remarkable: Dictionary Information

Remarkable adj. Worth notice; exceptional; striking.  remarkably adv. [french remarquable: related to -remark]

remarkable: Geographic Locations

remarkable: Historical Excerpts

With the exception of the mastery of spoken language, the invention of -writing has had a more profound influence on man s intellectual development than any other achievement. The pictograms of earliest cultures led to -written languages. A further development was the transition to alphabeUc scripts. Early science, based on religious belief in the supernatural, relied primarily on magic, astrology, and alchemy. The philosopher-sdenlists of Greece were concerned -with basic concepts of the universe. Remarkable advances were made in mathematics, astronomy, and medicine by the Egyptians, babylonians, and Mayans. technological improvements included progress in irrigation, sanitation, and transportation.





Classic Age. Age of Pericles or Golden Age of Athens, 480-404. Parthenon. Most famous example of Greek ardiitecture; built under Pericles to honor Athena, on Acropolis in Athens; architects, Ictinus and Callicrates; white marble, two-room cella (for cult statue and treasury) enclosed by rows of Doric columns (colonnade) ; triumph of beauty, harmony, -sj’mmetry. Erechfheum. Ionic temple; enshrined three hallowed places; though irregularly planned, probably by Mnesicles, remarkable over-all harmony of concept, design, ornamentation; Porch of Maidens striking for use of six magnificent female figures (caryatids) as columns; folds of gowns resemble column fluting; delicacy, cliarm. Other outstanding examples of Greek architecture include the Temple of Nike Apteros, Athens, gem of miniature proportions, delicate details; Temple of Apollo at Bassae, designed by Ictinus, early example of corintliian capital, variation of Ionic using acanthus leaf motif; Greek theater, unique in ancient architecture, spectacular. Phidias. Sculptor; designed figures for P.irthenon, remarkable in composition, eacli suited to assigned space; sculpture consisted of 92 high-relief panels in tlie Doric frieze; 50 freestanding figures in two pediments; continuous frieze on four outer cella ^^•aIls; famed great gold, ivory statue, Athena. Myron. Sculptor; famous Discobolus (discus-thro^ver) expressed individualism balanced by classic impersonality and abstract beauty. Polyclitui. Sculptor; eslablislicd rules of proportion in treatment of human body; captured motion in poise of Doryphorus, (spear-bearer), \younded Amazon, and other works. apollodorui (the riiadow painter) and Polygnofus, renowed painters of 5th century-, Pergamon and Athens; Pol)-gnotu5 worked out prindple of perspective, able to create illusion of three dimensions, depth.





Charaka. Great physician, scholar; autlior, Samhita (medical encyclopedia) based on 5th century bc work of Sushruta; listed medicinal herbs; described many surgical operations: cataract, hernia, Caesarian section, etc.; 121 surgical instruments; Sushruta first to have performed skin graft; amputation; suggested sterilization by fumigation; Charaka recognized existence of epidemics; authoritative tvork still used in India. Technology. Indians skilled in processes of tanning, dyeing, bleaching, cement-making: soaps and glass; invented fast-color dyes, discovered indigo; advanced metallurgy, may have produced first steel. Roman Empire Pfolemy (Claudius Ptolemeus) alexandrian astronomer, mathematician, geographer; geocentric theory of universe accepted by M^estern world for centuries: laid foundation for spherical trigonometry in study of chords; catalogued 1,028 stars; chief work, later translated as Almagest, completely summarizes ancient oriental and mediterranean mathematical and astronomical learning; remarkable knowledge of location, especially of India and Africa; first geographical use of parallels and meridians. Galen (Claudius Galenus) of Pergamum. Greatest physician of Roman times; restored hippocratic concepts in treatment of disease; explained respiratory system, cranial nerves; increased knowledge of anatomy and physiology; harmonized theories with philosophy; developed influential theory of psychology; based treatment on humors’, (hippocrates’ bodily properties or qualities); from Galen’s 13 types, later authors derived classic types: sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, melancliolic. Celsus, Aulus Cornelius. Author, important medical treatise; theory based on atom concept; disease caused by disturbance of atoms; significant champion of equal importance of theory and practice.





