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Possible definitions for vaal

Avalon
Island to which Britain's legendary King Arthur was taken after he was mortally wounded in his last battle. First described by Geoffrey of Monmouth, it was said to be ruled by Morgan le Fay and her eight sisters, all of whom were skilled in the healing arts. Legend held that when Arthur was healed he would return to rule Britain. The tale may have originated in Celtic myths of an elysium for fallen heros. Avalon has sometimes been identified with Glastonbury in Somerset.


Baal
God worshiped in many ancient Middle Eastern communities, especially among Canaanites, for whom he was a fertility deity. In the mythology of Canaan, he was locked in combat with Mot, the god of death and sterility; depending on the outcome of their struggles, seven-year cycles of fertility or famine would ensue. Baal was also king of gods, having seized the kingship from the sea god, Yamm. Baal worship was popular in Egypt from the later New Kingdom to its end (1400-1075 BC). The Aramaeans used the Babylonian pronunciation Bel; Bel became the Greek Belos, identified with Zeus. The Old Testament often refers to a specific local Baal or multiple Baalim.


Taal
Lake, SW Luzon, Philippines. It covers an area of 94 sq mi (244 sq km) and occupies a volcanic crater less than 10 ft (3 m) above sea level. Volcano Island (984 ft or 300 m), which rises from the lake and is also called Taal Volcano, contains another small crater (Yellow Lake). The volcano has erupted 25 times since 1572, most recently in 1970. Located within a national park, the lake is a major tourist attraction.


Vail
Town (pop., 1990: 3,600), W central Colorado. Located in the Rocky Mtns. west of Denver, it was founded as a resort town in 1962, and built in the style of an Alpine village. The skiable terrain around Vail Mtn. extends for 15 sq mi (39 sq km), making Vail the largest ski resort in N. America. It was host to the World Alpine Ski Championships in 1989.


Valla
Italian humanist, philosopher, and literary critic. Unable to find a post as a papal secretary, Valla left Rome in 1430 and spent five years traveling in N Italy. He was royal secretary and historian for Alfonso V of Aragon 1435-48. In his polemical style, he criticized the works of Boethius, Aristotle, and Cicero. Found heretical by the Inquisition for his refusal to believe that the Apostles' Creed was composed by the 12 Apostles, he narrowly avoided being burned at the stake. His Elegantiae linguae Latinae (printed 1471; "Elegances of the Latin Language") was the first textbook of Latin grammar written since late antiquity. His Annotations on the New Testament (printed 1505) was his last major work.


vault
In building construction, an arched structure forming a ceiling or roof. The masonry vault exerts the same kind of thrust as the arch, and must be supported along its entire length by heavy walls with limited openings. The basic ...

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