al-Balādhurī was a Muslim historian best known for his history of the formation of the Arab Muslim empire. Al-Balādhurī lived most of his life in Baghdad and studied there and in Syria. He was for some time a favoured visitor at the Baghdad court of the ʿAbbāsid caliphs. His chief extant work, a

Basilian: (4) The Basilian Order of St. John the Baptist, also known as the Order of Suwayr, or the Baladites, was founded in 1712 and added the vow of humility to the usual vows. Its motherhouse is in Lebanon, and the Vatican set its canonical status in 1955.…

Spain: The conquest: …a distinction was made between baladiyyūn (i.e., Arabs who had entered Spain in 712 under Mūsā) and Syrians (who arrived in 740 under Balj ibn Bishr). Below them in status were the Imazighen, who made up the majority of the invading troops, whose numbers and influence continued to grow over…

right whale: …classified into three different species: E. glacialis of the North Atlantic and E. japonica of the North Pacific, both commonly called northern right whales, and E. australis of the Southern Hemisphere, referred to as the southern right whale. Whether found in northern or southern latitudes, these right whales are estimated…

right whale: …right whale refers to the bowhead, or Greenland right whale (Balaena mysticetus), and to the whales of the genus Eubalaena (though originally only to E. glacialis). The bowhead has a black body, a white chin and throat, and, sometimes, a white belly. It can grow to a length of about…

right whale: …classified into three different species: E. glacialis of the North Atlantic and E. japonica of the North Pacific, both commonly called northern right whales, and E. australis of the Southern Hemisphere, referred to as the southern right whale. Whether found in northern or southern latitudes, these right whales are estimated…

ciconiiform: Critical appraisal: …the order involves the genus Balaeniceps, which was at one time placed in the order Pelecaniformes. Although much osteological evidence continues to support its close relationship to the pelecaniforms, some authorities attribute the resemblances to convergent evolution. Also still unresolved is the possibility that New World vultures (Cathartidae) are indeed…

shoebill, (Balaeniceps rex), large African wading bird, a single species that constitutes the family Balaenicipitidae (order Balaenicipitiformes, Ciconiiformes, or Pelecaniformes). The species is named for its clog-shaped bill, which is an adaptation for catching and holding the large, slippery

shoebill: …species that constitutes the family Balaenicipitidae (order Balaenicipitiformes, Ciconiiformes, or Pelecaniformes). The species is named for its clog-shaped bill, which is an adaptation for catching and holding the large, slippery lungfish, its favourite food. This big bird also eats turtles, fish, and young crocodiles. Shoebills stand

right whale, (family Balaenidae), any of four species of stout-bodied whales having an enormous head measuring one-quarter to one-third their total body length. From the 17th to 19th century, these whales were hunted for their oil and their strong, elastic baleen. Because of the considerable

rorqual, (genus Balaenoptera), any of five particular species of baleen whales—specifically the blue whale, fin whale, sei whale, Bryde’s whale, and minke whale. The term is often extended to include the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangeliae), the only other member of the family Balaenopteridae,

conservation: Whaling: …1950s—and finally the even smaller minke whale (B. acutorostrata), which whalers still hunt despite an international moratorium in effect since 1986 that seeks to curb commercial whaling.

sei whale, (Balaenoptera borealis), species of baleen whale capable of short bursts of speed that make it the swiftest of the rorquals. Usually attaining a length of about 13–15 metres (43–49 feet), this cetacean is bluish gray or blackish above with paler underparts and a relatively large

blue whale, (Balaenoptera musculus), the most massive animal ever to have lived, a species of baleen whale that weighs approximately 150 tons and may attain a length of more than 30 metres (98 feet). The largest accurately measured blue whale was a 29.5-metre female that weighed 180 metric tons

fin whale, (Balaenoptera physalus), a slender baleen whale, second in size to the blue whale and distinguishable by its asymmetrical coloration. The fin whale is generally gray with a white underside, but the right side of the head has a light gray area, a white lower jaw, and white baleen at the

cetacean: Annotated taxonomy: Family Balaenopteridae (rorquals and humpback whale) 8 species in 2 genera. Skull broader and less arched than in Balaenidae; baleen plates shorter, broader, less flexible; neck vertebrae not fused. Dorsal fin present; flippers narrow. Conspicuous longitudinal grooves on throat. Length 10 to perhaps 33.6 metres; blue…

