(Encyclopedia) writing, the visible recording of language peculiar to the human species. Writing enables the transmission of ideas over vast distances of time and space and is a prerequisite of…
(Encyclopedia) ValentinusValentinusvăləntēˈnəs [key], fl. c.135–c.160, founder of the Valentinians, the most celebrated of the Gnostic sects (see Gnosticism) of the 2d cent. The little that is known…
(Encyclopedia) brutalism or new brutalism, architectural style of the late 1950s and 60s that arose in reaction to the lightness, polish, and use of glass and steel that had come to characterize the…
—Holly HartmanMystery Skull In July 2002, an international team led by French paleontologist Michel Brunet announced the discovery of a humanlike skull that may be up to seven million years old,…
The DirectorsMovies and FilmFilm DirectingHow to Recognize a Great DirectorTheories of DirectingThe DirectorsSome Films on Directing Now to the directors themselves. We've tried to be inclusive by…
(Encyclopedia) Monte AlbánMonte Albánmōnˈtā älbänˈ [key], ancient city, c.7 mi (11.3 km) from Oaxaca, SW Mexico, capital of the Zapotec. Monte Albán was built on an artificially leveled, rocky…
(Encyclopedia) altar, table or platform for the performance of religious sacrifice. In its simplest form the altar is a small pile, with a square or circular surface, made of stone or wood. Its…
