The Medina Wrench: a key to the kinematics of the central and eastern Mediterranean over the past 5 Ma

1987 ◽  
Vol 82 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 87-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Jongsma ◽  
J.M. Woodside ◽  
G.C.P. King ◽  
J.E. van Hinte
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
The Past

Land-sea correlations in the Eastern Mediterranean region over the past c. 800 kyr based on macro- and cryptotephras from ODP Site 964 (Ionian Basin)

2021 ◽  
Vol 255 ◽  
pp. 106811
Author(s):  
Polina Vakhrameeva ◽  
Andreas Koutsodendris ◽  
Sabine Wulf ◽  
Maxim Portnyagin ◽  
Oona Appelt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
The Past

scholarly journals New Book Chronicle

Antiquity ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (359) ◽  
pp. 1401-1411
Author(s):  
Robert Witcher
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Technology Change ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
The Past ◽  
Transfer Of Technology ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
New Phase

Is the era of globalisation on the wane or on the cusp of a new phase of extraordinary expansion? US president Trump's abandonment of trade agreements and the rise of protectionism coincide with China's ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, an unprecedented investment in infrastructure across Asia, Europe and North Africa to improve the connectivity of China with its markets by both land and sea. The future is therefore anyone's guess, but what about the past? There has been much discussion by archaeologists about ancient globalisations (most recently, Hodos 2017), but archaeological studies have often typically been set within the looser framework of ‘connectivity’—the interconnectedness of people and places and the movement of material culture and ideas. The books reviewed here are concerned with various aspects of connectivity, focusing on the Eastern Mediterranean and its European hinterland. All of the volumes are edited collections, each adopting a different unifying theme—the influence of Braudel, a single country as microcosm, the transfer of technology, changevstradition, and the effects of boundaries and frontiers. Do any wider insights into connectivity in the past emerge? And where might archaeological studies of connectivity go next?

Climate and environmental context of the Mongol invasion of Syria and defeat at ‘Ayn Jālūt (1258–1260 CE)

Erdkunde ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-104
Author(s):  
Nicola Di Cosmo ◽  
Sebastian Wagner ◽  
Ulf Büntgen
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Alliances ◽  
Turning Point ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
The Past ◽  
Climate Reconstructions

After a successful conquest of large parts of Syria in 1258 and 1259 CE, the Mongol army lost the battle of 'Ayn Jālūt against Mamluks on September 3, 1260 CE. Recognized as a turning point in world history, their sudden defeat triggered the reconfiguration of strategic alliances and geopolitical power not only in the Middle East, but also across much of Eurasia. Despite decades of research, scholars have not yet reached consensus over the causes of the Mongol reverse. Here, we revisit previous arguments in light of climate and environmental changes in the aftermath of one the largest volcanic forcings in the past 2500 years, the Samalas eruption ~1257 CE. Regional tree ring-based climate reconstructions and state-of-the-art Earth System Model simulations reveal cooler and wetter conditions from spring 1258 to autumn 1259 CE for the eastern Mediterranean/Arabian region. We therefore hypothesize that the post-Samalas climate anomaly and associated environmental variability affected an estimated 120,000 Mongol soldiers and up to half a million of their horses during the conquest. More specifically, we argue that colder and wetter climates in 1258 and 1259 CE, while complicating and slowing the campaign in certain areas, such as the mountainous regions in the Caucasus and Anatolia, also facilitated the assault on Syria between January and March 1260. A return to warmer and dryer conditions in the summer of 1260 CE, however, likely reduced the regional carrying capacity and may therefore have forced a mass withdrawal of the Mongols from the region that contributed to the Mamluks’ victory. In pointing to a distinct environmental dependency of the Mongols, we offer a new explanation of their defeat at 'Ayn Jālūt, which effectively halted the further expansion of the largest ever land-based empire.

Rethinking of Turkey’s Geopolitics together with Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 705 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-66
Author(s):  
Arıboğan Deniz Ülke ◽  
Ibrahim Arslan
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
International System ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Past ◽  
Humanitarian Interventions ◽  
The Us ◽  
Transportation Accessibility ◽  
The Eu

In the studies carried out within the scope of geopolitical discipline, the expression "geography is destiny" is frequently used and it is claimed that geography has unchangeable, irreversible qualities and the policies implemented are shaped through this assumption. This assumption ignores the humanitarian interventions over the geography and makes it difficult to understand the results produced by these interventions at both regional and global level. Similarly, the dynamic nature of international relations reveals new actors in the international system in times of bounce and collapse, and the borders that expand or narrow with each transformation can differentiate the geopolitical view with new sovereign countries. In the historical process, transportation accessibility, trade, search for raw materials, security and alliance relations have caused the same geography to be interpreted differently in different periods. This situation also applies to the geography of Turkey had been the homeland of empires. The developments in the Middle East over the past two decades has created a sensitivity in the relations between Turkey and the West, especially the United States. Competing interests with the EU and the US in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean, has necessitated a reassessment of Turkey's geography.

