Tuesday, May 19, 2020

All Roads Lead to the Ancient Network of Roman Roads

The Romans created a network of roads all across the empire. Initially, they were built to move troops to and from trouble spots. They were also used for speedy communication and ease of pre-motorized travel. Roman roads, specifically  viae, were the veins and arteries of the Roman military system. Through these highways, armies could march across the Empire from the Euphrates to the Atlantic. They say, All roads lead to Rome. The idea probably comes from the so-called Golden Milestone (Milliarium Aureum), a marker in the Roman Forum listing the roads leading throughout the Empire and their distances from the milestone. Appian Way The most famous Roman road is the Appian Way (Via Appia) between Rome and Capua, built by the censor Appius Claudius (later, known as Ap. Claudius Caecus blind) in 312 B.C., site of his descendant Clodius Pulchers murder. A few years before the (virtually) gang warfare that led to Clodius death, the road was the site of the crucifixion of the followers of Spartacus when the combined forces of Crassus and Pompey finally put an end to the slave revolt. Via Flaminia In Northern Italy, the censor Flaminius made arrangements for another road, the Via Flaminia (to Ariminum), in 220 B.C. after the Gallic tribes had submitted to Rome. Roads in the Provinces As Rome expanded, it built many roads in the provinces for military and administrative purposes. The first roads in Asia Minor were built in 129 B.C. when Rome inherited Pergamum. The city of Constantinople  was at one end of the road known as the Egnatian Way (Via Egnatia [á ¼ËœÃŽ ³ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ±Ãâ€žÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ± á ½â€°ÃŽ ´ÃÅ'Ï‚]) The road, built in the second century B.C., went through the provinces of Illyricum, Macedonia, and Thrace, starting at the Adriatic at the city of Dyrrachium. It was constructed by order of Gnaeus Egnatius, proconsul of Macedonia. Roman Road Markings Milestones on the roads give the date of construction. During the Empire, the emperors name was included. Some would have provided a place for water for humans and horses. Their purpose was to show miles, so they might include distance in Roman miles to important places or the end point of the particular road. The roads did not have a foundation layer. Stones were laid directly on topsoil. Where the path was steep, steps were created. There were different paths for vehicles and for pedestrian traffic. Sources Colin M. Wells, Roger Wilson, David H. French, A. Trevor Hodge, Stephen L. Dyson, David F. Graf Roman Empire The Oxford Companion to Archaeology. Brian M. Fagan, ed., Oxford University Press 1996Etruscan and Roman Roads in Southern Etruria, by J. B. Ward Perkins.  The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 47, No. 1/2. (1957), pp. 139-143.   A History of Rome to the Death of Caesar, by Walter Wybergh How, Henry Devenish Leigh; Longmans, Green, and Co., 1896.

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Astrology On Human Affairs And The Natural World - 1657 Words

Astrology There are many components to Astrology that some people do not know of. Although it is believed throughout the world, there is hardly any scientific proof of it. What I mean by ‘hardly any’ is that the only evidence is the constellations of the stars that have been named zodiac sign names. Now what is Astrology you may ask? Well is it the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world (google.com). The basic things you need to know about Astrology and the most recognized thing is the Zodiac signs. The word Zodiac literally means animals and refers to the patterns of creatures as seen in the stars at night (oxforddictionary.com). There are 12 signs that have certain times each one takes place. The 12 signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. People believe that different signs represent different characteristi cs and talents. These are the dates for each Zodiac sign: Aquarius Jan. 21-Feb. 19, Pisces Feb. 20-March 20, Aries March 21-April 20, Taurus April 21-May 21, Gemini May 22-June 21, Cancer June 22- July 22, Leo July 23-Aug. 21, Virgo Aug.22- Sept. 23, Libra Sept. 24- Oct. 23, Scorpio Oct. 24- Nov. 22, Sagittarius Nov. 23-Dec. 22, and at last Capricorn Dec. 23-Jan. 20. The next step