Many people love the convenience of having a refrigerator that offers water and ice. Yet the water that is used for them many not be all it can be. It is very simple to add a water filter to the system though. This will ensure the water you drink and the water used to make the ice tastes the best it can. You will immediately notice a difference in it. You will also find that your family and your guests drink water more often due to it.
You will need to do your research carefully if you are going to add a water filter to the refrigerator. Make sure that what you buy is compatible with your make and model of refrigerator. There are many options out there though and you will find water filters for all the major brands of refrigerators with this feature. It is just a matter of matching things up correctly so it works like it should.
The process for installing a refrigerator water filter is extremely simple. You should be able to complete the process in about an hour or less. They are smaller than the water filters that go under your sink so the installation will move along at a much faster speed. The cost of a refrigerator water filter will run you about $80. It really depends on the size you need and the brand of refrigerator you have though.
There are many models of refrigerators that you can buy with a water filter system already installed in it. Many people find this to be very convenient. In fact, it may be one of the contributing factors to them buying this type of refrigerator in the first place. After\ all, why get such a model if you aren’t sure anyone will want to drink the water that is dispensed from it?
The benefits from a refrigerator that dispenses water and ice are too great to pass up. Many children love being able to get these items on their own. If you have some paper cups handy the will likely come in and help themselves to a refreshing drink of water. You will love knowing they are drinking something good for them without you having to force them to do so.
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Different Types of Drugs that Can Cause Mood Swings
Drugs, particularly recreational ones, have a nasty reputation for causing mood swings and hallucinations. Most of the drugs that are popular among users and addicts today are especially prized or formulated for their specific effects. Unfortunately, these very same effects could also become uncontrolled, creating unpleasant physical, mental and emotional stress. Often, these emotions can be either extremely positive or extremely negative. Depending on the amount of drugs that enters the body and the person's own physiological reactions to it, mood swings can be prolonged and intense.
Drugs that can cause mood swings
There are several types of drugs that lead to mood swings. These are:
Cocaine
Cocaine was a drug that soared in popularity in the 80s and 90s. It is a known stimulant that may be dissolved and taken through an IV, although it is commonly inhaled. Cocaine, like its derivative crack, produces a feeling of intense euphoria, which makes it very popular with users. It can quickly stimulate the central nervous system, increasing energy and confidence and reducing inhibition.
The problem with cocaine is that once the initial effects wear off, the negative effects begin. This is then replaced by depression, guilt, anxiety and nervousness, exactly the opposite of the emotions it produces initially.
Inhalants
Inhalants frequently come in the form of adhesives such as glues, gasoline, aerosol propellants, spray paints and cleaning liquids. Although safe in small quantities and if used as indicated, inhalants may be abused.
Inhalants produce a 'high' but this is only temporary. Unless a new 'hit' is taken, the user could begin to suffer from negative emotions, leading to mood swings.
Amphetamines
Amphetamines were the drug of choice for nearly two decades starting in the 1950s. It was actually a prescription drug, used to treat mild depression, fatigue and obesity. The only problem is that amphetamines can lead to addiction, which has now severely limited its use today.
Over-the-counter drugs that have amphetamine-like effects are frequently being abused by some users. Because of its stimulant effects, it helps keep people awake and alert. It can also suppress the appetite, making it the drug of choice of people who want to lose weight.
The problem is that amphetamines are also drugs that cause mood swings. People who use them frequently exhibit insomnia, restlessness and irritability. In some cases, it can even cause tremors.
LSD
LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is a synthetic substance, a drug that was made popular in the 60s and 70s. It is a hallucinogenic drug, capable of changing the user's perception of reality. It is so strong that it can work even in very small doses.
Like most drugs, LSD can also lead to mood swings. Although its initial effects are mainly producing hallucinations, it can create confusion and anxiety in users.
There are also other naturally-occurring drugs that function in similar ways to LSD. Peyote, for example, contains mescaline, while certain types of mushrooms contain psilocybin. These ingredients both produce hallucinations, which made them very popular for use by people practicing certain religious rituals.
Although both substances are quite effective, they are not as potent as LSD, which is 200 times more potent than psilocybin and around 4,000 times more powerful than mescaline.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants are prescription drugs that change the levels of neurotransmitters in the body, including norepinephrine and serotonin. Antidepressants include monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclics. Although quite effective, these drugs do have side effects, including mood swings.
Drugs that can cause mood swings
There are several types of drugs that lead to mood swings. These are:
Cocaine
Cocaine was a drug that soared in popularity in the 80s and 90s. It is a known stimulant that may be dissolved and taken through an IV, although it is commonly inhaled. Cocaine, like its derivative crack, produces a feeling of intense euphoria, which makes it very popular with users. It can quickly stimulate the central nervous system, increasing energy and confidence and reducing inhibition.