A first preliminary study of the shallow water sponge fauna from Cyprus Island (Eastern Mediterranean)

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4450 (5) ◽  
pp. 594
Author(s):  
COSTA GABRIELE ◽  
GIUSSANI VALENTINA ◽  
KLETOU DEMETRIS ◽  
KLEITOU PERIKLIS ◽  
PANSINI MAURIZIO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Sponge Species ◽  
Commercial Importance ◽  
The Past ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
Mediterranean Areas ◽  
The World ◽  
Preliminary Study

Currently, more than 8,500 valid sponge species are reported in the World Porifera Database (http://www.marinespecies.org/porifera/) (van Soest et al. 2018). The Mediterranean Sea sponge fauna, counting almost 700 species, is one of the best documented in the world (Pronzato 2003; Pansini et al. 2011; van Soest et al. 2018) but the eastern part of the basin is by far less studied, in comparison with other Mediterranean areas (Pansini et al. 2000; Voultsiadou & Vafidis 2004; Topaloğlu & Evcen 2014). A small number of species, mainly belonging to the cosmopolitan genus Spongia (Dictyoceratida), are commonly used as bath sponges. Aim of this work is to provide further information on Cyprus Island sponges in general and on species that had commercial importance in the past. 

scholarly journals The Levantine jellyfish Rhopilema nomadica and Rhizostoma pulmo swim faster against the flow than with the flow

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dror Malul ◽  
Tamar Lotan ◽  
Yizhaq Makovsky ◽  
Roi Holzman ◽  
Uri Shavit
Keyword(s):  
Swimming Speed ◽  
Laboratory Testing ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Water Velocity ◽  
Pulsation Frequency ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sensory Ability

AbstractJellyfish locomotion and orientation have been studied in the past both in the laboratory, testing mostly small jellyfish, and in the field, where it was impossible to control the seawater currents. Utilizing an outdoor water flume, we tested the locomotion of jellyfish when swimming against and with currents of up to 4.5 cm s−1. We used adult jellyfish from two of the most abundant species in the eastern Mediterranean, Rhopilema nomadica and Rhizostoma pulmo, and measured their pulsation frequency and swimming speed relative to the water. While pulsation frequency was not affected by the water velocity, jellyfish swam faster against the current than with it. This finding suggests that jellyfish possess a sensory ability, whose mechanism is currently unknown, enabling them to gauge the flow and react to it, possibly in order to reduce the risk of stranding.

scholarly journals Knowledge and experience with Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) among neurologists in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR)

QJM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D A A Saleh ◽  
S Kassie ◽  
T Alsaadi
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Independent Practice ◽  
Minimal Risk ◽  
Unexpected Death ◽  
The Past ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Patients With Epilepsy

Abstract Objective SUDEP is one of the causes of mortality in patients with epilepsy. We investigated SUDEP discussion practices among neurologists in the EMR to identify gaps in knowledge and to increase awareness. Methods An online survey was sent out to neurologists practicing in the EMR through registered emails and to attendees of local neurology conferences. Results: 132 practitioners completed the survey. 19.7% respondents were from Egypt, 15.2% from Sudan, 8.3% from KSA, and 4.5% from Syria. Only 1.5% of the respondents discussed SUDEP with their patients nearly all of the time, while 46.2% rarely discuss SUDEP. 18% of the respondents had experienced definite or probable SUDEP in the past 24 months of their clinical practice. Top three reactions to SUDEP discussion were distress (74%), anxiety (70.5%), and depression (65.9%). 77.3% of the respondents believe that patients are at minimal risk of SUDEP, 37.9% fear it would affect patients’ mood or quality of life, and 27.3% believe SUDEP is so rare and the risks of discussion outweigh potential benefits. We found no significant association between years of independent practice, number of patients seen annually, number of SUDEP in the past 24 months and how often respondents discussed SUDEP. Conclusion Neurologists in the EMR rarely discuss SUDEP with their patients / caregivers. Negative reactions and underestimating the risk of SUDEP may be the reason, suggesting lack of awareness among practitioners, patients, and caregivers. Framing the discussion positively and using different resources to support patients / caregivers around SUDEP may minimize negative reactions.

The genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 (Araneae: Clubionidae) in the Maghreb, with notes on the genevensis group and new records from the Mediterranean Region

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4353 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT BOSMANS ◽  
ARNAUD HENRARD ◽  
SOUÂD BENHALIMA ◽  
OURIDA KHERBOUCHE-ABROUS
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
New Records ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Species Group ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Synonyms ◽  
Nomen Dubium ◽  
The Mediterranean

A survey of the members of the genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 in the Maghreb is presented. The presence of Clubiona comta C. L. Koch, 1839, C. dinienis Simon, 1878, C. leucaspis Simon, 1932, C. phragmitis C. L. Koch 1843 and C. vegeta Simon, 1918 is confirmed. Clubiona pseudosimilis Mikhailov, 1990, from the eastern Mediterranean is new to Africa and Portugal. A specimen of C. neglecta O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1862, cited from Morocco in the past, was misidentified and appears to be C. pseudoneglecta Wunderlich, 1994. The species is new to Algeria and Spain. Two new synonyms are revealed: Clubiona baborensis Denis, 1937 from Algeria = C. diniensis Simon, 1878 N. Syn. and Clubiona venusta Pavesi, 1880 from Tunisia = Selamia reticulata (Simon, 1870) N. Syn. Clubiona mandibularis Lucas, 1846 is considered a Nomen dubium. The comta group is redefined and the “genevensis subgroup” is elevated to species group, including two subgroups. A key and illustrations to the species of the genevensis group are presented and all the species occurring in the Maghreb are illustrated. 

scholarly journals Dendroclimatology in the Eastern Mediterranean

Radiocarbon ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 56 (04) ◽  
pp. S61-S68
Author(s):  
Ramzi Touchan ◽  
David M. Meko ◽  
Kevin J. Anchukaitis
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Climatic Variation ◽  
Ring Network ◽  
The Past

Dendroclimatology in the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) region has made important contributions to the understanding of climate variability on timescales of decades to centuries. These contributions, beginning in the mid-20th century, have value for resource management, archaeology, and climatology. A gradually expanding tree-ring network developed by the first author over the past 15 years has been the framework for some of the most important recent advances in EM dendroclimatology. The network, now consisting of 79 sites, has been widely applied in large-scale climatic reconstruction and in helping to identify drivers of climatic variation on regional to global spatial scales. This article reviews EM dendroclimatology and highlights contributions on the national and international scale.

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