Islam In the five centuries from 500 to 1000 the most remarkable historical development was the rapid expansion of a new religion, Islam. Its founder, the Prophet Mohammed, (570-632), fired his followers (Moslems) with an extraordinary zeal, and their military victories added the prestige of success to the new faith and won millions of converts. When Mohammed died in 632 his influence was centered in Mecca and Medina and, although many neighboring tribes had accepted Islam, its influence was still limited to Arabia. Under his successors the Moslems began a century of conquest (632-732) that created a vast Islamic empire stretching from the Indus to Spain. In swift succession they conquered Syria, mesopotamia, Armenia, and Persia and reduced the Byzantine Empire in the Middle East to the Anatolian peninsula. simultaneously, they invaded Egypt, swept westward across the north of Africa, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, and occupied Spain. When they pushed north of the Pyrenees they were checked by the Frankish leader, Charles Martel (Battle of Tours), and the Pyrenees became a frontier between Moslem Spain and Christian Europe. The magnitude of these Moslem conquests and the losses suffered by the Christians in the 7th century are difficult to conceive. In 600 the Christian realm surrounded the mediterranean, corresponding roughly to the Roman Empire at its greatest extent. By 732 more than half these Christian lands had fallen to the Moslems.





Social Organization. Originally nomadic people, shepherds linked by bonds of tribal code; similar relationship existed between town people-, society developed rapidly; dhimmis, non-moslems tolerated but taxed; upper middle-class scholars, rvriters, artists, professional men, merchants important but ranked below aristocracy and ruling caliph; slavery common; many slaves well-educated entertainers or scholars. Urban Development. Baghdad, capital, political, economic center of Islam; with Cordova and Seville, rivaled Byzantium; unequaled in Western Europe for centuries: palaces, libraries; paved, illuminated streets luxurious public baths; bazaars offering silks, spices from China and India, furs from region now scandinavia and Russia, gold, ivory, slaves from Africa. INDUSTRY. Western Asia produced rugs, textiles, cotton, woolen goods, furniture; Persians excelled in making tapestries, carpets, Kufan silks; Syria’s magnificent glass and Damascan glazed tile and metalwork unsurpassed; manufacture of paper increased following capture of Samarkand, 8th century, spread through Empire; flowers grown commercially for manufacture of perfumes, essences, oils, unguents. Agriculture. Government undertook land reclamation, reopened canals, tried to restore productivity of ancient mesopotamian land; similar projects in various parts of Empire; remarkable harvests of fruits, vegetables; sugar cane grown. MOSLEM SPAIN. introduction of irrigation projects enhanced various new crops: oranges, lemons, peaches, apricots: new vegetables included spinach, artichoke, rice; mulberry trees, silkworm culture improved; manufacture of leather goods.





The building of the great Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals, remarkable achievement of the medieval period, reflected the profound religious faith of the age. Romanesque cnt developed under feudalism, and Gothic art, particularly in France, was the result oI combined creative efforts of entire town communities. The magnificent stained glass windows of the Gothic cathedral replaced the huge ceiling frescoes of Romanesque church buildings. The noted Sung calligraphers of China, emphasizing creative imagination and spontaneous expression, founded the wen-jen movement. The famed Choju Gigo (Scroll of Animals ), painted by Tobo Sojo, established the art of caricature in Japan.