Central African Republic: The arts and cultural institutions: …and musical instruments, including the balafon (much like a xylophone but constructed of animal horns, skins, and wood), are all that remain of older handiwork. More recently, handicraft workers have begun producing unique designs and pictures made from butterfly wings glued to paper and some ebony and other tropical hardwood…

François de Lorraine, 2e duc de Guise was a French soldier and loyal servant to the French crown, the greatest figure produced by the House of Guise. He fought in Francis I’s army and was badly wounded at the siege of Boulogne (1545), earning him the nickname “the Scarred.” In 1547 his countship of

Morocco: The French Zone: The nationalist leaders, including Aḥmad Balafrej, secretary general of the Istiqlāl, were unjustly accused and arrested for collaborating with the Nazis. This caused rioting in Fès and elsewhere in which some 30 or more demonstrators were killed. As a result, the sultan, who in 1947 persuaded a new and…

percussion instrument: Membranophones: …was appointed player of the balag di in the Temple of the Moon at Ur about 2400 bce. Ever since, frame drums have been predominantly women’s instruments. The Bible says that in ancient Israel “Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the…

Arabic literature: Compilations and manuals: …explain the basic elements of balāghah (“correct style”), including such topics as grammatical accuracy and plagiarism. Al-ʿAskarī’s work was carried on and expanded in another important piece of synthesis, Ibn Rashīq’s Al-ʿUmdah fī maḥāsin al-shiʿr wa adabihi wa naqdihi (“The Mainstay Concerning Poetry’s Embellishments, Correct Usage, and Criticism”). The comprehensive…

Balaghat, town, southeastern Madhya Pradesh state, central India. The town lies in a plateau region at the southern base of the Satpura Range, just east of the Wainganga River, and is about 95 miles (155 km) south of Jabalpur. Balaghat formerly consisted of two villages, Burha and Burhi, which

Balaghat Range, series of hills in western Maharashtra state, western India. Originating in the Western Ghats at the Harishchandra Range, the Balaghats extend southeastward for about 200 miles (320 km) to the border of Maharashtra and Karnataka states. Its width varies from 3 to 6 miles (5 to 9

Southeast Asian arts: The Philippines: …native writer to achieve prominence—Francisco Balagtas—who wrote in Tagalog. In the latter half of the 19th century, an intellectual renaissance coincided with the beginnings of a national movement toward freedom; writers began using Spanish, for their work was part of the nationalist propaganda. The most famous author was José Rizal,…

Victor Balaguer was a Catalan poet and Spanish politician and historian. Balaguer was a precocious youth; his first dramatic essay, Pépin el Jorobado; o, el hijo de Carlomagno (1838; “Pippin the Hunchbacked; or, The Son of Charlemagne”), was staged in Barcelona when he was 14. At 19 he was publicly

St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer ; canonized October 6, 2002; feast day June 26) was a Spanish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, founder in 1928 of Opus Dei, a Catholic organization of laypeople and priests claiming to strive to live Christian lives in their chosen professions. By the time of

Joaquín Balaguer was a lawyer, writer, and diplomat who was vice president of the Dominican Republic (1957–60) during the regime of President Hector Trujillo and was president from 1960 to 1962, 1966 to 1978, and from 1986 to 1996. Balaguer earned a law degree from the University of Santo Domingo

Joaquín Balaguer was a lawyer, writer, and diplomat who was vice president of the Dominican Republic (1957–60) during the regime of President Hector Trujillo and was president from 1960 to 1962, 1966 to 1978, and from 1986 to 1996. Balaguer earned a law degree from the University of Santo Domingo

philosophy of mathematics: Nontraditional versions: According to Balaguer and Zalta, on the other hand, the only versions of Platonism that are tenable are those that maintain not just the existence of abstract objects but the existence of as many abstract objects as there can possibly be. If this is right, then any…

Victor Balaguer was a Catalan poet and Spanish politician and historian. Balaguer was a precocious youth; his first dramatic essay, Pépin el Jorobado; o, el hijo de Carlomagno (1838; “Pippin the Hunchbacked; or, The Son of Charlemagne”), was staged in Barcelona when he was 14. At 19 he was publicly

India: Nādir Shah’s invasion: …the Maratha chief minister (peshwa), Balaji Baji Rao, as governor of Malwa. The province of Katehar (Rohilkhand) was seized by an adventurer, ʿAlī Muḥammad Khan Ruhela, who could not be suppressed by the feeble government of Delhi. The loss of Kabul opened the empire to the threat of invasions from…

