Pannonia Province, Roman Empire, corresponding to modern western Hungary and parts of eastern Austria, Slovenia, and northern Serbia and Montenegro. The original inhabitants were mainly Illyrians, with some Celts in the western part. Conquered by Rome beginning in 35 bc, the people of Pannonia revolted in ad 6, posing the greatest threat to the empire since Hannibal’s invasion. Pannonia was split in ad 106, and Pan¬ nonia Superior became a centre of the Roman wars under Marcus Aure¬ lius. The Romans withdrew from the area after 395.
Panofsky \p9-'n6f-ske\, Erwin (b. March 30, 1892, Hannover, Ger.—d. March 14, 1968, Princeton, N.J., U.S.) German-born U.S. art historian. A professor at the University of Hamburg (1926-33), he fled Nazi Germany for the U.S. and in 1935 began teaching at Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study. He gained prominence for his studies in iconography, the study of symbols and themes in works of art. His writ¬ ings are distinguished by their variety of subjects, critical penetration, erudition, and rich allusions to literature, philosophy, and history. Among his major works are the groundbreaking Studies in Iconology (1939), Albrecht Diirer (1943), and Early Netherlandish Painting (1953).
panorama Narrative scene or landscape painted to conform to a curved or flat background, which surrounds or is unrolled before the viewer. Popular in the late 18th and 19th centuries, it was an antecedent of the stereopticon and motion pictures. The true panorama is exhibited on the walls of a large cylinder, and the viewer stands on a platform in the cyl¬ inder’s centre and turns around to see all points of the horizon. The first panorama, a view of Edinburgh, was executed in 1788 by the Scottish painter Robert Barker (1739-1806). In the mid-19th century the rolled panorama became popular: a painting on canvas was wound between two poles and slowly unrolled behind a frame or revealed in sections.
panpipe or syrinx Wind instrument consisting of pipes of different lengths made of cane (less often wood, clay, or metal) arranged in a row. It is blown across the top, each pipe producing a different note. The panpipe dates from c. 2000 bc and is found worldwide, especially in east¬ ern Africa, South America, and Melanesia.
p'ansori Korean "story sing¬ ing" A form of sung folk narrative.
The form seems to have originated during the reign of Sukchong (1675-1720). Once a narrative performance that incorporated shamanistic chants, p ’ansori became a vehicle for treat¬ ing popular customs and everyday life. Six of the original 12 titles were revised by the master p’ansori writer Sin Chaehyo, of which five are still performed.
pansy Any of several popular cultivated violets (genus Viola). Pansies have been grown for so long under such diverse conditions with such striking variations in colour and form that their origin is uncertain. Prob¬ ably the garden pansy (V. wittrockiana) is a cultivated form of V. tricolor, a weed of European grainfields. Annuals or short-lived perennials, pan¬
sies grow 6-12 in. (15-30 cm) tall and have heart-shaped leaves at the base and oblong leaves growing from the stems. Velvety flowers occur in combinations of blue, yel¬ low, and white. The smaller, usually purple, wild pansy is also known as Johnny-jump-up, heartsease, and love-in-idleness.
pantheism Doctrine that the uni¬ verse is God and, conversely, that there is no god apart from the sub¬ stance, forces, and laws manifested in the universe. Pantheism character¬ izes many Buddhist and Hindu doc¬ trines and can be seen in such Hindu works as the Vedas and the Bhaga- vadgita. Numerous Greek philoso¬ phers contributed to the foundations of Western pantheism. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the tradi¬ tion was continued in Neoplatonism and Judeo-Christian mysticism. In the 17th century Benedict de Spinoza for¬ mulated the most thoroughly pantheistic philosophical system, arguing that God and Nature are merely two names for one reality.
Pantheon Building in Rome begun 27 bc, probably as an ordinary rect¬ angular Classical temple, and com¬ pletely rebuilt by Hadrian (c. ad 118- 128). It is remarkable for its size and design; the exact method of con¬ struction has never been determined.
A circular building of concrete faced with brick, it has a great concrete dome, 142 ft (43 m) in diameter, and a front porch of Corinthian columns with a triangular pediment. The vast space is lit solely by the 27-ft (8-m) oculus at the dome’s centre. The interior is lined with coloured marble, and the walls are marked by seven deep recesses screened by pairs of columns.
panther See cougar, leopard pantomime See mime and pantomime
pantothenic X.pan-to-'the-nik, .pan-to-'the-ndA acid Organic com¬ pound, essential in animal metabolism. The nature of the bound form was clarified through the discovery and synthesis (1947-50) of the compound pantetheine, which contains pantothenic acid combined with the com¬ pound thioethanolamine. Pantetheine is part of two larger compounds (coenzyme A and acyl-carrier protein) that promote a large number of metabolic reactions essential for the growth and well-being of animals. A dietary deficiency severe enough to lead to clear-cut disease has not been described in humans; however, when a person is severely malnour¬ ished, deficiency of the vitamin appears to contribute to the observed weakness and mental depression.
Panuco River Vpa-mi-.koN River, central Mexico. Rising in Hidalgo state and flowing northeast into the Gulf of Mexico below Tampico, it is about 100 mi (160 km) long and has considerable economic importance. It has served to drain Texcoco and other interior lakes via a system of tunnels and channels. Its waters are used to irrigate the fertile La Hua- steca lowlands, and its lower course is navigable.
panzer Vpan-zor, 'pant-s9r\ division (German panzer, “armoured”) Self-contained military unit of the German army, built around the capa¬ bilities of armoured vehicles. In World War II, it consisted of a tank bri¬ gade with four battalions; a motorized infantry brigade with four rifle battalions; an artillery regiment; and reconnaissance, antitank, and military-engineering battalions and service units. Germany had six pan¬ zer divisions in 1939 and 20 by 1941. It remains the principal offensive element of the German army.
pao-chia See baojia
Romanian panpipe; in the Horniman Museum, London
COURTESY OF THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM, LONDON
Pansy (Viola tricolor)
KITTY KOHOUT/ROOT RESOURCES
Pantheon, Rome, begun by Agrippa in 27 bc, completely rebuilt by Hadrian c. ad 118-c. 128.
FREDERICO ARBORIO MELLA
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Paoli ► Papen I 1443
Paoli Vpau-leV Pasquale (b. April 26, 1725, Stretta di Morosaglia, Corsica—d. Feb. 5, 1807, London, Eng.) Corsican patriot. Son of Gia- cinto Paoli, who led the Corsicans against Genoa in 1735, he lived with his father in exile in Naples (1739-55). On his return, he overcame the Genoese faction and was elected to rule Corsica. He suppressed the ven¬ detta system, substituted order and justice, and instituted national schools. He continued the fight for independence, but after France invaded Cor¬ sica in 1769 he fled to England, where he lived until 1790. Recalled to Corsica as military commandant, he expelled the French with British naval support (1794) and offered the island’s sovereignty to England. He retired to England in 1795.
Paolo, Giovanni di See Giovanni di Paolo
Pap smear or Papanicolaou V.pap-s-'ne-ko-.laiA smear Sample of cells from the vagina and cervix of the uterus for laboratory staining and examination to detect genital herpes and early-stage cancer, especially of the cervix. Developed by the Greek-born U.S. physician George Nico¬ las Papanicolaou (1883-1962), this technique also can be applied to cells obtained from other surfaces.