Middle East PERSIA. Nazir al-Din. Foremost Moslem mathematician, astronomer; created spherical trigonometry; ivrote treatises. Rashid al-Din. Physician; gave detailed account of printing methods used by Chinese; paper money printed in Tabriz, 1294, bore both Chinese and Arabic characters. al-Damiri. Wrote Zoological Lexicon, extensive compilation of natural history; compared to work of bartholomew the Englisliman. Asia CHINA. Great mastery of abacus; use of zero, borrowed from India. Chu Shih-chieh published four-element Precious Mirror, 1303, important work lost in China until 1802; gave binomial coefficients in form of an arithmetical triangle to the eighth power; did not recognize more than one root to an equation; work apparently done ivith calculatory apparatus; influenced Japanese mathematicians. Kuo Shou-ching. Major mathematician of period; astronomer, engineer; believed to have developed spherical trigonometry, working independently; constructed best Chinese calendar. America Incas built remarkable roads and irrigation projects; used Quipus (from Quechua, quipu, meaning knot) for keeping records, sending messages, as numerical system; ropes of different colors tied in various knots; formed by thick woolen rope 1-20 feet long, from which hung thinner ropes of different lengths and colors; group of quippu-camayoc (accountants) , educated in special schools, formed and interpreted complex system. Aztec calendar used 260-day year and 52-year time cycle; accomplished engineers; built island capital of Tenoclititlan.





Middle East PERSIA. Hafiz of Shiraz (Shams alDin). Most popular, probably greatest Persian lyric poet; chief work. Divan, collection of short odes known as gazels; wrote panegyrics, quatrains; works remarkable for melodic rhythm and beauty of style. Sa di (Saadi) Mystical poetry, considered finest of Sufi; masterpiece, Gulistan (Garden of Roses), 1258. ibn-khaldun (’Abd-al-Rahman). Arab historian; b. TTunis; outstanding Islamic thinker of period; famed for Kitabu ’l-Tbar (Book of Examples), philosophic interpretations of nature and civilization; a founder of modem science of sociology; attempted to rec, oncile Koran and contemporary , thought; purpose of history one of historical evolution, a technique used later by Vico, Gibbon. ibn-Bat6ta, Muhammad. Famous traveler; work covering 1325-49, reliable source post-mongol cultural history of Islam; also traveled in Africa. Asia CHINA. Most famous Ming novel, sankuo-chih yen-i (The Romance of the Three Kingdoms), attributed to Lo Kuan-chung, romantic, history. Shih Nai-an. Credited with wiling Shui liu chuan (River Margin Story, translated by Pearl Buck as All Men Are Brothers), lute 13th or 14th century. Liu Chi. Short stories, poetry. Sung Lien and others cprapiled His-. tory> of the Mongol Dynasty, from 1369. JAPAN. Kojima. Thought to have written Taihekki Somoku, history of 1181-1268; style foundation of modern Japanese literary prose. Kenko Keneyoshi. Author, tsuredzure-gusa (On the Brink of Boredom), cl 340, delightful coUection of short stories, anecdotes, essays; poetry. Kitabatake Chikafosa. Author, ]innd Shotoki (History of True Succession of Divine Monarchs); important^ inrestoration of Mikado’s powers, 1868; also wrote Gehgenshu (8 vols.), Shinto myths.





David, Gerard. Perfect draugh manship, severe symmetry, op< I < decoration, tenderness, warmth. Others: Jean Clouet, portraitdrawings; Petrus Christas, portraits; Hieronymus Bosch, horror, diabolical satire; Hugo van der Goes, Portinari Altarpiece. GERMANY. Schongauer, Martin. Engraver, painter; one of first to use copper for reproduction; best engraver of century, contributed to development of graphics. GERMANY, Vischer, Peter, Sculptor; known for Gothic shrine, Saxony. Krafft, Adam. Stone sculptor, Nuremberg; style half-gothic, half-Renaissance; many reliefs for churches, private and public buildings. Asio CHINA. Tai Chin (Tai Wen-chin) Foremost Ming painter; founded Chekiang School, using bright color and landscape as background for story or people; developed ink technique in landscape. T ang Yin. Ming artist; remarkable versatility; impressionistic studies; gay genre pictures; beautiful young women and somber landscapes. Shen Chou. Founder of Wu School, Soochow; best representative of southern school of landscape painting. JAPAN. Sesshu. Considered outstanding painter of Muromachi period; worked in China, brought influence to Japan; known for power of brushstroke and magnificent composition; influence enormous. Tosa Mitsunobu. Chief of Tosa school; illustrated history and battle scenes; famous in China; delicate color, simple composition. Shubun. Zen priest; exceptional teacher of suiboku art. Cho Densu. Last great Buddhist painter; Hut in the Valley, 1413, oldest pure ink landscape known. Middle East PERSIA. Bihzad. Great master; figures recognizable as individuals, landscape backgrounds, decorative.





