Browse by Title: P
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polaroidA type of photography where light is used in combination with special paper to create instant photographs. The Polaroid camera was invented by Edwin H. Land, who... |
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Pole StarAlso known as the North Star, the Pole Star is actually three stars whose light merge to create a single bright glow, the brightest star of the constellation Ursa Minor... |
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pollenUnless stated otherwise, Hillerman's use of "pollen" refers to yellow corn pollen (or tádídíín in Navajo), which is a sweet tasting, yellow-colored powder that is... |
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ponderosa pineA ponderosa pine is a large coniferous evergreen tree, with long pine needles, that can grows over 70 feet in height. Ponderosa are found throughout the western United... |
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porcupinePorcupines are large herbivorous rodents with a coat of sharp spines, also known as quills. These quills are actually strands of hair coated with layers of keratin, a... |
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Portland, OregonThe largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, the southernmost state in the Pacific Northwest region. Portland is situated close to the confluence of the Willamette and... |
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postmortemIn Latin, the term literally means "after death." In a medical context, postmortem refers to a thorough examination of a dead body in order to determine the cause and... |
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pot drumA drum that is made by filling a ceramic pot with water and then covering it with a buckskin. A pot drum is played by hitting the stretched hide with a looped drumstick... |
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pot shardMore commonly referred to as "pot sherd," pot shard is a colloquial term for ceramic sherds, common artifacts found in archaeological sites. Currently, archaeologists... |
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Potawatomi (people)The Potawatomi tribe is a Native American group that originally resided in southwest Michigan and whose language is in the Algonquin family. The tribe worked under a... |
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potholeA degraded and eroded spot in the road caused by the combination of standing water and the friction of passing vehicles. Potholes develop in areas where the engineering... |
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potteryJars, bowls, and other containers shaped out of ceramic material, such as earthenware (or clay), stoneware, and porcelain, which are subsequently fired, or super-heated... |
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powaqaThe Hopi word for "witch," either male or female. The Hopi believe that witchcraft was involved in the earlier underworlds and played a role in the people's bad... |
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power chain sawA mechanical tool used to fell trees or cut wood using a loop of chain that is driven around a bar by a motorized power head. The chain of a power saw is comprised of... |
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prairie dogBelonging to the squirrel family of rodents, the prairie dog is a very social burrowing rodent who lives in colonies, called towns, that can include up to several... |
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prayer mealPrayer meal is usually cornmeal, which is used by various Native American peoples in the Southwestern parts of the U.S. as a sacred offering to the spirits in a wide... |
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prayer plumesPrayer plumes are feathers that are attached to prayer sticks for a variety of rituals, ceremonies, and devotions specific to a number of pueblo and Southwestern tribes... |
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precipiceThe sheer face of a cliff or mountain. |
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predatorA large or powerful creature that preys on smaller and weaker creatures. The term typically refers to a carnivorous animal that hunts other animals for survival. Common... |
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premeditateTo think about or plan in advance, signifying conscious intent. |
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pressure flakingA technique for shaping a stone edge by pressing, usually with a bone, from the blade edge in toward the "cheek," or the thicker part of the stone being sharpened. The... |
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priestAn individual who is authorized to perform as a mediator between the people and a transcendent power. The priest's authority enables him or her to perform in both a... |
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primevalReferring to the very beginning of earth or the first age of an event. |
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printsTraces or evidence in the form of fingerprints left behind at a crime scene. |
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profileA reference to an outline of, for example, a person's face, or of information. In the second example, the information provided can take the form of a description, a... |