Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

322 results found

fig

(Encyclopedia)fig, name for members of the genus Ficus of the family Moraceae (mulberry family). This large genus contains some 800 species of widely varied tropical vines (some of which are epiphytic); shrubs; and...

Wends

(Encyclopedia)Wends or Sorbs, Slavic people (numbering about 60,000) of Brandenburg and Saxony, E Germany, in Lusatia. They speak Lusatian (also known as Sorbic or Wendish), a West Slavic language with two main dia...

Dummer, Jeremiah, 1645–1718, early American silversmith and engraver

(Encyclopedia)Dummer, Jeremiah, 1645–1718, early American silversmith and engraver, b. Newbury, Mass. He was apprenticed (1659) to John Hull and set up as a silversmith in Boston c.1666. He held several public of...

Aaron

(Encyclopedia)Aaron ârˈən [key], in the Bible, the brother of Moses and his spokesman in Egypt, and the first high priest of the Hebrews. He is presented as the instrument of God in performing many signs, such a...

Mierevelt, Michiel Janszen van

(Encyclopedia)Mierevelt, Miereveld, or Miereveldt, Michiel Janszen van all: mēkhēlˈ yänˈsən vän mēˈrəvĕlt [key], 1567–1641, Dutch portrait painter. He was court painter to the house of Orange, working ...

Merab

(Encyclopedia)Merab mĭrˈăb [key], in the Bible, daughter of Saul and husband of Adriel. In Second Samuel, the sons of Adriel are, depending on the translation, either born to or brought up by Michal, Saul's youn...

Cantabrian Mountains

(Encyclopedia)Cantabrian Mountains kăntāˈbrēən [key], N Spain, extending c.300 mi (480 km) along the Bay of Biscay from the Pyrenees to Cape Finisterre. Torre de Cerredo (8,687 ft/2,648 m) in the Picos de Euro...

Potter, Paul

(Encyclopedia)Potter, Paul or Paulus, 1625–54, Dutch animal and landscape painter and etcher. In The Hague he enjoyed the patronage of the prince of Nassau, for whom he painted the celebrated life-sized Young Bul...

Crazy Horse Memorial

(Encyclopedia)Crazy Horse Memorial, memorial to the Oglala Souix chief Crazy Horse and Native Americans, under construction at Thunderhead Mt., near Custer, S.Dak., in the Black Hills. When finished it will consist...

Henle, Jacob

(Encyclopedia)Henle, Jacob (Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle) frēˈdrĭkh go͝osˈtäf yäˈkôp hĕnˈlə [key], 1809–85, German anatomist and histologist. A pupil of J. P. Müller, he taught at Zürich, Heidelberg...