,.=,n Furone Poland and Lithuania were joined (Union of Lublin, 1569) to form Tbut amorphous state between the Baltic and the Black Sea. Ivan IV (the Terrible) Hussia crushed revolts of the nobles ^boyars-) and fought Germans, Poles, Swedes, and Tartars to hold and enlarge the Moscovite realm. NMthern India was reunited by Akbar, (1556-1605), greatest of the Mogul emperors, on efficient organizer remarkable for his religious toleration. In Persia Shah Abbas the Great (1586-1628) modernized his army and defeated the Uzbeks (1597). China reached MW cultural heights under its Ming rulers. In Japan western traders and missionaries were well received until Hideyoshi (1537-98), who was laboring ruthlessly to unite the Idngdom, became suspidous of the Christians.





•^ALY, Porta, giambattista dello. Physicist; credited ■with inventing camera obscura, described in Magiae naturalis (Natural Magic), 1569; founder, scientific group called Accademia Secretorum Naturae, Naples; exponent of esoteric experimentation. Eustachi, Bartolomeo. Anatomist; described many structures of human body, including eustacliian tube of ear, adrenal glands, thoracic duct, uterus, kidneys; investigated structure, development of teeth; Tabulae ariatomwae, 1552, remarkable set of anatomical drawings (pub. 1714). caesalplnus, Andreas (cesalpino) Physician, botanist; chief work, De planlis, 1583, first classification of plants according to their fruits; first systematic scheme of botanical classification (so considered by Linnaeus); ahead of his time with tlieory of blood circulation. Fallopius (Gabriele Fallopio) 152362. Anatomist: pupil, successor to Vesalius, Padua; discovered Fallopian tubes. FRANCE. Palissy, Bernard, cl 510c89. \Yrote important work on fossil remains of fishes and shells, 1580, concluding that places ivhere fossils were found had once been covered by sea or fresh water, a step toward rational geology. Rondelet, Guillaume. 1507-66. Naturalist, knorvn especially for studies of fish of mediterranean waters. Asia CHINA. Li Shih-chen. \Vrote outstanding scientific work of Ming period, Pen Tshao Kang Mu, 1578 (pub. 1596); described pharmaceutical value of 1,000 plants and 1,000 animals; discussed distillation, smallpox inoajlation, use of mercury and iodine; 8,000 prescriptions; illustrated with 1,100 woodcuts. Sung Ying-hsing. Wrote T/tien Kung Khai IFw, technological treatise^ describing everytype of manufacturing process.





Dutch nelherlcmds enjoyed commercial supremacy, transporting half the seaborne com merce of Europe. The development of banking, resulting from expanding overseas trode encouraged the systematic accumulation of capital, facilitated loans, money transfers and the process of discounting commercial paper. This made it possible for enterprising merchants and manufacturers to lay the foundation for the remarkable development of industiv and commerce that characterized this century. In most countries the great landowners were still the most powerful and privileged group in sodety, although in England and the netherlands the wealthy merchant class had gained prominence. The struggle for supremacy between the mercantile (business-minded) and agrarian (feudal-minded) factions constituted the most important economic and sodal conflid of the periods





The Baroque period was one of remarkable contrasts, not only in religious and sde tir thought, but also in art. Two great masters of the period, Rembrandt and Caravaq ■ made brilliant, dramatic use of Rght, each quite differently. The opulent splendor^ 6i Rubens contrasted with the classical serenity of Poussin and the dignity of van Dyck. The severe classical architecture of Jones and Mansart differed from the great emphasis on fluid form and dramatic recessive modeling in the sculpture and imperial architecture of Bernini. The polychrome architecture and sculpture of Spcnn and Spanish America contrasted sharply with the serene majesly of the Taj Mahal in India and the magnificent Mosque at Isfahan, Persia.