The problem with cocaine is that once the initial effects wear off, the negative effects begin. This is then replaced by depression, guilt, anxiety and nervousness, exactly the opposite of the emotions it produces initially.
Inhalants
Inhalants frequently come in the form of adhesives such as glues, gasoline, aerosol propellants, spray paints and cleaning liquids. Although safe in small quantities and if used as indicated, inhalants may be abused.
Inhalants produce a 'high' but this is only temporary. Unless a new 'hit' is taken, the user could begin to suffer from negative emotions, leading to mood swings.
Amphetamines
Amphetamines were the drug of choice for nearly two decades starting in the 1950s. It was actually a prescription drug, used to treat mild depression, fatigue and obesity. The only problem is that amphetamines can lead to addiction, which has now severely limited its use today.
Over-the-counter drugs that have amphetamine-like effects are frequently being abused by some users. Because of its stimulant effects, it helps keep people awake and alert. It can also suppress the appetite, making it the drug of choice of people who want to lose weight.
The problem is that amphetamines are also drugs that cause mood swings. People who use them frequently exhibit insomnia, restlessness and irritability. In some cases, it can even cause tremors.
LSD
LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is a synthetic substance, a drug that was made popular in the 60s and 70s. It is a hallucinogenic drug, capable of changing the user's perception of reality. It is so strong that it can work even in very small doses.
Like most drugs, LSD can also lead to mood swings. Although its initial effects are mainly producing hallucinations, it can create confusion and anxiety in users.
There are also other naturally-occurring drugs that function in similar ways to LSD. Peyote, for example, contains mescaline, while certain types of mushrooms contain psilocybin. These ingredients both produce hallucinations, which made them very popular for use by people practicing certain religious rituals.
Although both substances are quite effective, they are not as potent as LSD, which is 200 times more potent than psilocybin and around 4,000 times more powerful than mescaline.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants are prescription drugs that change the levels of neurotransmitters in the body, including norepinephrine and serotonin. Antidepressants include monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclics. Although quite effective, these drugs do have side effects, including mood swings.
Monday, 10 January 2011
Your First Magick Divination
I am going to show you a simple way of Divination called Scrying. The first thing you need to do is get some sort of reflective object... like a mirror or a crystal ball, etc. This will actually allow you to catch a glimpse of things to come if you follow your current path.
Now, turn out the lights, and get some of your favorite incense going. The only light that should be in the room is a dim light, such as a candle set behind you. Cover the table you are going to use with a black cloth or piece of fabric. Now place the object you chose to use for Scrying on top of the table.
Start by warming up and getting into your meditative space, setting the tone for what you will be doing. When you are ready, open your eyes and look into the surface of your scrying instrument. Your focus should shift past the surface to a point somewhere approximately five or six inches beyond the surface. This may or may not work for you, but it is the best way to shift your focus for scrying. Have you ever looked at those pictures that are completely comprised of colored dots and/or splotches and had to “look past” the surface to see the three-dimensional image in the picture? It is the same principle used here for scrying.
Try to keep your mind blank, open to whatever may be shown to you, unless you are scrying for the answer to a specific question. Your eyes will want to blink. That is all right, let them blink and regain your shift in focus. When you are first beginning, try to keep your scrying time to no more than ten or twenty minutes. If you are not successful, put it away and try again another time.
Images may come to you in any number of forms. Some may be full images, even moving pictures as though you are watching a movie. That is not common, however, especially when you are first beginning. At first you may only get a “cloud” or “mist”. This may eventually part to allow images to come through, or it may just move in one direction or another in answer to yes or no questions.
If you do see images, they may be simple symbols left open for interpretation. These symbols usually mean something to you, and are not necessarily the symbols you may find written in a book. For instance, a dog may generally symbolize loyalty or protection, but if you were traumatized at some point in your life by a dog attack, it could mean something entirely different to you.
Now, turn out the lights, and get some of your favorite incense going. The only light that should be in the room is a dim light, such as a candle set behind you. Cover the table you are going to use with a black cloth or piece of fabric. Now place the object you chose to use for Scrying on top of the table.
Start by warming up and getting into your meditative space, setting the tone for what you will be doing. When you are ready, open your eyes and look into the surface of your scrying instrument. Your focus should shift past the surface to a point somewhere approximately five or six inches beyond the surface. This may or may not work for you, but it is the best way to shift your focus for scrying. Have you ever looked at those pictures that are completely comprised of colored dots and/or splotches and had to “look past” the surface to see the three-dimensional image in the picture? It is the same principle used here for scrying.