Balaam: …diviner who is importuned by Balak, king of Moab, to place a malediction on the people of Israel, who are camped ominously on the plains of Moab. Balaam states that he will utter only what God, Yahweh, inspires, but he is willing to accompany the Moabite messengers to Balak. He…

Namdhari: …Namdhari movement was founded by Balak Singh (1797–1862), who did not believe in any religious ritual other than the repetition of God’s name (or nam, for which reason members of the sect are called Namdharis). His successor, Ram Singh (1816–85), introduced the sect’s distinctive style of wearing the turban (bound…

Mily Balakirev was a Russian composer of orchestral music, piano music, and songs. He was a dynamic leader of the Russian nationalist group of composers of his era. Balakirev received his early musical education from his mother. He also studied with Alexander Dubuque and with Karl Eisrich, music

Mily Balakirev was a Russian composer of orchestral music, piano music, and songs. He was a dynamic leader of the Russian nationalist group of composers of his era. Balakirev received his early musical education from his mother. He also studied with Alexander Dubuque and with Karl Eisrich, music

Battle of Balaklava, indecisive military engagement on October 25 (October 13, Old Style), 1854, during the Crimean War that is best known as the inspiration of the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade.” In this battle, the Russians failed to capture Balaklava, the

India: Other important sites: …industry have been found at Balakot. Not far from Mehrgarh, at the head of the Kachchhi desert region in Balochistan, the small settlement of Naushahro Firoz provides valuable evidence of the actual transformation of Early Harappan into mature Harappan. Near the Rann of Kachchh, Surkotada is a small settlement with…

Balakovo, city, Saratov oblast (province), southwestern Russia, on the left bank of the Volga River. Founded in 1762, it long remained a small agricultural town. Its growth was greatly stimulated by the construction in 1967–70 of the Saratov hydroelectric station on the Volga. Balakovo is also the

balalaika, Russian stringed musical instrument of the lute family. It was developed in the 18th century from the dombra, or domra, a round-bodied long-necked three-stringed lute played in Russia and Central Asia. The balalaika is made in six sizes, from piccolo to double bass, and has a flat back

Arabic literature: Modern Arabic drama: …in the Middle East, the Ḥakawātī troupe (named for the ḥakawātī, or traditional storyteller), which emerged from an earlier group known as al-Balālīn (“Balloons”). An itinerant troupe established in 1977, Ḥakawātī toured villages and performed its own plays in a variety of public spaces through the turn of the 21st…

Central Asian arts: Sogdiana: …and a 5th-century mural from Balalyk Tepe displays the head of a tusked, boarlike animal set in a roundel that is almost identical to that on a Sasanian fabric found at Astana in eastern Turkistan.

Tigris-Euphrates river system: Navigation: Balams are slender, double-ended, flat-bottom craft with a shallow draft. Until the 1970s gufas—huge circular coracles of basketwork, coated with bitumen and capable of carrying up to 20 passengers—were in regular use in the vicinity of Baghdad.

Vidya Balan is an Indian actress who overcame career setbacks to become an instrumental figure in the advancement of women’s roles in Bollywood, typically portraying strong female protagonists. Balan’s family moved to suburban Bombay (now Mumbai) when she was young. She studied sociology at St.

proprioception, the perception by an animal of stimuli relating to its own position, posture, equilibrium, or internal condition. The coordination of movements requires continuous awareness of the position of each limb. The receptors in the skeletal (striated) muscles and on the surfaces of tendons

sculpture: Principles of design: The balance, or equilibrium, of freestanding sculpture has three aspects. First, the sculpture must have actual physical stability. This can be achieved by natural balance—that is, by making the sculpture stable enough in itself to stand firmly—which is easy enough to do with a four-legged animal…

watch: Mechanical watches: …of the watch (called the balance) by the wheeltrain and escapement, the motion of the balance itself controlling the release of the escapement and consequently the timing of the watch. A friction drive permits the hand to be set.

balance, instrument for comparing the weights of two bodies, usually for scientific purposes, to determine the difference in mass (or weight). The invention of the equal-arm balance dates back at least to the time of the ancient Egyptians, possibly as early as 5000 bc. In the earliest types, the

Eddie Van Halen: Career and personal life: …Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991), and Balance (1995) also reached number one on the album chart. The relationship between Eddie Van Halen and Hagar began to fray in 1996, and Hagar left the band in June of that year.

