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diadem

(Encyclopedia)diadem, in ancient times, the fillet of silk, wool, or linen tied about the head of a king, queen, or priest as a distinguishing mark. Later, it was a band of gold, which gave rise to the crown. In he...

Nakskov

(Encyclopedia)Nakskov näkˈskou [key], city (1992 pop. 14,922), Storstrøm co., SE Denmark, a seaport at the head of Nakskov Fjord (an arm of the Langelands Bælt). It has large sugar refineries. ...

Grand Traverse Bay

(Encyclopedia)Grand Traverse Bay, arm of Lake Michigan, 32 mi (52 km) long and 10 mi (16 km) wide, W central Mich. The bay is known for its fishing and boating. The surrounding area is an important cherry-growing a...

Hydra, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Hydra, in Greek mythology, many-headed water serpent; offspring of Typhon and Echidna. When one of its heads was cut off, two new heads appeared. The second labor of Hercules was to kill the monster. ...

Tantawi, Hussein

(Encyclopedia)Tantawi, Hussein (Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Soliman), 1935–, Egyptian field marshal. Joining the army in 1956, he became defense minister (1991) and commander-in-chief of the armed forces (1995). He s...

Abdullah, Abdullah

(Encyclopedia)Abdullah, Abdullah äbdəläˈ äbdəläˈ [key], 1960–, Afghan political leader. An ophthalmologist of Tajik and Pashtun ethnicity, he worked with guerrilla leader Ahmed Shah Massoud, head of the N...

Malema, Julius Sello

(Encyclopedia)Malema, Julius Sello, 1981–, South African political leader. Involved in the African National Congress (ANC) from a young age, he rose quickly in its influential Youth League, becoming a regional ch...

Zidane, Zinédine

(Encyclopedia)Zidane, Zinédine, 1972–, French soccer player. The son of Algerian immigrants, Zidane, nicknamed Zizou, was an attacking midfielder and one of the finest contemporary footballers. He played for Fra...

Shevardnadze, Eduard Amvrosiyevich

(Encyclopedia)Shevardnadze, Eduard Amvrosiyevich ĕdˈwärd shəvˈärdnädˈzyə [key], 1928–2014, Georgian politician and diplomat. Known for pragmatism rather than polemicism, Shevardnadze served as the head o...

skull

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Bones of skull skull, the skeletal structure of the head, composed of the facial and cranial bones. The skull houses and protects the brain and most of the chief sense organs; i.e., the eyes, ...