Globol perspectives Spain, Portugal, Holland, England, and France built empires, overseas, tlie Russians crossed the almost empty regions of northern Asia. Between the 15th and the IStli centuries they proved themselves, in terms of territory conquered, the most ambitious empire-builders of all. Between 1462 and 1796 the czarist domains expanded 7 million square miles, a rate of growth that averaged over 20,000 square miles a year. By 1800 the Spanish empire in America included some 5 million square miles, but it was a more remarkable achievement because of the distance and the geographical obstacles overcome. Like the English and French in North America the Russians penetrated an area sparsely populated and without any high culture. Their advance was an occupation ratlier than a conquest. By 1647 they founded a post on the Sea of Okhotsk, but did not realize for nearly a century that it opened onto the Pacific. In 1741 Vitus Bering crossed to Alaska. Russian fur traders followed the coast of North America as far south as California where they set up a post at Fort Ross in 1812. Wherever tlie Russians encountered finn resistance their advance slowed or halted. In Europe they took over two centuries to reach the Baltic Sea and over three to reach the Niemen River. In the south they fought the Turks for three centuries before they arrived at the Dniester and the Caucasus. In tlie Far East tlieir efforts to encroacli on the boundaries of the Chinese Empire met with very limited success. The nations of Western Europe, preoccupied with their own concerns and conflicts, gave little thought to the Russian penetration into Asia and beyond. There were, however, several awe-inspiring facts about the Russian realm and its prospects that merited their serious attention. 1. /Irea. By tlie 18th century the Russian Empire included half of Europe and one-tliird of Asia: in all it comprised one-eighth of the land surface of tlie globe. The nortliern coastal regions that bordered the ice-bound PoLir Sea were treeless tundra. But four-fifths of Russia was covered witli forest or temperate grasslands. 2. Population. With large, areas suitable for culth-ation Russia could support a large population, but its resources had not been intelligehtly ex





ITALY. Scarlatti, Domenico. Virtuoso, composer, generally considered the father of modem piano playing; equaled Handel in harpsichord-playing contest in Rome; Handel better organist; court composer and teacher in Portugal and Spain; played in London; one of most important Italian composers of century; influence on development of piano music often compared to that of Chopin and Liszt; although he shared honor of founding piano style with Couperin and Rameau, work more modern and influential. Pergolesi, Giovanni. Composer of Neapolitan school; composed sacred works, instrumental music; best known for operas, works for stage; La serva padrona (The Maid as Mistress), 1733, only outstanding success; model for opera buffa; Stabat Mater, for treble voices, well known. Vivaldi, Antonio. With Scarlatti, most distinguished late Baroque Italian composer of instrumental music of universal importance; dominated ensemble music and enlarged solo passages in concerto grosso, using violin as dominating instrument; influenced Bach and other composers. Stradivari, Antonio. violin-maker, Cremona; pupil of Amati; his best violins, 1700-25, unmatched in tone. Farinelli, Carlo. 1705-82. Male soprano, greatest of caslrati; regarded as one of most remarkable singers of all time. FRANCE. Rameau, Jean. Composer, theorist, harpsidiordist, organist; unusual genius; earliest works include harpsichord suites; treatise on harmony, 1722, became basis of future study; formulated system of chord building in thirds and introduced doctrine of inversion of chords; won fame as composer of opera with Castor and Pollux, 1737; considered most French of composers. Couperin, Frangois. Called ‘le Grand.’ clavecinist, composer; works typical of Rococo style; music of delicate, expressive elegance in exquisite taste; portraits in music; pastorals, influenced by Corelli; music for clavecin.





Europe PRANCE. Cousin, Virtor. Minister, Public instruction, 1840; complete reorganization and centralization of primary system; set policy of philosophical freedom in universities; remarkable lecturer. Guizot, Franjois. 1787





Global perspectives The 3rd quarter of the 19th century was distinguished by a remarkable advance in the speed and safety of transportation and rapidity of communication. The economic, social, and political consequences proved so dynamic and far-reaching that this ‘transportation revolution’ might be considered the most general and fundamental trend of the period. Between 1850 and 1875 the world’s merchant fleet doubled from c9 million to cl 8 million gross tons, but only one-seventh of this shipping was steam-driven in 1875. By 1900 the world total had risen to 30 million tons and three-quarters was steamdriven. In other words, the steamship tonnage increased almost 10-fold in the last 25 years of the 19th century. Steam superseded sail because of the greater speed, safety, regularity, and economy of the steamship. Rising traffic made it expedient to construct some major canals. The ‘Soo Canals’ between lakes Superior and Huron (1857 and 1895) carried more tonnage than any other artificial waterway. The Suez Canal (1869) almost halved the shipping route from Europe to Asia. The Kiel Canal (1895) shortened the distance from the North to the Baltic Sea. The Panama Canal (1914) linked the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. At Suez and Panama modern engineering provided substitutes for the long-sought Northeast and Northwest Passage. On land the railroad introduced a comparable revolution in the same period. World railroad mileage, c25,000 in 1850, and cl 75,000 in 1875, rose 325,000 in the next quarter-century, reaching half a million miles by 1900. Speed in communication was likewise revolutionized. The first telegraph lines dated from the 1840’s, the first undersea cables from the 1850’s and 1860’s, the first telephone lines from the 1870’s. Sailing ships had often been delayed for days or even weeks by calms or by adverse winds. Steamships made dependable schedules possible. The 5week Atlantic passage of the early 19th century fell to 5 days in the early 20th. Faster ships also, meant that each could make more trips in a given time. This helps to explain why, with the world’s ship tonnage increasing 5-fold in the 19th century, the value of international trade could increase 20-fold. On land the steam engine speeded





Life for the urbanized populations of Europe and America became more standardized regimented in the 20lh century. Increased mass production provided a stondordizati ™ f manufactured goods, and governments found it necessary to exercise more economic°” trol over industry, finance, and labor. Britain s shore of international trade declbed following the rise of industrial nations in other parts of the world which competed f overseas markets. Following World War I, Germany suffered economic collapse and inflation, but its increased industrial production paved the way for a remarkable economi recovery. The United States embarked on a program of isolationism, raising tariHs to an unprecedented level. Japan became the leading industrial power in Asia.





Americos UNITED STATES. Faulkner, William. Nobel Prize novelist; symbolist; subjective studies of South; The Sound and Fury, 1929, Sanctuary, 1931, A Fable; 1954, and other works. Hemingway, Ernest. Leading novelist; important influence: Nobel Prize, 1954; The Sun Also Rises, 1926; short stories. Stein, Gertrude. Influenced development of subjective realism in the arts; experimental stylist; poet; opera libretto, essays, articles of criticism. Sandburg, Carl. The People, Yes, 1936, Life of Abraham Lincoln, six volumes, 1926-39; outstanding examples of American writing. Frost, Robert. 1875Nature poet of New England; subtle symbolist; classic, popular style. Pound, Ezra. 1885Leader of imagist poets; Cantos, 1925-48. Wolfe, Thomas. 1900-38. Prolific novelist; autobiographical lyrical expressionism. CHILE. Mistral, Gabriela. Poet; Nobel Prize, 1945; Desolacion, 1922, Tala, 1938; love for humanity. ARGENTINA. Galvez, Manuel. Famed novelist; Nacha Regules, 1919, Men in Solitude, 1938. VENEZUELA. Gallegos, Romulo. Doha Barbara, 1929, powerful novel. PERU. Alegn a, Ciro. Known for Broad and Alien is the World, 1941, outstanding study of the exploitation of the Indians of Latin America. Central Europe GERMANY, Mann, Thomas. Novelist, essayist: The Magic Mountain, 1927; Joseph and His Brothers, 1928; Nobel Prize, 1929. ■j^USTR/A. Kafka, Franz. Novelist, pt, essayist; remarkable psychologid, philosophical studies of modem nan’s guilt, isolation, anxieties; The Trial, pub. 1925; The Castle, 1926. Australio Pritchard, Katherine.. Powerful realism; Working Bullocks, 1926, Coohardoo, 1929; short stories about ‘bush.’