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silk

(Encyclopedia)silk, fine, horny, translucent, yellowish fiber produced by the silkworm in making its cocoon and covered with sericin, a protein. Many varieties of silk-spinning worms and insects are known, but the ...

durian

(Encyclopedia)durian, the highly esteemed, edible fruit of Durio zibethinus. The edible portions are the seeds found inside the large spiny fruits, which may weigh several pounds. The durian, although notoriously p...

Como, Lake

(Encyclopedia)Como, Lake kōˈmō [key], Ital. Lago di Como or Lario, c.56 sq mi (145 sq km), 30 mi (48 km) long and from 1⁄2 to 21⁄2 mi (0.8–4 km) wide, in Lombardy, N Italy. Lake Como is a natural widening ...

Al-Farghani

(Encyclopedia)Al-Farghani ălfrəgāˈnəs [key], d. after 861, Arab astronomer. Al-Farghani was born in Farghana, Transoxania (present-day Fergana, Uzbekistan), and died in Egypt. His most important work, written ...

cider

(Encyclopedia)cider, in Europe, fermented juice of apples; in the United States, unfermented apple juice, unless allowed to ferment, in which case it is typically known as hard cider. Selected apples are grated in ...

Clement XIV, pope

(Encyclopedia)Clement XIV, 1705–74, pope (1769–74), an Italian (b. near Rimini) named Lorenzo Ganganelli; successor of Clement XIII. He was prominent for many years in pontifical affairs at Rome, and he was cre...

Althing

(Encyclopedia)Althing älˈthĭng [key] [Icel.,=general diet], parliament of Iceland. This assembly, the oldest in Europe, was convened at Thingvellir, SW Iceland, in 930. It was dissolved in 1800, was revived as a...

Iwakura, Tomomi, Prince

(Encyclopedia)Iwakura, Tomomi, Prince tōmōˈmē ēwäˈko͞orä [key], 1825–83, Japanese statesman. A court noble, he supported the Meiji restoration and became a minister of state (1871–83). In 1871 he heade...

Iron Gate

(Encyclopedia)Iron Gate, Rom. Porţile de Fier, Serbian Gvozdena Vrata, gorge of the Danube River, c.2 mi (3.2 km) long and c.550 ft (170 m) wide, on the Serbia-Romania border between Orşova and Drobeta-Turnu Seve...

Haskalah

(Encyclopedia)Haskalah häˌskəläˈ [key], [Heb.,=enlightenment] Jewish movement in Europe active from the 1770s to the 1880s. Beginning in Germany in the circle of the German Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn...