Random Image

You are here: Random Image > Words beginning with k > Random Image for krakau

Possible definitions for krakau

Krakatau
Island volcano in the center of the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra, Indonesia. Its eruption in 1883 was one of the most catastrophic in history. Its explosions were heard in Australia, Japan, and the Philippines, and large quantities of ash fell over 300,000 sq mi (800,000 sq km). It caused a tidal wave 120 ft (36 m) high that took 36,000 lives in Java and Sumatra. It erupted again in 1927 and is still active.


karakul
Breed of sheep that originated in central or W Asia, raised chiefly for the skins of very young lambs, which have a glossy, tightly curled black coat (the "Persian lamb" of the fur trade). The wool of mature karakul sheep, classified as carpet wool, is a mixture of coarse and fine fibers, 6-10 in. (15-25 cm) long, and varies from black to brown and gray.


Karkar
Ancient fortress on the Orontes River, W Syria. A strategic outpost, it was attacked by the Assyrians in 853 BC. It was defended by Aramaeans led by Ben-hadad I of Damascus and their allies, incl. King Ahab of Israel. In 720 BC it was the scene of a battle in which Saragon II of Assyria captured and burned it.


kraal
In S Africa, an enclosure or group of houses surrounding an enclosure for livestock, or the social unit that inhabits these structures. The term has been more broadly used to describe the associated way of life. Among some Zulus, the traditional kraal consists of a number of huts arranged in a circle around a cattle corral. Where polygyny is practiced, each wife often has her own hut. The word kraal has also been applied to the temporary encampments of the Masai of E Africa.


-->Krak\u00f3 w

City (pop., 1996 est.: 745,000), S Poland. Located on both sides of the upper Vistula River, it was the capital of a principality in 1138. After surviving a Mongol invasion in 1241, it was made the capital of a reunited Poland in 1320. Its importance diminished after the capital was moved to Warsaw in 1609. In 1846 it came under Austrian rule. Returned to Poland in 1918, it was held by Germany during World War II. Rebuilt since the war, it is an industrial center with a giant steelworks on the city's outskirts. Also a cultural center, its university was founded in 1364.


Kwakiutl
Northwest Coast Indian people who live along the shores of Vancouver Island and the mainland opposite. They speak a Wakashan language. Traditionally, the Kwakiutl subsisted mainly by fishing. They had a technology based largely on woodworking. Their society was stratified by rank, determined primarily by inheritance. The potlatch was elaborately developed and was often combined with dances and songs dramatizing ancestral experiences with supernatural beings. They continue to be known for their highly stylized art, which includes totem poles. Today they number about 4,000.

Top words beginning with K: kibbes, keratinisation, kochweeks, kanner, kremenchug, kindred, keramics, kirve, kalevala, khedivial, kains, keb, kendalli, krzysztolik, kvint, koniocortices, kaouthia, kudo, krugersdorp, kickup

More words beginning with K.

Browse the alphabet: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z