in learning about Astrology is the Element signs. The four elements, Fire, Earth, Air, and Water, each represent aShow MoreRelatedAstrological Emptiness in Steve Almond’s â€Å"The Problem of Human Consumption791 Words   |  4 PagesIn Steve Almond’s story â€Å"The Problem of Human Consumption†, it revolves around the theme of loss, morning, and grief. Almond’s story focuses on a widowed father who is passed on to raise his daughter single handily. The story discussed a day in which feelings of morning and deception are brought out among the characters. The feelings of loss, morning and grief in this story have greatly manifested the way this story was written and interpreted. After breaking down Almond’s story and reanalyzing itRead MoreAstrology : A Time Of Rebirth Of New And Improved Ideas1187 Words   |  5 Pagesimproved ideas. New interests developed. Many things and people made an impact on the Renaissance. One of those things is astrology. Astrology is the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world, according to the dictionary. â€Å"From its origins 4,000 years ago in Babylonia and Chaldea astrology developed into a science of great complexity, capable of detailed and precise predictions† (renaissanceastrology.com)Read MoreAstronomy a Science, Astrology a Pseudo-Science547 Words   |  2 Pagesas obtained and tested through scientific method and concerned with the physical world. According to the TOK book, astronomy is considered a science and astrology a pseudo science. Do you agree? Before I start discussing this statement, we should know what science, pseudo-science and astronomy, astrology really is. Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence. pseudo-science is a conceptRead MoreAbu al-Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruri Essay2360 Words   |  10 Pageswar of the time. The events at that time went in a way that al-Biruni himself described them as: â€Å"After I had barely settled down for a few years, I was permitted by the Lord of Time to go back home, but I was compelled to participate in worldly affairs, which excited the envy of fools, but which made the wise pity me.† [1] Al-Biruni was a great Muslim scientist in his era and his books and theories are still subjects of study in higher level educations, i.e. Masters and PhD. His mathematical andRead More Astrology Essay3475 Words   |  14 Pages The basic astrological assumptions are not hard to grasp. For if astronomy is the study of the movements of the heavenly bodies, then astrology is the study of the effects of those movements. The astronomers of the ancient world assumed a division of the universe whereby the superior, immutable bodies of the celestial worlds ruled over the terrestrial or sublunary sphere, where all was mortality and change. It was assumed that the stars had special qualities and influences which were transmittedRead MoreMayan Culture vs. the Seven Dimensions of Religion1038 Words   |  5 PagesMayan Culture vs. the Seven Dimensions of Religion Since the dawn of humanity, human beings have been contemplating the meaning of life, searching for answers to make sense of their existence. Even ancient people tried to answer the same taunting questions about their purpose on earth and the questions about the world, which people nowadays search for. Thus, in seeking the answers, ancient people created religions, usually based on their understanding of cosmology. Cosmology is a general understandingRead More Comparing Fortune and Nature in Canterbury Tales and As You Like It807 Words   |  4 PagesFortune and Nature in Canterbury Tales and As You Like It The medieval world was a complicated place, full of the chain of being, astrological influences, elements and humors. A mans life was supposedly influenced by all manner of externals acting by destiny or chance. Fortune and Nature are two terms that include many of these factors, representing chance and inborn qualities. Shakespeare mentions the two frequently, most notably in an extended dialogue between Rosalind and Celia inRead MoreChristian Worldview Paper 11896 Words   |  8 Pagesworldview that can form questions. The first component is cosmology; the explanation of the world is a worldview that is focused on where a person came from. The teleology explanation of the world is a worldview that is focused on purpose and meaning. The epistemology explanation