Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Quirinus

(Encyclopedia)Quirinus kwĭrˈĭnəs [key], in Roman religion, an early god, possibly of war. Worshiped originally by the Sabines, he was one of the chief gods of ancient Rome, associated with Jupiter and Mars. In ...

reliquary

(Encyclopedia)reliquary rĕlˌəkwĕrˈē [key], receptacle containing the relics of saints and other sacred objects of the Christian religion. Reliquaries were often designed in shapes that reflected the nature of...

headdress

(Encyclopedia)headdress, head covering or decoration, protective or ceremonial, which has been an important part of costume since ancient times. Its style is governed in general by climate, available materials, rel...

Millikan, Robert Andrews

(Encyclopedia)Millikan, Robert Andrews mĭlˈĭkən [key], 1868–1953, American physicist and educator, b. Morrison, Ill., grad. Oberlin College, 1891, Ph.D. Columbia, 1895, studied in Germany. He taught (1896–1...

Hathor

(Encyclopedia)Hathor hăthˈôr [key], in Egyptian religion, celestial goddess of love and festivity. The personification of the sky, she was represented as a star-studded cow or as a woman with the head of a cow. ...

Reinmar von Zweter

(Encyclopedia)Reinmar von Zweter tsvāˈtər [key], c.1200–c.1260, German minnesinger. He is best known for his Sprüche, short and often satirical verses on politics, religion, morals, and courtly love. ...

Apaturia

(Encyclopedia)Apaturia ăpəcho͝oˈrēə, –tyo͝oˈrēə [key], in Greek religion, annual festival celebrated by the Ionians and the Athenians. It was held in October or November, in the season when various phra...

Hillsdale

(Encyclopedia)Hillsdale, <1> City (2020 pop. 7,927), seat of Hillsdale co., SE Mich.; est. 1839. Boosted by the opening of the railroad, the area became a touri...

Bacchanalia

(Encyclopedia)Bacchanalia băkənāˈlēə [key], in Roman religion, festival in honor of Bacchus, god of wine. Originally a religious ceremony, like the Liberalia, it gradually became an occasion for drunken, lice...

Themis

(Encyclopedia)Themis thēˈmĭs [key], in Greek religion and mythology, a Titan. Sometimes identified as an earth goddess, she was more commonly a goddess of law, order, and justice. She was the mother by Zeus of t...