| anthropomorphism | [an-thro-po-MOR-fizm] The attributing of humanlike characteristics and traits to nonhuman things or powers, such as a deity.
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| canon | A set of principles or rules that are accepted as true and authoritative for the various arts or fields of study; in architecture, it refers to the standards of proportion; in painting, the prescribed ways of painting certain objects; in sculpture, the ideal proportions of the human body; in literature, the authentic list of an author's works; in religion, the approved and authoritative writings that are accepted as divinely inspired, such as the Scriptures for Jews and Christians; and in religious and other contexts, certain prescribed rituals or official rules and laws. In music, a canon is a composition in which a melody sung by one voice is repeated exactly by successive voices as they enter.
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| civilization | The way humans live in a complex political, economic, and social structure, usually in an urban environment, with some development in technology, literature, and art.
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| culture | The sum of human endeavors, including the basic political, economic, and social institutions and the values, beliefs, and arts of those who share them.
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| genre | [ZHON-ruh] From the French, "a kind, a type, or a class"; a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition, characterized by a particular style, form, or content.
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| hieroglyphs | [HI-uhr-uh-glifs] Pictorial characters used in Egyptian writing, which is known as hieroglyphics.
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| hymn | From the Greek and Latin, "ode of praise of gods or heroes"; a song of praise or thanksgiving to God or the gods, performed both with and without instrumental accompaniment.
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| ideogram | [ID-e-uh-gram] A picture drawn to represent an idea or a concept.
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| monotheism | From the Greek monos, single, alone, and the Greek theos, god; the belief that there is only one God.
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| Neolithic | Literally, "new stone"; used to define the New Stone Age, when human cultures evolved into agrarian systems and settled communities; dating from about 10,000 or 8000 b.c. to about 3000 b.c.
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| Paleolithic | Literally, "old stone"; used to define the Old Stone Age, when crude stones and tools were used; dating from about 2,000,000 b.c. to about 10,000 b.c.
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| pantheism | The doctrine of or belief in multitudes of deities found in nature.
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| phonogram | A symbol used to represent a syllable, a word, or a sound.
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| pictogram | A carefully drawn, often stylized, picture that represents a particular object.
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| polytheism | [PAHL-e-the-iz-uhm] The doctrine of or belief in more than one deity.
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| portico | In architecture, a covered entrance to a building, usually with a separate roof supported by columns.
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| post-and-lintel construction | A basic architectural form in which upright posts, or columns, support a horizontal lintel, or beam.
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| regalia | Plural in form, often used with a singular verb. The emblems and symbols of royalty, as the crown and scepter.
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| stele | [STEE-lee] A carved or inscribed vertical stone pillar or slab, often used for commemorative purposes.
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| theocracy | From the Greek theos, god; a state governed by a god regarded as the ruling power or by priests or officials claiming divine sanction.
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| ziggurat | [ZIG-oo-rat] A Mesopotamian stepped pyramid, usually built with external staircases and a shrine at the top; sometimes included a tower.
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