of the world is a worldview that is focused on knowledge and truth. The last component is axiology, which says the explanation of the world is focused on morality and values. After developing a question, the next step isRead MoreVarious Topics incomplete1893 Words   |  8 PagesEssay Exam #1 1. List and analyze the difference between the new scientific views of the world and traditional medieval views. How did standards for ascertaining the â€Å"truth† differ between these two perspectives? Medieval techniques for ascertaining truth differed greatly from scientific views, mostly in part to what was taught in the Middle Ages by the church. Medieval traditional views put more faith in made up truths to fit their own religious dogmas or referring to long trusted authoritiesRead MoreA Picatrix Miscellany52019 Words   |  209 PagesMoon: â€Å"On the Creation, Proportion and Composition of the Heavens for the Fashioning of Images† VI. The Picatrix: Lunar Mansions in Western Astrology VII. W. B. Yeats and â€Å"A Vision:† The Arab Mansions of the Moon On Ritual and Talismans Picatrix Astrological Magic Aphorisms Extracts on Planetary Ritual Clothing Twenty Two Benefic Astrological Talismans Astrology, Magical Talismans and the Mansions of the Moon Ritual of Jupiter An Astrological Election of Mercury in the First Face of Virgo for Wealth

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Mind-Body Problem of Physicalism - 1731 Words

Physicalism is the thesis that everything is physical, or at any rate everything is necessitated by or supervenes on the physical. In contemporary philosophy , physicalism is most frequently associated with the mind-body problem in philosophy of mind , regarding which physicalism holds that all that has been ascribed to mind is more correctly ascribed to brain or the activity of the brain. The mind-body problem is the problem of explaining how our mental states, events and processes—like beliefs, actions and thinking—are related to the physical states, events and processes in our bodies. A long tradition in philosophy has held, with Renà © Descartes, that the mind must be a non-bodily entity: a soul or mental substance. This thesis is called ‘substance dualism’ (or ‘Cartesian dualism’) because it says that there are two kinds of substance in the world, mental and physical or material. The philosophical rival of dualists have been the phil osophical doctrine of monism. Monism denies that minds and their bodies are distinct substances. Monists assert that substances are all of one kind. They could say that all substances are mental (idealism); or they could say that all substances are material (materialism). In contemporary philosophy however there are not many philosophers who assert all things are mental hence the dualism, monism controversy has become more a controversy between dualism and materialism or what is more properly physicalism. The terms physicalism andShow MoreRelatedThe Mind Body Problem : Interactionism And Physicalism1241 Words   |  5 Pagesmost talked about concepts of philosophy is that of the mind-body problem. In short, the mind-body problem is the relationship between the mind and the body. Specifically, it’s the connection between our mental realm of thoughts, including beliefs, ideas, sensations, emotions, and our physical realm, the actual matter of which we are made up of the atoms, neurons. The problem comes when we put the emphasis on mind and body. Are the mind and body one physical thing, or two separate entities. Two argumentsRead MoreGraham On The Mind Body Problem1502 Words   |  7 PagesClines PHIL 290-16 April 15, 2015 Paper 2: Graham on the Mind-Body Problem The Mind/Body Problem: Dualism, Physicalism, or Both? In â€Å"The Disordered Mind†, author George Graham claims the mind/body problem to be one of the most famous problems in the history of philosophy. The mind/body problem is â€Å"the question of the place of consciousness and intentionality or of the mind in the physical world† (Graham 76). In other words, are the brain and mind two separate entities, or are they one physical entityRead MoreThe Problem Of Separation And Dualism1399 Words   |  6 PagesNon Reductive Physicalism â€Å"‘And that’, he argued, ‘means that somewhere in them is intelligence. It can’t be seated in a brain because dissection shows nothing like a brain –but that doesn’t prove there isn’t