balance beam, gymnastics apparatus used in women’s competition. It is a wooden beam 5 meters (16.4 feet) long, 10 cm (4 inches) wide, and raised 125 cm (4.1 feet) from the floor. The performer begins the exercise by mounting the beam by either a vault or a jump and executes movements that must

balance of payments, systematic record of all economic transactions between residents of one country and residents of other countries (including the governments). The transactions are presented in the form of double-entry bookkeeping. There can be no surplus or deficit in a country’s balance of

James Edward Meade: …was published in two volumes—The Balance of Payments (1951) and Trade and Welfare (1955). In the first of these books he sought to synthesize Keynesian and neoclassical elements in a model designed to show the effects of various monetary and fiscal policies on the balance of payments. In the…

balance of trade, the difference in value over a period of time between a country’s imports and exports of goods and services, usually expressed in the unit of currency of a particular country or economic union (e.g., dollars for the United States, pounds sterling for the United Kingdom, or euros

Kâtip Çelebi: …al-ḥaqq fi ikhtijārī al-ahaqq (The Balance of Truth) defends positive sciences and Islāmic doctrine and criticizes fanaticism.

balance sheet, Financial statement that describes the resources under a company’s control on a specified date and indicates where they have come from. It consists of three major sections: assets (valuable rights owned by the company), liabilities (funds provided by outside lenders and other

watch: Mechanical watches: … designed a watch with a balance spring in the late 1650s; there appears to be no evidence, however, that the spring was in the form of a spiral, a crucial element that would become widely employed. Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens was probably the first to design (1674–75) a watch with…

telecommunications media: Open-wire pair: The parallel arrangement produces a balanced transmission circuit that has low sensitivity to faraway interference sources such as lightning. Immunity to such interference is possible because both of the conductors in the open-wire pair, by running in parallel and in the same plane, are at essentially equal distances from the…

combinatorics: BIB (balanced incomplete block) designs: A design is a set of T = {1, 2, . . ., υ} objects called treatments and a family of subsets B1, B2, . . ., Bb of T, called blocks, such that the block Bi contains exactly k

human genetic disease: Calculating risks of known carriers: …if one may be a balanced translocation carrier. Balanced translocations refer to genomic rearrangements in which there is an abnormal covalent arrangement of chromosome segments, although there is no net gain or loss of key genetic material. If both parents exhibit completely normal karyotypes, the recurrence risks cited are low…

telecommunications media: Open-wire pair: The parallel arrangement produces a balanced transmission circuit that has low sensitivity to faraway interference sources such as lightning. Immunity to such interference is possible because both of the conductors in the open-wire pair, by running in parallel and in the same plane, are at essentially equal distances from the…

Edwards v. Aguillard: …Instruction Act, commonly called the Creationism Act. It did not require that either evolution or creationism be taught in public schools. However, the act stated that if one theory is presented, then the other must be as well. According to supporters, the bill had a secular purpose, which was “protecting…

amphibian: Embryonic stage: …ectodermal projection known as a balancer on each side of the head. These rodlike structures arise from the mandibular arch, contain nerves and capillaries, and produce a sticky secretion. They keep newly hatched larvae from sinking into the sediment and aid the salamander in maintaining its balance before its forelimbs…

George Balanchine was the most influential choreographer of classical ballet in the United States in the 20th century. His works, characterized by a cool neoclassicism, include The Nutcracker (1954) and Don Quixote (1965), both pieces choreographed for the New York City Ballet, of which he was a

George Balanchine was the most influential choreographer of classical ballet in the United States in the 20th century. His works, characterized by a cool neoclassicism, include The Nutcracker (1954) and Don Quixote (1965), both pieces choreographed for the New York City Ballet, of which he was a

Moldova: Relief: …metres), and the highest point, Mount Bălănești, in the west, reaches 1,407 feet (429 metres). These uplands are interlaced by deep, flat valleys, ravines, and landslide-scoured depressions separated by sharp ridges. Steep forested slopes account for much of the terrain. The Dniester uplands, their eastern slopes forming the high right…

Balangir, town, western Odisha (Orissa) state, eastern India. It is situated in a basin surrounded by gently rolling terrain on a stream that flows to the Mahanadi River to the east. Balangir was formerly the capital of the princely state of Patna. It is a marketplace for agricultural products

reproductive system disease: Inflammatory conditions: Balanitis, or inflammation of the glans penis, and posthitis, or infection of the foreskin, result from the retention of secretions and bacteria beneath the foreskin and can be prevented with proper hygiene. Balanitis can also develop as a complication of certain sexually transmitted diseases. Acute…

acorn worm: …cm (about 6 feet) in Balanoglossus gigas. About 70 species have been described.

barnacle: Acorn barnacles, also called rock barnacles, are sessile (not stalked); their symmetrical shells tend to be barrellike or broadly conical. This group includes Balanus, responsible for much of the fouling of ships and harbour structures. Wart barnacles, such as Verruca, have asymmetrical shells.

