THE WIND GOD AND THE DESCENT OF THE TZITZIMITL: NEW INSIGHTS ON THE ICONOGRAPHY AND PROVENANCE OF THE MOSAIC-ENCRUSTED BIRD HEAD AT THE FRIEDENSTEIN PALACE, GOTHA, GERMANY

The Friedenstein Palace in Gotha, Germany, holds a Late Postclassic Mesoamerican bird head sculpture made of wood encrusted with precious stone and shell mosaic. Although known since the nineteenth century, scholars have not given the artifact the attention it deserves. Based on observations made during a thorough in situ inspection, we provide a detailed description of the object, stressing both technological and aesthetic aspects, documented through new photos and reconstructive drawings prepared by Nicolas Latsanopoulos. Then, we offer an interpretation of the artifact's iconography, demonstrating it should be understood as a representation of the Wind God in its manifestation as a Tzitzimitl, a category of deities associated with creation and destruction; an aspect made evident in the small figure adorning the avian forehead. We finally reconstruct the collection history of the object, suggesting that the Giustiniani family, a prominent Roman noble family renowned for its collecting activities, once owned the sculpture; in turn, this proposal might imply that the Dominican friar Domingo de Betanzos brought the mosaic to Italy in 1532 and that it might be originally from the Puebla-Tlaxcala Valley or, more broadly, from the south-central area of the modern state of Puebla.

About the monograph “Collection and jewelry cassiterite”

Specialists of the Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State University for Geological Prospecting (MGRI), which had been training gemologists for many years, conducted an interesting and substantial study devoted to a non-traditional use of cassiterite, a mineral known to man for millennia. The monograph2 under review discusses various aspects of the use of cassiterite, as well as its accompanying minerals, for producing jewelry, collection and ornamental materials. Given the increasing popularity of natural minerals in recent decades, there is a growth of interest among collectors and manufacturers in non-traditional semi-precious stone raw materials and their use in the jewelry industry. The world trade in this area is significant and continues to demonstrate an increasing trend. In this regard, the work of D.A. Petrochenkov devoted to jewelry and ornamental cassiterites seems to be highly relevant. For the first time in world practice, the monograph comprehensively covers questions concerning cassiterite and its application, thus contributing to popularization of cassiterite jewelry and craftsmanship and laying the foundation for a new direction in the semi-precious stone industry. The author of the monograph critically reviewed the results of previous studies on the mineral and chemical composition of cassiterite and added an extensive set of his own analytical methods. The gemological and technological characteristics of cassiterite minerals were given, along with recommendations on their rational search, use and quality improvement. In term of ecological parameters, it was shown that the content of carcinogenic and radioactive elements in jewelry cassiterites does not exceed the background values. The market conditions were described, and recommendations on the organization of mining and geological work in this sphere were presented.

CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL EVALUATION OF SUBSTITUTED BENZIMIDAZOLE DERIVATIVES

A blend of 32.4 g (0.1 mole) of ortho phenylenediamine (OPD), 19.5g (0.1 mol) of Potassium hydroxide (KOH) and 26 g (0.1 mole) of carbon disulphide (CS2), 300 ml of 95% ethanol and water were taken in round base flagon and reflux give coupling prouct benzimidazole 2-thiol (1) was isolated as flicker white precious stone. 10.75ml of concentrated nitric corrosive and equivalent amount of concentrated sulphuric corrosive (1:1) was included The nitration item 5-nitro benzimidazole 2-thiol (2) was shaped as yellowish pale shading, at that point S-alkylated subordinates framed from 5-Niro benzimidazole 2-thiol utilizing acetonitrile (20 ml) containing 2 ml (14 mmol) DBU followed by the expansion of 0.72 g (5 mmol) of 2-diethylaminoethylchloride (3i), 4-aminobenzylchloride (3ii), 4-Hydroxybenzylchloride (3iii), 4-nitro 2-Hydroxybenzylchloride (3iv) give The arrangement was mixed for the time being at room temperature and the dissolvable vanished. Water (5 ml) was added to the buildup and the blend was carried to pH 7 with CH3COOH. The accelerate framed was sifted and solidified from H2O to give last item (3a), (3b), (3c), (3d) individually. Keywords: Benzimidazole, Anti-microbial, S-Alkylation benzimidazole, 2- mercapto benzimidazole.

DEGREE-DISTANCE BASED TOPOLOGICAL INDICES OF PRECIOUS STONE CUBIC CARBON STRUCTURE

Chemical diagram hypothesis fathoms the essential properties of a nuclear chart. The sub-nuclear outlines are the charts that are involved particles called vertices and the covalent bond between them are called edges. The unusualness ɛu of vertex u in a related diagram G, is the partition among u and a vertex farthermost from u. In this article, we consider the valuable stone structure of cubic carbon and enrolled Eccentric-network list ξ(G), Eccentric availability polynomial ECP(G, x) and Connective Eccentric list Cξ (G) of pearl structure of cubic carbon for n-levels.