something that does a brain’s job† (Wyndham, 1951/2008, p. 47) Suppose it is a nice sunny day, and you decide to linger in the sun; after a few minutes you may feel thirsty and you look for some refreshment. It can be said that this situation triggers two ‘situations’; on the one handRead MoreThe Problem Of Separation And Dualism1399 Words   |  6 PagesNon Reductive Physicalism â€Å"‘And that’, he argued, ‘means that somewhere in them is intelligence. It can’t be seated in a brain because dissection shows nothing like a brain –but that doesn’t prove there isn’t something that does a brain’s job† (Wyndham, 1951/2008, p. 47) Suppose it is a nice sunny day, and you decide to linger in the sun; after a few minutes you may feel thirsty and you look for some refreshment. It can be said that this situation triggers two ‘situations’; on the one handRead MoreThomas Nagel And Frank Jackson Do Not1006 Words   |  5 PagesMind and body are believed to be either one or two separated entities, depending on which philosopher you would ask. The belief that the mind and body are one entity is defined as monism. Physicalism is a monism. Those that believe in the idea of physicalism also believe that mind and body are not separate substances. Physicalism claims that the mind is something that is physical. It also claims that the mind is reduced to or identified with behavior. According to the website, philosophy basics,Read MoreThe Problem Of Separation And Dualism1399 Words   |  6 PagesNon Reductive Physicalism â€Å"‘And that’, he argued, ‘means that somewhere in them is intelligence. It can’t be seated in a brain because dissection shows nothing like a brain –but that doesn’t prove there isn’t something that does a brain’s job† (Wyndham, 1951/2008, p. 47) Suppose it is a nice sunny day, and you decide to linger in the sun; after a few minutes you may feel thirsty and you look for some refreshment. It can be said that this situation triggers two ‘situations’; on the one handRead MoreThe Mind Body Problem : Rene Descartes Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesThe mind-body problem, which still is debating on what it can be, still goes on today about the difference or similarities between the mind and the body. Rene Descartes had a belief that the mind and body are two different substances that can exist separately on their own, and that one can live without the other. But there is no right or wrong answer for either. Physicalism and dualism, I believe both of these give a good case about the mind-body but there really isn’t a real good answer, but betweenRead MoreWhat Is It Like to Be a Bat? by Thomas Nagel1343 Words   |  5 Pagesargues that physicalism cannot possibly account for consciousness and quaila, or qualitativ e states. The objection in his article is target the flaws of both functionalism and physicalism with emphasis on the importance of consciousness and its subjective nature. In this paper, I will argue on Nagel’s argument but also focus on how a functionalist can respond to his objection. To explain what physicalism or functionalism stand for in philosophy, I will introduce an idea of mind-body problem first. TheRead MoreWhat is Physicalism?803 Words   |  3 Pages Physicalism is the notion of the entire world being physical. Through physicalism, even human experiences are interpreted as physical. The world is physical in nature and anything included in the world is physical, including thoughts and emotions. Every action and state is reduced to a physical occurrence. For example, a thought is composed of a neurons being in a certain state, creating the way the person thinks. Animals and their actions are physical due to their senses understanding the environmentRead MoreIs Dualism Best? The Nature Of Consciousness? Essay1070 Words   |  5 Pages2rd, 2016 Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy Professor Bayne Dualism Best Explains the Nature of Consciousness The three theories we have discussed so far are the dualism theory of Plato and Descartes, the Aristotelian theory, and the Physicalism (identity) theory of Place and Strong. The identity of consciousness means that if you have the same consciousness, you are the same person, and if not conscience, you are not the same person. The thing that remains constant throughout all states

Explain the Relationship Between Surplus Units and Deficit...

