Ards´ley, East and West, an urban district or town of England, W. Riding of Yorkshire, several miles north-west of Wakefield, with collieries, iron-mines, ironworks, &c. Pop. (1921), 7058.
Are (är), the unit of the French land measure, equal to 100 sq. metres, or 1076.44 English sq. feet. A hectare is 100 ares, equal to 2.47 English acres. The tenth part of an are is called a déciare, and a hundredth part a centiare.
A´rea, the superficial content of any figure or space, the quantity of surface it contains in terms of any unit. See Mensuration.
Are´ca, a genus of lofty palms with pinnated leaves, and a drupe-like fruit enclosed in a fibrous rind. A. Catĕchu of the Coromandel and Malabar coasts is the common areca palm which yields areca or betel-nuts, and also the astringent juice catechu. A. oleracĕa is the cabbage tree or cabbage palm of the West Indies. With lime and the leaves of the betel-pepper, the areca-nuts when green form the celebrated masticatory of the East. They are an important article in Eastern trade.
Arecibo (a˙-re-thē´bō), a seaport town on the north coast of the Island of Porto Rico. Pop. 9612.
Areiopagus. See Areopagus.
Are´na, the enclosed space in the central part of the Roman amphitheatres, in which took place the combats of gladiators or wild beasts. It was usually covered with sand or saw-dust to prevent the gladiators from slipping, and to absorb the blood. See Amphitheatre.
Arenaceous Rocks include all sediments in which quartz sand is the most important constituent. Owing to its resistance to comminution and to chemical attack, quartz accumulates in sea-beaches while other mineral matter becomes removed. Hence sands gather near a shore and ultimately become consolidated by various natural cements into sandstones, those cemented by silica being styled quartzites. Sand-dunes in deserts or on coasts are unconsolidated arenaceous rock-masses.
Ar´endal a seaport of Southern Norway, exporting timber, wood pulp, and iron, and owning numerous ships. It is a well-built place, having been rebuilt since the great fire of 1868. Wood pulp, paper, and cotton are manufactured. Pop. 11,000.
Arenenberg Castle (mediæval, Narrenberg), a castle and estate in the Swiss Canton Thurgau, the possession of Queen Hortense, who died there in 1837. In 1855 it became the property of the Empress Eugénie.