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Roerich, Nicholas Konstantin

(Encyclopedia)Roerich, Nicholas Konstantin nēˈkōlous kənstəntyēnˈ rörˈĭkh [key], 1874–1947, Russian artist, scene designer, and archaeologist. He was connected with the Moscow Art Theatre and the Diaghi...

snakehead

(Encyclopedia)snakehead, common name for members of the family Channidae, hardy freshwater fish native to S and E Asia and tropical Africa, where they are a popular food fish. Snakeheads are elongated fishes with l...

timothy , in botany

(Encyclopedia)timothy or herd's-grass, perennial plant (Phleum pratense) of the family Poaceae (grass family), native to Europe and W Asia and one of the most widely cultivated hay grass of North America. Adaptable...

publican

(Encyclopedia)publican [Lat.,=state employee], in ancient Rome, man who was employed by the state government under contract. As early as c.200 b.c. there was a class of men in Rome accustomed to undertaking contrac...

Przhevalsky, Nikolai Mikhailovich

(Encyclopedia)Przhevalsky, Nikolai Mikhailovich nyĭkəlīˈ mēkhīˈləvĭch pərzhĭvälˈskē [key], 1839–88, Russian geographer and explorer in central and E Asia. He made five major expeditions—one to the...

Pyrrho

(Encyclopedia)Pyrrho pĭrˈō [key], c.360–270 b.c., Greek philosopher, a native of Elis, regarded as the father of skepticism. After accompanying Alexander the Great to Asia, he enjoyed great respect at Elis and...

Niigata

(Encyclopedia)Niigata nēˈgätä [key], city (1990 pop. 486,097), capital of Niigata prefecture, N Honshu, Japan, on the Sea of Japan at the mouth of the Shinano River. It is the main port for the west coast of Ho...

Perrot, Georges

(Encyclopedia)Perrot, Georges zhôrzh pĕrōˈ [key], 1832–1914, French archaeologist. He was professor at the Sorbonne from 1875, director of the École normale supérieure, Paris, from 1888 to 1902, and permane...

Orenburg

(Encyclopedia)Orenburg chkäˈləf [key], city (1989 pop. 547,000), capital of Orenburg region, Central Asian Russia, on the Ural River. It is a major rail junction where the Trans-Caspian RR, the Central Asian RR,...

Vambery, Arminius

(Encyclopedia)Vambery, Arminius or Hermann ärˈmĭn [key], 1832–1913, Hungarian philologist and traveler. In Constantinople (1857–63) he learned several languages and dialects of Asia Minor and then traveled t...