A form of remote sensing that involves the detection and photographic recording of sites from satellites, aircraft, or balloons. Amongst other things such studies can help to understand the shape of large sites which are not clear at ground level.
VERTICAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
, taken from greater heights, are useful for surveys of large areas especially for crop marks and similar phenomena.
OBLIQUE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
, from lower altitudes, and normally of specific areas, detect shadows created by slight ‘earthworks’ and permit more detailed interpretations of known sites.
aerobic
[De].
A term to describe environments in which oxygen is present and in which microbial decay of organic materials takes place. Compare
ANAEROBIC
.
aestiva
[MC].
Latin term for the summer quarters of a military force on manoeuvres in the field.
Aethelberht
[Na].
Anglo-Saxon king of Kent from
c.
ad 560. Defeated by Ceawlin of Wessex in 568. Married to Bertha, daughter of Charibert, king of Paris, as a result of which he accepted the Catholic faith from St Augustine
c.
ad 597; the first of the Anglo-Saxon kings to be baptized a Christian. A code of laws based on Roman law is attributed to him.
Aethelred II
[Na].
King of England from ad 978 to 1016. Nicknamed ‘Unready’ because of his vacillating policy towards the Danish Vikings. Married Emma , daughter of Richard , duke of Normandy, to whom he fled during the invasion of King Svein of Denmark. After Svein's death (ad 1014) he returned to his throne until his own death in ad 1016.
Aethelweard
[Na].
Chronicler, who called himself an
EALDORMAN
, and may have been the ealdorman who arranged a treaty for Aethelred II in 994. His chronicle (from the Creation to ad 973) contains some otherwise unknown material in 10th-century history. Died
c.
ad 998.