Assignment Template for Individual Assignments Subject Code: 333101 Student ID Number: 387399 Subject Name: Finance 1 Student Name: Yaxi Huang Assignment Name or Number: assignment one In this paper, I would report in two different parts. One of them is that why a typical university student is likely to be a deficit unit and another part is discussing how any one function of the financial system impacts on a typical university student. Before the paper proceeds, I would first briefly introduce some related concepts which would be referred in my following words. As I referred before, key words for the first part of my report are deficit unit and surplus unit. The deficit units require funds to meet planned expenditures and†¦show more content†¦he might get lower mark or failed in the final exams if he pay too much attention on the part-time job. And for most of students, the best way to avoid this situation is chose not to do the part-time job or only put a few time in part time job. Absolutely the money earned from part time job is limited, so in general, although students could get the part-time job, they are still deficit units. The second part of my re port is discussing how a function of financial system affects a typical university student. And the function I would use in my report is flow of funds. Flow of funds refers to financing that generally is based on sang and the investment of funds. (Ben Hunt and Chris Terry, 2005:4) As I said before, we are financing funds from surplus units. If we borrowed money from the banks to pay the fees of course, it is a kind of flow of funds. The banks are intermediaries, in another words, bans are mainly parts of authorized deposit-taking institutions. They get money from the surplus units and then borrow money to us. We need to pay higher interest rate to bank than the bank paid to surplus unit. So the funds flow from the surplus unit to us. It was very important to a typical university student, we are required money to pay fees, and the ADIs financing funds then borrow to us. so we could meet the planned expenditures. Finance is not only a subject but a very important part of our life. We learn finance now and compose a part of financial world, atShow MoreRelatedEssay on Chapter 1: an Overview of Financial Markets and Institutions1282 Words   |  6 PagesAnswers to End-of-Chapter Questions 1. Does it make sense that the typical household is a surplus spending unit (SSU) while the typical business firm is a deficit spending unit (DSU)? Explain. The typical household begins as a SSU, has a deficit moments in the period when a home is purchased, autos are purchased, and tuition payments are made. For the most quarters (the typical flow of funds time unit) the household sector is an SSU. The non-financial corporate business sector varies fromRead MoreInterest Rate And Interest Rates1402 Words   |  6 Pagesinterest rate affects the demand for and supply of credit (loanable funds). Changes in the rate of interest will affect investment expansion, machinery and equipment. Interest rate aids the mobilization of funds from surplus spending units to deficit spending units of the economy for efficient utilization of such funds for the enhancement and growth of agriculture (Godslove 2016). The Central Bank of Nigeria left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 14 percent at its SeptemberRead MoreWhat Are Mergers And Acquisitions?1562 Words   |  7 Pagesto avoid a negative assessment. Consequently, to define a real type of transaction, some post-deal attributes such as brands and shareholders’ structure should be considered, as well as friendly or hostile nature of the htransaction and relation between firms’ value before the deal. [SOURCE BLYAT] While terms of merger either acquisition are commonly used to define a wide range of transactions, in fact, they are all different according to specific conditions of each. Therefore, researches distinguishRead MoreIndicidual Assignment for Managing Personal Finances2570 Words   |  11 Pages1 FIN4901EF Managing Personal Finances Unit 2 Analysing and Evaluating Personal Information FIN4901EF.Unit 2 2 FIN4901EF.Unit 2 Learning Outcome 1. Explain the interlocking network of financial plans and statements. 2. Prepare a personal balance sheet. 3. Draft a personal income and expense statement. 4. Develop a good record-keeping system and calculate ratios to interpret personal financial statements. 5. Construct a cash budget and use it to monitor and control spending. 6. Apply time valueRead MoreHow Malaysia Government Can Reduce Inflation Rate by Using Monetary and Fiscal Policy3369 Words   |  14 PagesAre monetary disturbances and fiscal deficits inflationary? Empirical evidence from Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Tan Juat Hong College of Graduate Studies, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Malaysia ABSTRACT: The study uses the VAR model to investigate the responses of domestic inflation to monetary and fiscal policies, with output as the scale variable. The results show that domestic inflation responds positively to monetary policy shocks but not to fiscal deficits. If one assumes the velocity of moneyRead MoreModule 1 Hw1347 Words   |  6 Pagesjoint venture is a direct investment in which two or more partners share ownership. For example, In India, Wal-Mart stores and India’s Bharti Enterprises negotiated an agreement, a 50-50 joint venture for a wholesale operation. 