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May Day

(Encyclopedia)May Day, first day of May. Its celebration probably originated in the spring fertility festivals of India and Egypt. The festival of the Roman goddess of spring, Flora, was celebrated from Apr. 28 to ...

Kharga

(Encyclopedia)Kharga äl khärˈēnjä [key], large oasis (1986 pop. 38,544), S central Egypt, in the Libyan (Western) Desert. Populated chiefly by Arab Bedouins and Arab-speaking Berbers, the irrigated oasis produ...

Auchinleck, Sir Claude John Eyre

(Encyclopedia)Auchinleck, Sir Claude John Eyre âr ôˌkĭnlĕkˈ, ôˌkhĭn– [key], 1884–1981, British field marshal. In World War II he commanded briefly (1940) at Narvik, Norway, then in building defenses in...

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...

gilding

(Encyclopedia)gilding, process of applying a thin layer of real or imitation gold to a surface. The process is employed on wood, metal, ivory, leather, paper, glass, porcelain, and fabrics and is used to embellish ...

Frankfort, Henri

(Encyclopedia)Frankfort, Henri äNrēˈ [key], 1897–1954, American archaeologist, b. the Netherlands. He directed the excavations of the Egypt Exploration Society (1925–29) and the Iraq expeditions (1929–37) ...

Horus

(Encyclopedia)Horus hôrˈəs [key], in Egyptian religion, sky god, god of light and goodness. One of the most important of the Egyptian deities, Horus was the son of Osiris and Isis. In a famous myth he avenged th...

Isna

(Encyclopedia)Isna ĕsˈ– [key], town (1986 pop. 43,055), central Egypt, on the Nile River. It is the center for an agricultural area that is irrigated by the Nile. Isna's manufactures include cotton fabrics and ...

Deledda, Grazia

(Encyclopedia)Deledda, Grazia gräˈtsēä dālĕdˈdä [key], 1875–1936, Italian novelist, b. Sardinia. Her first work, a collection of short stories, was published when she was 19. She was awarded the Nobel Pri...

Couve de Murville, Maurice

(Encyclopedia)Couve de Murville, Maurice mōrēsˈ ko͞ov də mürvēlˈ [key], 1907–99, French politician and diplomat. After World War II he served as ambassador to Egypt, the United States, and West Germany. A...