Balanopaceae, family of dicotyledonous flowering plants in the order Malpighiales, containing a single genus (Balanops) and nine species of trees and shrubs that have simple, alternately positioned or somewhat whorled leaves. The plants are further characterized by flowers that lack showy parts

Balanophoraceae: Major genera and species: Plants of the genera Balanophora (20 species) and Langsdorffia (4 species) contain an inflammable waxy material, and the stems have been used as candles in South America. The rhizomes of these plants are sometimes processed to produce wax, but the plants are not abundant enough for commercial wax production.…

Balanophoraceae, the balanophora family of flowering plants (order Santalales), which includes 14 genera and about 40 species of root parasites that are distributed primarily throughout the tropics. The unusual club-shaped flower spikes of balanophora plants often resemble fungi in their appearance

Balanophoraceae, the balanophora family of flowering plants (order Santalales), which includes 14 genera and about 40 species of root parasites that are distributed primarily throughout the tropics. The unusual club-shaped flower spikes of balanophora plants often resemble fungi in their appearance

Guinea-Bissau: Ethnic and linguistic groups: …20 African ethnicities, including the Balante, one of the largest ethnic groups in the country, the numerous Fulani and their many subgroups, the Diola, the Nalu, the Bijagó, the Landuma, the Papel (Pepel), and the Malinke. There is also a small Cape Verdean minority with mixed African, European,

Guinea-Bissau: Ethnic and linguistic groups: …20 African ethnicities, including the Balante, one of the largest ethnic groups in the country, the numerous Fulani and their many subgroups, the Diola, the Nalu, the Bijagó, the Landuma, the Papel (Pepel), and the Malinke. There is also a small Cape Verdean minority with mixed African, European,

Balantidium: …cases, infect humans and cause balantidiosis (balantidial dysentery), a relatively severe disease causing formation of intestinal ulcers. Balantidium, which feeds on red blood cells, cell fragments, and cell debris, is transmitted to new hosts by rounded cysts passed in excrement and subsequently ingested by a new host.

Balantidium, genus of ovoid protozoans of the holotrichous order Trichostomatida. Uniformly covered with longitudinal rows of minute, hairlike projections (cilia), Balantidium exists as a parasite in the intestines of pigs, apes, and other animals. The species B. coli can, in rare cases, infect

Balantidium: …of minute, hairlike projections (cilia), Balantidium exists as a parasite in the intestines of pigs, apes, and other animals. The species B. coli can, in rare cases, infect humans and cause balantidiosis (balantidial dysentery), a relatively severe disease causing formation of intestinal ulcers. Balantidium, which feeds on red blood cells,…

cirripede: Importance to humans: …consume the large sessile barnacle Balanus nubilus, and the inhabitants of Chile eat yet another large balanid species. In Japan barnacles are used as fertilizer.

crustacean: Importance to humans: …the large acorn shell (Balanus psittacus), a barnacle (order Cirripedia) measuring up to 27 centimetres (11 inches) in length, is regarded as a delicacy in South America, and a stalked barnacle (Mitella pollicipes) is eaten in parts of France and Spain. In Japan, barnacles are allowed to settle and…

Balao, oil port, northwestern Ecuador, on the Pacific Ocean coast adjacent to Esmeraldas city. Its development is entirely due to its choice as the terminus for the Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline, built in 1970–72 to exploit the rich petroleum deposits of Ecuador’s Napo province, in the Oriente region,

submarine: World War II: …mainly with the Gato- and Balao-class submarines. These were approximately 311.5 feet long, displaced 1,525 tons, and had diesel-electric machinery for 20-knot surface and nine-knot underwater speeds. The principal difference between the two designs was the 300-foot operating depth for the Gato class and 400-foot depth for the Balao boats.…

Balarama, in Hindu mythology, the elder half brother of Krishna, with whom he shared many adventures. Sometimes Balarama is considered one of the 10 avatars (incarnations) of the god Vishnu, particularly among those members of Vaishnava sects who elevate Krishna to the rank of a principal god.