4. Explain the relationship between a nation’s exports and imports and its balance of trade. Exports represent the sales of goods and services that flow out of a country, as the US handbag company Coach, or the cosmetics firm Estee Lauder, offers its goods for retail saleRead MoreThe Brics4339 Words   |  18 Pagesmight want to operate by discussing the importance of economic analysis and identifying the major dimensions of that process. It then compares and contrasts key macroeconomic indicators, such as economic growth, inflation, and the surpluses and deficits reflected in the balance of payments. Finally, it reviews the characteristics of the major types of economic systems, explores the principles of economic freedom, and concludes by examining the idea, the drivers, and the constraints associated withRead MoreFinance Questions and Answers6262 Words   |  26 Pagesfinancial asset that facilitates financial and economic transactions †¢ a medium of exchange—swapped for goods and services †¢ a store of value—wealth is held or measured in money terms †¢ a standard of deferred payment—used to record indebtedness †¢ a unit of account—transactions are priced in money terms †¢ currency is generally divisible, portable and durable (b) Does money have to be currency? If not, what are some alternatives? †¢ money is anything that is universally acceptable as a medium ofRead MoreEssay about Exhange Risk Faced by Multinational Corporations (MNCs)1563 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Exchange rates are the amount of one country’s currency needed to purchase one unit of another currency (Brealey 1999, p. 625)†. People wanting to exchange some money for their vacation trip will not be too much bothered with shifts if the exchange rates. However, for multinational companies, dealing with very large amounts of money in their transactions, the rise or fall of a currency can mean getting a surplus or a deficit on their balance sheets. What types of exchange rate risks do multinationalRead MoreExhange Risk Faced by Multinational Companies. Essay examples1633 Words   |  7 PagesExchange rates are the amount of one countrys currency needed to purchase one unit of another currency (Brealey 1999, p. 625). People wanting to exchange some money for their vacation trip will not be t oo much bothered with shifts if the exchange rates. However, for multinational companies, dealing with very large amounts of money in their transactions, the rise or fall of a currency can mean getting a surplus or a deficit on their balance sheets. What types of exchange rate risks do multinational

Suspenseful poem Essay Example For Students

Suspenseful poem Essay The Eve of St. Agnes is built up of a series of deliberate contrasts. By means of a close examination of three distinct passages, explore Keats use of contrast in the poem. There are three main contrasts used in this poem Christian/Pagan imagery, cold/warm images, and often the contrast of colour. In a way, temperature and colour are linked; deep reds, yellows and oranges represent heat and life, whereas blues and silvers indicate chill absence of life. Also in The Eve of St.Agnes is a strong question of whether Porphyros intentions are honest and wholesome, or if he is somehow using Madelines trance-like state and helplessness to his perverse advantage. It is also full of wonderful Keatsian paradoxes, which will also be outlined in the contrast analyses. There is a strong element of the harsh outside world invading the warmth and safety of Madelines glowing room, and also the suspense of the other guests, who could catch the unwelcome Porphyro at any time. Through constant clashes of colour, emotion, light and sound, Keats makes this a very unsettling and suspenseful poem, showing a far darker and more ominous side to the dominating mans role in courtly love. Full on this casement shone the wintry moon, And threw warm gules on Madelines fair breast, As down she knelt for heavens grace and boon; Rose-bloom fell on her hands, together prest, And on her silver cross soft amethyst, And on her hair a glory, like a saint: She seemd a splendid angel, newly drest, Save wings, for heaven:- Porphyro grew faint: She knelt, so pure a thing, so free from mortal taint. This stanza brings up some strong colour and religious contrasts. As the previously harsh and cold winter moon shines into Madelines bedroom, a previously described beautiful ornate casement transforms the cold blue light into warm gules, or deep, warm red. This gives the casement and Madelines environment as a whole a sort of holy, warm and safe feeling, protected from the cold outside world. Keats then goes on to describe Madelines piety as she kneels to pray for heavens grace. Keats often emphasises her holiness to reflect Porphyros perversity and almost sacrilege, as he gazes with a lusty eye upon such a