The Macmillan Concise Encyclopedia [antikvár]

J\ Aachen (French name: Aix-la-Chapelle) 50 46N 06 06E A spa city in W Germany, in North Rhine-Westphaha near the Belgian and Dutch borders. It is an important industrial centre with iron and steel and textile industries. History, it was the N capital of Charlemagne's empire and many Holy Roman Emperors were crowned in the cathedral (founded in 796 AD). It was annexed by France in 1801 and passed to Prussia (1815). Extensively damaged during World War II, it was the first major German city captured by the Allies (1944). Population (1987): 239 200. Aafborg. See Âlborg. aardvark (Afrikaans: earth pig) A nocturnal African mammal, Orycteropus afer, also called ant bear. It is about 1.5 m long, lives in grassland, and has a long snout, large ears, and a thick tail. Its strong claws are used to dig burrows and tear open the mounds of termites, which are picked up with its long sticky tongue. The aardvark is the only member of its order (Tubu-lidentata). Aarhus. See Ârhus. AARDVARK This strange animal feeds entirely on termites and ants. abacus A calculating device consisting of balls strung on wires or rods set in a frame, probably of Babylonian origin. Its use declined in Europe with the introduction of Arabic numerals in about the 10th century AD. Abadan 30 20N 48 15B A city in SW Iran, on an island in the Shatt (river) al-Arab. Much of Iran's oil is brought here by pipeline for refining or exporting. Population (1985 est): 294 068. abalone A marine gastropod mollusc belonging to the widely distributed family Haliotidae, of rocky coasts, also called ear shell or ormer. Up to 30 cm long, their dishlike shells have a row of holes along the outer edge through which deoxygenated water and waste products are expelled from the body. The large foot is considered a deUcacy and the shells are used as mother-of-peari for ornaments. Abbevilllan A culture of the Lower Palaeohthic in Europe. It is characterized by crude stone hand axes made by hammering flakes off a flint with another stone. Named after Abbeville in France, the AbbeviUian also appears in Britain but in Africa similar early hand axes are designated Acheulian. Abbey Theatre A DubUn theatre opened in 1904. Annie Homiman (1860-1937), a friend of W. B. Yeats, initiated the building of the theatre as a home for the Irish National Dramatic Society, a company founded by the actors Frank Fay (1870-1931) and his brother W. G. Fay (1872-1947). The Abbey Theatre gained an international reputation as a repertory theatre dedicated to performing mainly plays by Irish playwrights on Irish subjects. The original playhouse burnt down in 1951, but a new theatre was built and opened in 1966. abdomen In mammals (including man), the region of the body extending from the lower surface of the diaphragm to the pelvis. The abdomen contains the intestines, liver, pancreas, kidneys, gall bladder, and-in fe-males-the ovaries and womb. In arthropods, the abdomen is the posterior section of the body, which is usually segmented. Abdullah (1882-1951) Emir of Transjordan (1921-46) and first King of Jordan (1946-51). He fought in the Arab revolt against Turkish rule during World War I. He was assassinated in 1951. Abelard, Peter (1079-1142) French philosopher. His ill-fated marriage with Heloise, niece of a canon of Paris, ended when Abelard was castrated by thugs hired by the canon (1118). He retired to a monastery and she became a nun. A quarrelsome disputant, Abelard was perpetually in trouble with the church authorities; his Sic et Nan {For and Against), for example, outraged opponents by listing points on which acknowledged authorities differed. See also scholasticism. Abercromble, Sir (Leslie) Patrick (1879-1957) British town plarmer and architect, best known for his detailed schemes for London, The County of London Plan (1943) and The Greater London Plan (1944). Later plans include those for Edinburgh, Hull, and the West Midlands. He was professor at Liverpool University (1915-35) and London University (1935-46). Aberdeen 57 ION 2 04W A city, port, and former county of NE Scotland, the administrative centre of Grampian Region situated on the North Sea coast between the mouths of the Rivers Don and Dee. Aberdeen is an old cathedral city with a university dating from 1494 (King's College). Fishing has always been important, as has the worlong of local granite; the "Granite City" provided stone for London's cobbled streets in the 18th century. Other industries include shipbuilding, paper making, textiles, chemicals, and engineering. Aberdeen's proximity to North Sea oil has transformed it into an important service centre for the oil industry. Population (1988): 205 180. Aberdeen Angus A breed of polled (naturally hornless) beef cattle, originating from NE Scotland. Short, stocky, and usually black (some have red coats), they are