Antoine-Jérôme Balard was a French chemist who in 1826 discovered the element bromine, determined its properties, and studied some of its compounds. Later he proved the presence of bromine in sea plants and animals. In studying salt marsh flora from Mediterranean waters, Balard, after crystallizing

balas ruby, variety of the gemstone ruby spinel

Iolanda Balas was a Romanian athlete, the dominant performer in the women’s high jump during the late 1950s and ’60s. She won two Olympic gold medals in the event, set 14 world records, and was the first woman to high-jump 6 feet (1.83 metres). Balas was of Hungarian descent on her father’s side.

history of Central Asia: The Khitans: …valley, where the city of Balāsaghūn was located. Founded by the Sogdians, Balāsaghūn was by then occupied by the Muslim Karakhanids (Qarakhanids), a Turkish people closely related to the Uyghurs and whose ruling house was probably descended from the Karluks. The Karakhanids, who became Muslims during the mid-10th century, ruled…

T. Balasaraswati was an Indian dancer and singer in the Karnatak (South Indian) tradition, who was one of the 20th century’s foremost exponents of the bharata natyam style of classical dance. She was instrumental not only in expanding the performance of this dance form beyond the precincts of the

T. Balasaraswati was an Indian dancer and singer in the Karnatak (South Indian) tradition, who was one of the 20th century’s foremost exponents of the bharata natyam style of classical dance. She was instrumental not only in expanding the performance of this dance form beyond the precincts of the

Balāsh was a Sāsānian king (reigned 484–488), succeeding his brother Fīrūz I. Soon after he ascended the throne, Balāsh was threatened by the dominance of invading Hephthalites, a nomadic eastern tribe. Supported by Zarmihr, a feudal chief, Balāsh suppressed an uprising by his rebel brother Zareh.

Balashikha, city, east-central Moscow oblast (region), western European Russia. It is situated 15 miles (25 km) east of Moscow on the banks of the Pekhorka River. Balashikha developed in the 19th century, first as the site of a cloth factory and later as a centre for papermaking. In Soviet times it

Balashikha, city, east-central Moscow oblast (region), western European Russia. It is situated 15 miles (25 km) east of Moscow on the banks of the Pekhorka River. Balashikha developed in the 19th century, first as the site of a cloth factory and later as a centre for papermaking. In Soviet times it

Baleshwar, city, northeastern Odisha (Orissa) state, eastern India. It lies in the Utkal Plains on the Burhabalang River, 7 miles (11 km) west of the Bay of Bengal. Baleshwar was the site of a British settlement in 1633. Dutch, Danish, and French merchants followed later in the 17th century. The

Bálint Balassi was the outstanding Hungarian lyric poet of his time, remaining unrivaled in his native literature until the end of the 18th century. Balassi was born into one of the richest Protestant families of the country and lived an adventurous life, fighting against the Turks and against his

Bálint Balassi was the outstanding Hungarian lyric poet of his time, remaining unrivaled in his native literature until the end of the 18th century. Balassi was born into one of the richest Protestant families of the country and lived an adventurous life, fighting against the Turks and against his

Louie Bellson was an American musician who was one of the most heralded jazz drummers, known for his taste and restraint in displaying his considerable technical skills. Bellson was something of a child prodigy who, while in high school, invented the double-bass drum kit that became his trademark

Miletus, ancient Greek city of western Anatolia, some 20 miles (30 km) south of the present city of Söke, Turkey. It lies near the mouth of the Büyükmenderes (Menderes) River. Before 500 bce, Miletus was the greatest Greek city in the east. It was the natural outlet for products from the interior

balata, hard rubberlike material made by drying the milky juice produced principally by the bully tree (species Manilkara bidentata) of Guyana and the West Indies. The tree is tapped by cutting zigzag gashes in the bark and collecting the latex in cups, to be coagulated in trays. Like gutta-percha,

Nablus: …the Canaanite city lie at Tall al-Balāṭah, to the east of the present city of Nablus; these show evidence of settlement from the Middle Bronze II period (c. 1900–c. 1750 bce).

Lake Balaton, largest lake of central Europe, located in central Hungary about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Budapest. It has an area of 231 square miles (598 square km) and extends for 48 miles (77 km) along the southern foothills of the Bakony Mountains of Hungary. At it widest point, Lake

Veszprém: Balatonfelvideki National Park is located on the Tihany Peninsula. Area 1,781 square miles (4,613 square km). Pop. (2011) 353,068; (2017 est.) 342,501.