Try to keep your mind blank, open to whatever may be shown to you, unless you are scrying for the answer to a specific question. Your eyes will want to blink. That is all right, let them blink and regain your shift in focus. When you are first beginning, try to keep your scrying time to no more than ten or twenty minutes. If you are not successful, put it away and try again another time.
Images may come to you in any number of forms. Some may be full images, even moving pictures as though you are watching a movie. That is not common, however, especially when you are first beginning. At first you may only get a “cloud” or “mist”. This may eventually part to allow images to come through, or it may just move in one direction or another in answer to yes or no questions.
If you do see images, they may be simple symbols left open for interpretation. These symbols usually mean something to you, and are not necessarily the symbols you may find written in a book. For instance, a dog may generally symbolize loyalty or protection, but if you were traumatized at some point in your life by a dog attack, it could mean something entirely different to you.
"5 Ways To Ensure You Will Have a Happy Life After Divorce"
In fact, think about having a life after divorce while getting a divorce can be a sticking point for some people because they just aren't sure what their life will "look like" after divorce.
Here's 5 things to keep in mind so can have a life after divorce:
Life after divorce item 1: Think about your emotional stability...if you wanted the divorce or not, you must face it head on.
Divorce is tough and whether you're going through it or your are already past it, your emotional stability is of vital importance because you might tend to be somewhat touchy after going through an emotional ordeal. Keep in mind that your life after divorce can be great but you must admit that you will go through (or have gone through) a trying time in your life. Admitting this and facing your situation head on is important to your emotional stability and critical to you having a happy life after divorce.
Life after divorce item 2: Look at the bright side, having life after divorce could be a new start for you!
How may times in your life do you wish you could have just started over knowing what you know now? If you answered "many", don't worry, that's a common thought most of us have. Having a positive mental attitude about your new beginning will make a huge difference in how happy your life will be after divorce. Life after divorce can be fantastic and it can also be very tough if you don't remain positive about a what's in front of you. Look at the glass as being "half full" and realize that, in order to be happy after divorce, you must take advantage of the opportunity to get a fresh start!
Life after divorce item 3: Surround yourself with people you like in your free time.
Too often times people start new relationships with just about anyone because they are lonely while getting a divorce or after getting a divorce. Sparking a relationship, romantic or friendly, with anyone and everyone who will spend time with you can contribute to unhappiness in your life after divorce. Stop and think about the people that you spend time with and ask yourself, "Once my emotional turmoil has ended, would I really want to keep the relationship going with this person?". Life after divorce is tough...so, when you're deciding about divorce, going through one, or already have been through a divorce, make sure that you carefully choose who to spend your free time with or you may fall into more negativity in your life after divorce.
Life after divorce item 4: Make it a point to spend time doing things that you like to do every week.
Make sure that you spend time enjoying your life after divorce - don't forget to 'stop and smell the roses'. Some people vent, work, go into hiding, or just plain go haywire after getting a divorce and their subsequent life after divorce isn't as healthy as possible. At least once a week, take the time to go and do something that you really enjoy doing...it will help you deal with your life after divorce in a more pleasing manner.
Life after divorce item 5: Set specific goals and implement a plan to achieve those goals.
Life after divorce is a tumultuous time, your life can seemingly be 'in the balance'. In order to make sure that you feel good about yourself and enjoy the feeling that accomplishment brings, think about a goal or set of goals that you've always had but never attained. Then, prioritize those goals and devise a plan to obtain them, one by one. Implement each plan and be happy (in fact celebrate) once you've reached your goal. Your life after divorce will be markedly better and healthier if you take this concept to heart and follow it.
Visualizing your life after divorce (and thinking about what your life might be like after divorce) is a sound and logical thing to do in order to be happy after divorce. Your life after divorce does not need to be a continuation of the pain you might have gone through or are currently going through.
Life after divorce can be extremely liberating if you act based on logic plus positive emotions rather than negativity. If divorce is eminent or you've already been through divorce, take the time to actually plan your life after divorce.
Here's 5 things to keep in mind so can have a life after divorce:
Life after divorce item 1: Think about your emotional stability...if you wanted the divorce or not, you must face it head on.
Divorce is tough and whether you're going through it or your are already past it, your emotional stability is of vital importance because you might tend to be somewhat touchy after going through an emotional ordeal. Keep in mind that your life after divorce can be great but you must admit that you will go through (or have gone through) a trying time in your life. Admitting this and facing your situation head on is important to your emotional stability and critical to you having a happy life after divorce.
Life after divorce item 2: Look at the bright side, having life after divorce could be a new start for you!
How may times in your life do you wish you could have just started over knowing what you know now? If you answered "many", don't worry, that's a common thought most of us have. Having a positive mental attitude about your new beginning will make a huge difference in how happy your life will be after divorce. Life after divorce can be fantastic and it can also be very tough if you don't remain positive about a what's in front of you. Look at the glass as being "half full" and realize that, in order to be happy after divorce, you must take advantage of the opportunity to get a fresh start!
Life after divorce item 3: Surround yourself with people you like in your free time.
Too often times people start new relationships with just about anyone because they are lonely while getting a divorce or after getting a divorce. Sparking a relationship, romantic or friendly, with anyone and everyone who will spend time with you can contribute to unhappiness in your life after divorce. Stop and think about the people that you spend time with and ask yourself, "Once my emotional turmoil has ended, would I really want to keep the relationship going with this person?". Life after divorce is tough...so, when you're deciding about divorce, going through one, or already have been through a divorce, make sure that you carefully choose who to spend your free time with or you may fall into more negativity in your life after divorce.
Life after divorce item 4: Make it a point to spend time doing things that you like to do every week.
Make sure that you spend time enjoying your life after divorce - don't forget to 'stop and smell the roses'. Some people vent, work, go into hiding, or just plain go haywire after getting a divorce and their subsequent life after divorce isn't as healthy as possible. At least once a week, take the time to go and do something that you really enjoy doing...it will help you deal with your life after divorce in a more pleasing manner.
Life after divorce item 5: Set specific goals and implement a plan to achieve those goals.
Life after divorce is a tumultuous time, your life can seemingly be 'in the balance'. In order to make sure that you feel good about yourself and enjoy the feeling that accomplishment brings, think about a goal or set of goals that you've always had but never attained. Then, prioritize those goals and devise a plan to obtain them, one by one. Implement each plan and be happy (in fact celebrate) once you've reached your goal. Your life after divorce will be markedly better and healthier if you take this concept to heart and follow it.
Visualizing your life after divorce (and thinking about what your life might be like after divorce) is a sound and logical thing to do in order to be happy after divorce. Your life after divorce does not need to be a continuation of the pain you might have gone through or are currently going through.
Life after divorce can be extremely liberating if you act based on logic plus positive emotions rather than negativity. If divorce is eminent or you've already been through divorce, take the time to actually plan your life after divorce.
The Facts About Romantic Compatibility
Romantic compatibility in a relationship is such an important thing to both couples. There’s no such romantic relationship if you’re not compatible with your mate. You have to be compatible when it comes to certain vulnerable things so to avoid misunderstanding and trouble dealing with one another. Usually, the astrology has something to say and have to guide you and your mate about the romantic compatibility insight through the different sun signs, for you and for your love, or for a certain someone that you’re having an eye on. Of course, you want to know how compatible you are to your mate before having a relationship with her or him, or before settling down.
It is good to know to whom you are compatible with before you enter a relationship. By this, you will know the best and the worst things that might match love. Others say birth compatibility is important so to create a romantic compatibility in a relationship. Good mates are the only child and youngest; the first-born and youngest; the middle child and the youngest. The gender plays a role too. It is possible to everyone to keep the relationships growing and create a romantic compatibility through understanding even there are ups and downs in a relationship. You must feel comfortable in a relationship that you’re in, because it indicates how much at ease you feel with your mate and that how you can tell how romantic compatibility works between you and the other person. Communication is still a good source of building up a romantic compatibility, where it indicates your ability to understand each other and exchange those sweet talks to each other. A good chemistry that binds you and your mate can make a good sense of romantic compatibility, too.
Romantic compatibility is important in a relationship, combined with love and understanding. Through this, it keeps the flame of passion that’s burning in a relationship. Sometimes, teaming up with those incompatible partners can lead to tensions, broken hearts and a lot of misunderstandings in a relationship, and of course, you don’t want a broken relationship that leaves painful scars in our lives. Romantic compatibility tells about the romantic relationship from a variety of angles. It also tells about the nature of your attraction, or how do you relate to each other. Romantic compatibility can tell you too what are the traits you are both compatible with and the specific dynamics of your chemistry together in building up a romantic compatibility.
Astrologers have been using charts to let couples understand and discover their own horoscope and the horoscope of their potential partner. Most compatibility charts can give more information about your partner and that can tell you to whom you are compatible with. It compares your partner’s individual birth information and gives you insight into your relationship. It compares and contrasts the interrelationship of two separate charts; the professional astrologers can reveal the many ways and many levels that the two people relate with each other. The romantic compatibility chart provides a comparison between two people with regards to all the things that affect their ability to harmonize with each other, from relationship personality and lifestyle to sexuality and passion. This is one of the most comprehensive ways that you can find and that will help you to understand on how you should relate romantically to another person, and how you both can better understand and appreciate each other.
Actually, romantic compatibility in a relationship relies to both couples, and not just to what astrology says. If you think you both find each other compatible and that you love each other, for sure, the romantic compatibility slowly will grow between you and your mate. The astrology just guides and gives you some important details that might help you in choosing your potential mate in the future and certain aspects that will help you enhance your personality and building up the romantic compatibility in a relationship.
It is good to know to whom you are compatible with before you enter a relationship. By this, you will know the best and the worst things that might match love. Others say birth compatibility is important so to create a romantic compatibility in a relationship. Good mates are the only child and youngest; the first-born and youngest; the middle child and the youngest. The gender plays a role too. It is possible to everyone to keep the relationships growing and create a romantic compatibility through understanding even there are ups and downs in a relationship. You must feel comfortable in a relationship that you’re in, because it indicates how much at ease you feel with your mate and that how you can tell how romantic compatibility works between you and the other person. Communication is still a good source of building up a romantic compatibility, where it indicates your ability to understand each other and exchange those sweet talks to each other. A good chemistry that binds you and your mate can make a good sense of romantic compatibility, too.
Romantic compatibility is important in a relationship, combined with love and understanding. Through this, it keeps the flame of passion that’s burning in a relationship. Sometimes, teaming up with those incompatible partners can lead to tensions, broken hearts and a lot of misunderstandings in a relationship, and of course, you don’t want a broken relationship that leaves painful scars in our lives. Romantic compatibility tells about the romantic relationship from a variety of angles. It also tells about the nature of your attraction, or how do you relate to each other. Romantic compatibility can tell you too what are the traits you are both compatible with and the specific dynamics of your chemistry together in building up a romantic compatibility.
Astrologers have been using charts to let couples understand and discover their own horoscope and the horoscope of their potential partner. Most compatibility charts can give more information about your partner and that can tell you to whom you are compatible with. It compares your partner’s individual birth information and gives you insight into your relationship. It compares and contrasts the interrelationship of two separate charts; the professional astrologers can reveal the many ways and many levels that the two people relate with each other. The romantic compatibility chart provides a comparison between two people with regards to all the things that affect their ability to harmonize with each other, from relationship personality and lifestyle to sexuality and passion. This is one of the most comprehensive ways that you can find and that will help you to understand on how you should relate romantically to another person, and how you both can better understand and appreciate each other.
Actually, romantic compatibility in a relationship relies to both couples, and not just to what astrology says. If you think you both find each other compatible and that you love each other, for sure, the romantic compatibility slowly will grow between you and your mate. The astrology just guides and gives you some important details that might help you in choosing your potential mate in the future and certain aspects that will help you enhance your personality and building up the romantic compatibility in a relationship.
Byzantine Art
A Painting In studying their prototypes the Byzantine artists learned anew the classical conventions for depicting the clothed figure, in which the drapery clings to the body, thus revealing the forms beneath—the so-called damp-fold style. They also wanted to include modeling in light and shade, which not only produces the illusion of three-dimensionality but also lends animation to the painted surfaces. Religious images, however, were only acceptable as long as the human figure was not represented as an actual bodily presence. The artists solved the problem by abstraction, that is, by rendering the darks, halftones, and lights as clearly differentiated patterns or as a network of lines on a flat surface, thus preserving the visual interest of the figure while avoiding any actual modeling and with it the semblance of corporeality. Thus were established those conventions for representing the human figure that endured for the remaining centuries of Byzantine art.
B Architecture In contrast to the artistic experimentations in the Justinian age, the mid-Byzantine period was one of consolidation. Recurring types of the centralized church were established, and the program of their mosaic decoration was systematized in order to conform to Orthodox beliefs and practices.
A common type of the mid-Byzantine centralized church was the cross-in-the-square. As at Hagia Sophia, its most prominent feature was the central dome over a square area, from which now radiated the four equal arms of a cross. The dome was usually supported, however, not by pendentives but by squinches (small arches) set diagonally in the corners of the square. The lowest portions of the interior were confined to the small areas that lay between the arms of the cross and the large square within which the whole church was contained.
Under imperial sponsorship, Early Christian architecture flourished throughout the empire on a monumental scale. Buildings were of two types, the longitudinal hall, or basilica, and the centralized building, frequently a baptistery or a mausoleum.
