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Nekhtnebf

(Encyclopedia)Nekhtnebf or Nekhtnebef both: nĕkhtˌnĕbˈəf [key], Gr. Nectanebo I, d. 361 b.c., king of ancient Egypt (379–361 b.c.), founder of the XXX dynasty. By the gallant defense of the fortresses of the...

oracle

(Encyclopedia)oracle, in Greek religion, priest or priestess who imparted the response of a god to a human questioner. The word is also used to refer to the response itself and to the shrine of a god. Every oracula...

Denon, Dominique-Vivant, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Denon, Dominique-Vivant, Baron dōmēnēkˈ-vēväN bärôNˈ dənôNˈ [key], 1747–1825, French artist, writer, and archaeologist. He had a brilliant career as an artist and diplomat during the anc...

plywood

(Encyclopedia)plywood, manufactured board composed of an odd number of thin sheets of wood glued together under pressure with grains of the successive layers at right angles. Laminated wood differs from plywood in ...

boomerang

(Encyclopedia)boomerang bo͞oˈmərăngˌ [key], special form of throwing stick, used mainly by the aborigines of Australia. Other forms of throwing sticks were used by the peoples of ancient Egypt, Ethiopia, and I...

composition, in ancient and medieval law

(Encyclopedia)composition, in ancient and medieval law, a sum of money paid by a guilty party as satisfaction to the family of the person who was injured or killed. Failure to make the payment might justify retalia...

Hadad, in ancient Middle Eastern religions

(Encyclopedia)Hadad āˈdăd [key], ancient weather god of Semitic origin, worshiped in Babylonia and Assyria. Important throughout the Middle East, he was worshiped under many names. As god of the storm, he was, a...

Thule , ancient name for extreme N Europe

(Encyclopedia)Thule tho͞oˈlē [key], name given by the ancients to the most northerly land of Europe. It was an island discovered and described (c.310 b.c.) by the Greek navigator Pytheas and variously identified...

Sin, in ancient Middle Eastern religions

(Encyclopedia)Sin sĭn [key], moon god of Semitic origin, worshiped in ancient Middle Eastern religions. One of the principal deities in the Babylonian and Assyrian pantheons, he was lord of the calendar and of wis...

Port Said

(Encyclopedia)Port Said bo͝or [key], city (1986 pop. 469,533), NE Egypt, a port on the Mediterranean Sea at the entrance to the Suez Canal. It is a fueling point for ships using the canal and is the site of the ma...