Effective Diagnostics of Internal Defects of Diamonds in the near Infrared Range on the Basis of Immersion Medium Made from Low-Melting Chalcogenide Glass

This paper describes a method for detecting defects inside high-refractive index gems. This method consists in immersion of a precious stone inside low-melting chalcogenide glass. After cooling, molten glass turns into a solid phase and is an optical cube. This cube can be photographed in layers and using OctoNus equimpment a 3D model of gemstone defects can be built. The proposed method allows you to effectively and accurately determine the coordinates of the defects in diamond and to offer the most profitable option for polishing a precious stone.

Urim and Thummim in Ancient Israel: Critical Analysis of Sources and Hypotheses

В статье анализируются основные научные гипотезы о том, что собой представляли урим и туммим, каково было их назначение и способ использования. Для этого привлекаются различные источники, начиная с древнейших упоминаний в рукописях Кумрана, согласно которым урим и туммим ассоциировались с драгоценными камнями на наплечниках или нагруднике первосвященнического эфода. Данной точки зрения в той или иной степени придерживалось большинство последующих древних писателей (Иосиф Флавий, авторы соответствующих эпизодов из Вавилонского Талмуда, свт. Иоанн Златоуст, блж. Феодорит Кирский и др.). Однако, по мнению некоторых западных комментаторов, урим и туммим - это названия знаков или букв на нагруднике (блж. Августин и св. Беда Достопочтенный). Согласно третьему взгляду, уримом и туммимом была надпись с именем Яхве или две надписи с Божественными именами внутри нагрудника (Раши, Рамбан и др.). Начиная с XX столетия урим и туммим стали рассматривать в качестве жребия по аналогии с месопотамскими практиками, основываясь на эпизоде в 1 Цар. 14, 41-42 по версии Септуагинты. Автор статьи полемизирует с этим представлением, доказывая, что, во-первых, оригинальное чтение данного пассажа сохранилось в более короткой версии древнееврейского текста, во-вторых, что урим и туммим не могут быть жребием, а в-третьих, что в процессе получения ответа через урим и туммим главную роль играло пророческое вдохновение, ниспосылаемое Господом священнику. Само выражение «урим и туммим» могло передавать идею «совершенного света» и, предположительно, обозначать драгоценный камень, посредством которого подтверждалась истинность слов священника. The article analyzes the main scientific hypotheses about what Urim and Thummim were, what was their purpose and method of use. For this purpose, various sources are involved, starting with the oldest references in the manuscripts of Qumran, according to which Urim and Thummim were associated with precious stones on the shoulder pads or breastplate of the high priest’s ephod. This view in one way or another adhered to the majority of subsequent ancient writers (Josephus, the authors of the relevant episodes of the Babylonian Talmud, st. John Chrysostom, Theodore Kirsky, etc.). However, according to some Western commentators, Urim and Thummim are the names of the signs or letters on the breastplate (st. Augustine and St. Bede the Venerable). According to the third view, Urim and Thummim was an inscription with the name Yahweh or two inscriptions with Divine names inside the breastplate (Rashi, Ramban, etc.). The beginning of the twentieth century, the Urim and Thummim began to be regarded as a lot similar to Mesopotamian practices, based on the episode in 1 Sam. 14, 41-42 according to the Septuagint. The author argues with this idea, arguing that, firstly, the original reading of this passage is preserved in a shorter version of the Hebrew text, and secondly, that the Urim and Thummim can not be a lot, and thirdly, that in the process of receiving an answer through the Urim and Thummim played a major role prophetic inspiration sent down by the Lord to the priest. The very expression «Urim and Thummim» could convey the idea of «perfect light» and, presumably, denote a precious stone, by which confirmed the truth of the words of the priest.

Degree-Distance Based Topological Indices of Crystal Cubic Carbon Structure

Chemical graph theory comprehends the basic properties of an atomic graph. The sub-atomic diagrams are the graphs that are comprised of particles called vertices and the covalent bond between them are called edges. The eccentricity ϵ u of vertex u in an associated graph G, is the separation among u and a vertex farthermost from u. In this article, we consider the precious stone structure of cubic carbon and registered Eccentric-connectivity index ξ ( G ) , Eccentric connectivity polynomial E C P ( G , x ) and Connective Eccentric index C ξ ( G ) of gem structure of cubic carbon for n-levels.