javana" etc appears repeatedly, and particularly in relation to the Greek kingdoms which neighboured or sometimes occupied the Indian sub-continent over a period of several centuries from the 4th century BCE to the 1st century CE, such as the Seleucid Empire, the Greco-Bactrian kingdom and the Indo-Greek kingdom. Even long before Alexander's invasion, the Greek settlements had existed in eastern parts of Achaemenid empire, north-west of India, as neighbors to the Iranian Kambojas. The references to the Yonas in the early Bu ...

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Yona, Yona - Old World usage, Yona - Indian references, Yona - Role in Buddhism, Yona - Invasion of India, Yona - Scientific abilities, Yona - Other references, Yona - The Yonas and other northwestern invaders in Indian literature, Yona - Later meanings, Yona - Contemporary usage, Yona - Notes, Yona - External link

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History of Cyprus - Overview. Following the Ottoman Empires defeat in World War I, Cyprus was annexed by Britain in 1925 and made a crown colony. Between 1955-59 EOKA was created by Greek Cypriots and led by George Grivas which targeted mainly British but also Turkish Cypriots and leftist Greeks at a smaller scale, in a campaign of violence to perform enosis (union of the island with Greece). However the EOKA campaign did not result union with Greece but rather an independent republic, The Rep ...

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History of Cyprus, History of Cyprus - The name, History of Cyprus - Prehistory, History of Cyprus - Ancient history, History of Cyprus - Middle Ages, History of Cyprus - Ottoman Empire, History of Cyprus - Modern History, History of Cyprus - Overview, History of Cyprus - Timeline

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Tanbour/Tanbur/Tanbor, a Lute-like instrument is the most genuine Iranian musical instrument with which half of the world are acquainted. One of the branches of Tanbour is called Barbados or harper. With the advent and growth of Islam this genuine Iranian musical instrument traveled around the world and is being now used from China up to Italy. Statues unearthed from Shush and dating back to 1500 years ago as well as those excavated in Haft Tappeh are pr ...

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Pandura, Pandura - Encyclopædia Britannica, Pandura - Turkish Veiw & Usage, Pandura - Body Of Tambur, Pandura - Sample Sound, Pandura - Iranian/Kurdish Veiw & Usage, Pandura - Dictionarys, Pandura - Body Of Tambur, Pandura - Sufi Ahl-e haqq, Pandura - Sample Sound, Pandura - Macedonia, Pandura - Sample Sound, Pandura - Uyghur Uighur Uygur, Pandura - Reference

Read more here: » Pandura: Encyclopedia II - Pandura - Iranian/Kurdish Veiw & Usage