pure, innocent girl. However not all about Madeline seems entirely pure, as shown by Keats use of seemd a splendid angel. This hint of nothing being as certain as you think is often used to emphasise ambiguity and leave an unsettling foreboding as to what will happen next. The very fact that Madeline partakes in this seemingly religious act just to find out who will take her virginity is a contradiction in terms Madeline is in a way praying to lose her innocence, and that is exactly what happens. Notice also the amethyst on her cross. Again, the deep, warm, almost lusty amethyst colour contrasting with the cold silver of her holy cross. At the end of the stanza, we are reminded of the ominous presence of Porphyro, crouching with lusty espying eyes and waiting anxiously to have his wicked way with this maiden. That ancient Beadsman heard the prelude soft; And so it chancd, for many a door was wide, From hurry to and fro. Soon, up aloft, The silver, snarling trumpets gan to chide: The level chambers, ready with their pride, Were glowing to receive a thousand guests: The carved angels, ever eager-eyed, Stard, where upon their heads the cornice rests, With hair blown back, and wings put cross-wise on their breasts.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

The Mayans Argumentative Essay Example For Students

The Mayans Argumentative Essay The ancient Maya were a group of American Indian peoples who lived in southern Mexico, particularly the present-day states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo, and in Belize, Guatemala,and adjacent Honduras. Their descendants, the modern Maya, live in the same regions today, in both highlands and lowlands, from cool highland plains ringed by volcanos to deep tropical rain forests. Through the region runs a single major river system, the Apasion-Usumacinta and its many tributaries, and only a handful of lesser rivers, the Motagua, Hondo, and Belize among them. The ancestors of the Maya, like those of other New World peoples, crossed the Bering Land Bridge from Asia more than 20,000 years ago, during the last ice age. The Maya were the first people of the New World to keep historical records: their written history begins in 50 BC, when they began to inscribe texts on pots, jades, bones, stone monuments, and palace walls. Maya records trace the history of the great kings and queens who ruled from 50 BC until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. All Maya long count calendar inscriptions fall between AD 292 and AD 909, roughly defining the period called Classic. Earlier Maya culture is called Formative or Preclassic (2000 BC-AD 300), and subsequent civilization is known as Postclassic (AD 900-conquest). Protected by difficult terrain and heavy vegetation, the ruins of few ancient Maya cities were known before the 19th century, when explorers and archaeologists began to rediscover them. The age and proliferation of Maya writings have been recognized since about 1900, when the calendrical content ofMaya hieroglyphic inscriptions were deciphered and the dates correlated with the Christian calendar. For most of the 20th century, only the extensive calendrical data of Maya inscriptions could be read, and as a result, Maya scholars hypothesized that the inscriptions were pure calendrical records. Because little evidence of warfare had been recogn ized archaeologically, the Classic Maya were thought of as peaceful timekeepers and skywatchers. Their cities, it was thought, were ceremonial centers for ascetic priests, and their artwork anonymous, without concern for specific individuals. More recent scholarship changes the picture dramatically. In 1958 Heinrich Berlin demonstrated that certain Maya hieroglyphs, which he called emblem glyphs, contained main signs that varied according to location, indicating dynastic lines or place names. In 1960, Tatiana Proskouriakoff showed that the patterns of dates were markers of the important events in rulers lives. The chronological record turned out to serve history and the perpetuation of the memory of great nobles. Subsequently, major archaeological discoveries, particularly at Palenque and Tikal, confirmed much of what the writings said, and examination of Maya art has revealed not only historical portraiture but also a pantheon of gods, goddesses, and heroesin other words, Maya reli gion and mythic history. By 5000 BC, the Maya had settled along Caribbean and Pacific coasts, forming egalitarian fishing communities. Certainly by 2000 BC the Maya had also moved inland and adopted agriculture for their subsistence. Maize and beans formed the Maya diet then as today, although many other foodstuffssquash, tomatoes, peppers, fruits, and gamewere supplements. The word for maizewais synonymous with food itself, and the maize god was honored from early times. Sometime around the end of the Classic Period, the Maya were split up into independent city-states. The nobles of these city-states intermarried and waged war on each other. This civil war, along with the recent change in their system of government, led to the decline of the great Mayan Empire and ultimately, its demise. Bibliography: