old and ruinous, others modern. On the river face it has a brick wall about 10 feet in height, with parapet and embrasures like that of Ava, and extending for above half a mile along the river. Amarapura is a large place, and was formerly the capital; but Ava, which was twice before the capital, was again made so in 1822. It continued to be so till 1853, when the present king, on his accession, transferred the capital to Mandalay. To each of the towns of Ava, Sagaing, and Amarapura, are attached dis tricts, the two former of which extend 12 miles along the liver, and are of equal breadth. The district of Amara pura is of equal size, so that Ava must be considered as not only the name of the former capital, but of a large district, which includes an area of 288 miles, containing, according to the most accurate estimate, 354,200 inhabi tants; but the city of Ava is not supposed to contain more than 50,000 inhabitants, and, according to Mr Craw ford, half that number would be nearer the truth. The place, taken altogether, affords few indications of industry or commercial enterprise.
AVALLON, a town of France, in the department of
Yonne, finely situated on a granite rock, at the foot of
which flows the river Voisiu or Cousin. The church of
St Lazare, which dates from the 12th century, is a good
specimen of Burgundian Gothic. Manufactures of cloth,
hats, hosiery, leather, and paper are carried on, and there
is a considerable traffic in firewood, which is conveyed by
the Voisin, the Yonne, and the Seine to Paris. The town
was long an object of dispute between Burgundy and
France, but was finally united to the crown on the death
of Charles the Bold. It was pillaged by the Leaguers in
1594. Population, G070. Long. 3 56 E., lat. 47 30 N.
AVATCHA, one of the numerous volcanoes of Kam
chatka, in lat. 53 17 N., and long. 158 50 E. It rises to
a height of nearly 9000 feet (Mr Kennan says 11,000), and
has an extensive crater at the summit and another on its
side. It was in active eruption in 1827, 1837, and 1855.
About twenty miles to the south lies the village of Avatcha
on a river of the same name ; and in the immediate neigh
bourhood of the mountain is situated the little town of
Petropavlovski, which contains memorials of Behring and
La Perouse, and was the scene of a desperate conflict
during the Crimean War between the Russians and an
invading party of the allies.
AVEBURY, a village of England, in the county of
Wilts, 6 miles W. of Marlborough. It occupies the site of
[ map ]
one of the most remarkable megalithic structures in England. This consisted of a large outer circle formed of 100 stones of from 15 to 17 feet in height, and about 40 feet in circumference, enclosing an area of about 1000 feet in diameter. This circle was surrounded by a broad ditch and lofty rampart. Within its area were two smaller circles, 350 and 325 feet in diameter respectively, each consisting of a double concentric row of stones, a stone pillar or niaenhir, 20 feet high, occupying the centre of the one, and a cromlech or dolmen that of the other. A long avenue of approach, now known as the Kennet Avenue, consisting of a double row of stones, branched off from this structure towards the S.E. for a distance of 1430 yards. Few traces of this immense erection now remain the stones having been broken down and used in the construc tion of the houses of the village, and for other purposes. In the vicinity are two other monuments of great impor tance, which may bo regarded as belonging to the same group, namely, the double oval of megaliths on Hakpen Hill Haca s pen and the artificial mound known as Silbury Hill. The Hakpen oval was, according to Stuke- ley, 138 feet by 155, and had an avenue 45 feet wide stretching in the direction of Silbury Hill. This hill is due south from Avebury, and the distance from the centre of the circle to the centre of the mound is very nearly one Roman mile. Much discussion has taken place about the age and object of these constructions, the most popular theory hitherto being that which ascribed them to the Druids, and thus got rid of historic difficulties by escaping into the region of the prehistoric. Recently, Mr Fergussori has strenuously maintained that the larger circle, or Avebury proper, and Silbury Hill, commemorate the last of the twelve Arthurian battles, which was fought (520 A.D.) at Badon Hill, a name which he identifies with Waden Hill.
AVEIRO, a town of Portugal, province of Beira, the seat of a bishopric and college. It has sardine, oyster, and herring fisheries, as well as a thriving trade in oil, salt, wine, and oranges. The haven is wide and deep. Population, 6456. Long. 8° 34′ W., lat. 40° 40′ N.
AVELLA, a town of Italy, in the province of Principato
Ulteriore, in a fine situation, and commanding most extensive prospects. It is distant about 20 miles from Naples,
and contains 3714 inhabitants. Near it are the remains
of the ancient Abella.
AVELLINO, a fortified city of Italy, in the province of
Principato Ulteriore, at the foot of Mount Vergine, and 28
miles E. of Naples. It is the see of a bishop, and has a
cathedral, several parish churches, a royal college, &c.,
with manufactories of cloth, paper, maccaroni, and sausages,
and extensive dye-works. It has a considerable trade in
corn, chestnuts, and hazel-nuts. The city has at various
times suffered severely from earthquakes. Population,
20,492.
AVEMPACE. Abu Bekr Mohammed Ibn Jahrya, surnamed Ibn Badja or Ibn Sayeg (i.e., son of the goldsmith),
whose name has been corrupted by the Latins into Avempace, Avenpace, or Aben Pace, was the earliest and one of
the most distinguished of the Arab philosophers in Spain.
Almost nothing is known of the events in his life ; he was
born, probably at Saragossa, towards the close of the llth
century, and died at Fez in 1138 at a not very advanced
age. Like most of the Arab philosophers, hv~ was a physi
cian by profession, and he is also said to have been a man
of wide general culture. He was a skilled musician,
mathematician, astronomer, and poet, and though he is
now known only through his metaphysical speculations,
these do not seem to have been his favourite studies. His
writings, if we accept the report of Oceibia, were varied
and numerous. Several treatises on logical subjects arc
mentioned by Casiri as still among the MSS. at the
Escurial, and some smaller pieces are also found in other