Christian worship, being congregational, requires a hall, and the Roman basilica—a civic hall—became the model for both large and small churches. In Rome the principal shrines became the sites of enormous timber-roofed basilicas, all erected in the 4th and 5th centuries—Old Saint Peter's (replaced in the 16th century), Saint Paul's Outside the Walls, and Santa Maria Maggiore, among others. The plan often included an atrium, or forecourt; a narthex, or porch; a long nave (central hall) flanked by side aisles; a transept hall crossing the nave; and a semicircular or polygonal apse (east end of a chapel, reserved for clergy) opposite the nave. In front of the apse, the altar was set directly over the shrine. Pagan spoils (stolen, pillaged goods) were used throughout; columns, decorative panels, masonry, and bronze roof tiles from imperial buildings were incorporated in the new structures. Smaller basilican churches were built in large numbers, as exemplified by the Church of Sant!
' Apollinare in Classe (5th century) in Ravenna, and the Church of Santa Sabina (5th century) in Rome.
B The Centralized Building Baptisteries, mausoleums, and martyria (martyr shrines) were built in centralized form. They were either circular or polygonal, with the object of veneration—the baptismal font, the sarcophagus, or the holy place—visible to the faithful from the cloister or aisle circling the site. A typical baptistery is that found next to San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome, parts of which date from as early as 313. Built entirely of spoils, the elegant circular building has massive bronze doors and, for the font, a huge porphyry (very beautiful and hard rock) basin, both from the Baths of Caracalla. A typical mausoleum is the domed, circular Church of Santa Costanza (4th century) in Rome, built as the tomb of Constantia, daughter of Constantine the Great. Her magnificently carved porphyry sarcophagus, now in the Vatican Museums in Rome, stood under the dome. Mausoleums were also built in the equal-armed Greek cross form, such as the famous Tomb of Galla Placidia (5th century) in Ravenna. The most famous martyria are the domed Church of the Holy Sepulchre (4th century; numerous rebuildings) in Jerusalem, and the octagonal shrine of the Church of the Nativity (4th century; rebuilt 6th century and later) in Bethlehem. Both have adjoining basilicas to accommodate the crowds of pilgrims.
The exteriors of Early Christian buildings were generally plain and unadorned; the interiors, in contrast, were richly decorated with marble floors and wall slabs, frescoes, mosaics, hangings, and sumptuous altar furnishings in gold and silver (see Metalwork).
A clear picture of Roman architecture can be drawn from the impressive remains of ancient Roman public and private buildings and from contemporaneous writings, such as De Architectura (trans. 1914), the ten-volume architectural treatise compiled by Vitruvius toward the close of the 1st century BC.
The typical Roman city of the later Republic and empire had a rectangular plan and resembled a Roman military camp with two main streets—the cardo (north-south) and the decumanus (east-west)—a grid of smaller streets dividing the town into blocks, and a wall circuit with gates. Older cities, such as Rome itself, founded before the adoption of regularized city planning, could, however, consist of a maze of crooked streets. The focal point of the city was its forum, usually situated at the center of the city at the intersection of the cardo and the decumanus. The forum, an open area bordered by colonnades with shops, functioned as the chief meeting place of the town. It was also the site of the city's primary religious and civic buildings, among them the Senate house, records office, and basilica. The basilica was a roofed hall with a wide central area—the nave—flanked by side aisles, and it often had two or more stories. In Roman times basilicas were the site of business transa!
ctions and legal proceedings, but the building type was adapted in Christian times as the standard form of Western church with an apse and altar at the end of the long nave. The first basilicas were put up in the early 2nd century BC in Rome's own Forum, but the earliest well-preserved example of the basilicas (circa 120BC) is found at Pompeii.
The chief temple of a Roman city, the capitolium, was generally located at one end of the forum. The standard Roman temple was a blend of Etruscan and Greek elements; rectangular in plan, it had a gabled roof, a deep porch with freestanding columns, and a frontal staircase giving access to its high plinth, or platform. The traditional Greek orders, or canons (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian), were usually retained, but the Romans also developed a new type of column capital called the composite capital, a mixture of Ionic and Corinthian elements. An excellent example of the canonical temple type is the Maison-Carrée (circa AD 4) in Nîmes, France. Roman temples were erected not only in the forum, but throughout the city and in the countryside as well; many other types are known. One of the most influential in later times was the type used for the Pantheon (AD118-28) in Rome, consisting of a standard gable-roofed columnar porch with a domed cylindrical drum behind it replacing the traditional rectangular main room, or cella. Simpler temples based on Greek prototypes, with round cellas and an encircling colonnade, such as that built about 75BC at Tivoli, near Rome, were also popular.
B Architecture In contrast to the artistic experimentations in the Justinian age, the mid-Byzantine period was one of consolidation. Recurring types of the centralized church were established, and the program of their mosaic decoration was systematized in order to conform to Orthodox beliefs and practices.
A common type of the mid-Byzantine centralized church was the cross-in-the-square. As at Hagia Sophia, its most prominent feature was the central dome over a square area, from which now radiated the four equal arms of a cross. The dome was usually supported, however, not by pendentives but by squinches (small arches) set diagonally in the corners of the square. The lowest portions of the interior were confined to the small areas that lay between the arms of the cross and the large square within which the whole church was contained.
Under imperial sponsorship, Early Christian architecture flourished throughout the empire on a monumental scale. Buildings were of two types, the longitudinal hall, or basilica, and the centralized building, frequently a baptistery or a mausoleum.
Christian worship, being congregational, requires a hall, and the Roman basilica—a civic hall—became the model for both large and small churches. In Rome the principal shrines became the sites of enormous timber-roofed basilicas, all erected in the 4th and 5th centuries—Old Saint Peter's (replaced in the 16th century), Saint Paul's Outside the Walls, and Santa Maria Maggiore, among others. The plan often included an atrium, or forecourt; a narthex, or porch; a long nave (central hall) flanked by side aisles; a transept hall crossing the nave; and a semicircular or polygonal apse (east end of a chapel, reserved for clergy) opposite the nave. In front of the apse, the altar was set directly over the shrine. Pagan spoils (stolen, pillaged goods) were used throughout; columns, decorative panels, masonry, and bronze roof tiles from imperial buildings were incorporated in the new structures. Smaller basilican churches were built in large numbers, as exemplified by the Church of Sant!
' Apollinare in Classe (5th century) in Ravenna, and the Church of Santa Sabina (5th century) in Rome.
B The Centralized Building Baptisteries, mausoleums, and martyria (martyr shrines) were built in centralized form. They were either circular or polygonal, with the object of veneration—the baptismal font, the sarcophagus, or the holy place—visible to the faithful from the cloister or aisle circling the site. A typical baptistery is that found next to San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome, parts of which date from as early as 313. Built entirely of spoils, the elegant circular building has massive bronze doors and, for the font, a huge porphyry (very beautiful and hard rock) basin, both from the Baths of Caracalla. A typical mausoleum is the domed, circular Church of Santa Costanza (4th century) in Rome, built as the tomb of Constantia, daughter of Constantine the Great. Her magnificently carved porphyry sarcophagus, now in the Vatican Museums in Rome, stood under the dome. Mausoleums were also built in the equal-armed Greek cross form, such as the famous Tomb of Galla Placidia (5th century) in Ravenna. The most famous martyria are the domed Church of the Holy Sepulchre (4th century; numerous rebuildings) in Jerusalem, and the octagonal shrine of the Church of the Nativity (4th century; rebuilt 6th century and later) in Bethlehem. Both have adjoining basilicas to accommodate the crowds of pilgrims.
The exteriors of Early Christian buildings were generally plain and unadorned; the interiors, in contrast, were richly decorated with marble floors and wall slabs, frescoes, mosaics, hangings, and sumptuous altar furnishings in gold and silver (see Metalwork).
A clear picture of Roman architecture can be drawn from the impressive remains of ancient Roman public and private buildings and from contemporaneous writings, such as De Architectura (trans. 1914), the ten-volume architectural treatise compiled by Vitruvius toward the close of the 1st century BC.
The typical Roman city of the later Republic and empire had a rectangular plan and resembled a Roman military camp with two main streets—the cardo (north-south) and the decumanus (east-west)—a grid of smaller streets dividing the town into blocks, and a wall circuit with gates. Older cities, such as Rome itself, founded before the adoption of regularized city planning, could, however, consist of a maze of crooked streets. The focal point of the city was its forum, usually situated at the center of the city at the intersection of the cardo and the decumanus. The forum, an open area bordered by colonnades with shops, functioned as the chief meeting place of the town. It was also the site of the city's primary religious and civic buildings, among them the Senate house, records office, and basilica. The basilica was a roofed hall with a wide central area—the nave—flanked by side aisles, and it often had two or more stories. In Roman times basilicas were the site of business transa!
ctions and legal proceedings, but the building type was adapted in Christian times as the standard form of Western church with an apse and altar at the end of the long nave. The first basilicas were put up in the early 2nd century BC in Rome's own Forum, but the earliest well-preserved example of the basilicas (circa 120BC) is found at Pompeii.
The chief temple of a Roman city, the capitolium, was generally located at one end of the forum. The standard Roman temple was a blend of Etruscan and Greek elements; rectangular in plan, it had a gabled roof, a deep porch with freestanding columns, and a frontal staircase giving access to its high plinth, or platform. The traditional Greek orders, or canons (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian), were usually retained, but the Romans also developed a new type of column capital called the composite capital, a mixture of Ionic and Corinthian elements. An excellent example of the canonical temple type is the Maison-Carrée (circa AD 4) in Nîmes, France. Roman temples were erected not only in the forum, but throughout the city and in the countryside as well; many other types are known. One of the most influential in later times was the type used for the Pantheon (AD118-28) in Rome, consisting of a standard gable-roofed columnar porch with a domed cylindrical drum behind it replacing the traditional rectangular main room, or cella. Simpler temples based on Greek prototypes, with round cellas and an encircling colonnade, such as that built about 75BC at Tivoli, near Rome, were also popular.
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Importance of History in our life
When the working day is over and you have spare time to sit in the living room in front of the TV with a cup of hot chocolate, we think about the events that happen during the day and the things that we didn’t manage to do. We may regret or file genuine happiness and satisfaction, but everything we do is in the past, its history. Nobody will reject the fact that history is one of the most important out of the other disciplines. To know other subjects we are supposed to learn history and use it to our profit and prosperity. History gives us the “today”, by which we mean all the things we use to make our lives easier and more comfortable. History is not only a college book or an article or a news paper published three hundred years ago, it is every single thing that we’ve experienced, our own history, united with others. The beginning of the history comes not only from the first record of human existence but from the first trace, a footprint of a first creature with abstract thinking.
We pose ourselves with questions daily. Where do we come from? What are we destined to do? What are me and the surrounding? These questions may sound very philosophical and practically useless, but still sometimes we lye sleepless in bed thinking about what awaits you next day. If to take a closer look at the events that we consider history, we may find these answers easily. There is a hypothesis about things running in the circle. Old things return to change something new. Here we even can apply a proverb “Something new is fairly forgotten old”. I think it is also the reason for us to learn history and to predict, or at least try, the future and your role in it. When do people usually start to learn history? Not out of the first history book of course. The learning process starts when you hear the world famous “once upon a time” from your granny or father. This is the history of your family, you are to know perfectly well and understand the importance of knowing it.
At school and at the university you learn history, weather you like it or not. Some of us become excited and read piles and piles of history books and usually get best results in writing history essays. Some consider this to be nonsense, used only to waist our time. But what is the way your outlook and your ideology were formed? According to the common sense, out of history. It is the biggest treasure of ours and we have to value it. We take lessons from famous scientists and technicians that lived even hundreds of years before our grandparents were born. Their lives are like a history essay, short revision of a nice old story. We use their experience and their inventions daily, even every hour. It is very important for us to show respect to those who left us priceless works that we enjoy every day, watching plays in theatres and reading books. We don’t want to be ungrateful for we are also to leave a trace in history. What kind of trace, will depend on our attitude towards what we do and the knowledge of history, the inheritage we are to pass to our posterities.
We pose ourselves with questions daily. Where do we come from? What are we destined to do? What are me and the surrounding? These questions may sound very philosophical and practically useless, but still sometimes we lye sleepless in bed thinking about what awaits you next day. If to take a closer look at the events that we consider history, we may find these answers easily. There is a hypothesis about things running in the circle. Old things return to change something new. Here we even can apply a proverb “Something new is fairly forgotten old”. I think it is also the reason for us to learn history and to predict, or at least try, the future and your role in it. When do people usually start to learn history? Not out of the first history book of course. The learning process starts when you hear the world famous “once upon a time” from your granny or father. This is the history of your family, you are to know perfectly well and understand the importance of knowing it.
At school and at the university you learn history, weather you like it or not. Some of us become excited and read piles and piles of history books and usually get best results in writing history essays. Some consider this to be nonsense, used only to waist our time. But what is the way your outlook and your ideology were formed? According to the common sense, out of history. It is the biggest treasure of ours and we have to value it. We take lessons from famous scientists and technicians that lived even hundreds of years before our grandparents were born. Their lives are like a history essay, short revision of a nice old story. We use their experience and their inventions daily, even every hour. It is very important for us to show respect to those who left us priceless works that we enjoy every day, watching plays in theatres and reading books. We don’t want to be ungrateful for we are also to leave a trace in history. What kind of trace, will depend on our attitude towards what we do and the knowledge of history, the inheritage we are to pass to our posterities.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)