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Semite

(Encyclopedia)Semite sĕmˈīt, sēˈmīt [key], originally one of a people believed to be descended from Shem, son of Noah. Later the term came to include the following peoples: Arabs; the Akkadians of ancient Bab...

drainage, in agriculture

(Encyclopedia)drainage, in agriculture, the removal of excess water from the soil, either by a system of surface ditches, or by underground conduits if required by soil conditions and land contour. Diesel or centri...

Girga

(Encyclopedia)Girga jĭrˈjă [key], town, central Egypt, on the Nile. It is noted for its pottery; a sugar...

Marchand, Jean Baptiste

(Encyclopedia)Marchand, Jean Baptiste zhäN bätēstˈ märshäNˈ [key], 1863–1934, French explorer and general. Sent to Africa (1897) to establish French control of the headwaters of the White Nile, Marchand le...

Abu-Simbel

(Encyclopedia)Abu-Simbel ĭpˈsämbo͞olˈ [key], village, S Egypt, on the Nile River. Its two temples were hewn (c.1250 b.c.) out of rock cliffs during the reign of Ramses II. To avoid the rising waters caused by ...

Ruwenzori

(Encyclopedia)Ruwenzori ro͞oˌwənzōˈrē [key], mountain range, E central Africa, on the Uganda-Congo border, in the western arm of the Great Rift Valley between lakes Albert and Edward. This fault-block range i...

Cook, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Cook, Thomas, 1808–92, English travel agent. In Leicester in 1841 he founded a travel agency under his name. The idea of the guided tour met with quick success, and by 1852 Cook had moved his office...

Ludwig, Emil

(Encyclopedia)Ludwig, Emil lo͞otˈvĭkh [key], 1881–1948, German biographer, originally named Emil Cohn. His vivid and dramatic (although sometimes unreliable) portraits of great men include Goethe (1920, tr. 1...

Thebes , city of ancient Egypt

(Encyclopedia)Thebes thēbz [key], city of ancient Egypt. Luxor and Karnak now occupy parts of its site. The city developed at a very early date from a number of small villages, particularly one around modern Luxor...

Coptos

(Encyclopedia)Coptos kŏpˈtəs [key], ancient city of Egypt, on the right bank of the Nile, c.27 mi (43 km) N of modern Luxor. Remains of the Temple of Min, patron god of Coptos, have been found there as well as r...