In mathematical finance, the sensitivities of option prices to various market parameters, also known as the “Greeks”, reflect the exposure to different sources of risk. Computing these is essential to predict the impact of market moves on portfolios and to hedge them adequately. This is commonly done using Monte Carlo simulations. However, obtaining accurate estimates of the Greeks can be computationally costly. Multilevel Monte Carlo offers complexity improvements over standard Monte Carlo techniques. However the idea has never been used for the computation of Greeks. In this work we answer the following questions: can multilevel Monte Carlo be useful in this setting? If so, how can we construct efficient estimators? Finally, what computational savings can we expect from these new estimators? We develop multilevel Monte Carlo estimators for the Greeks of a range of options: European options with Lipschitz payoffs (e.g. call options), European options with discontinuous payoffs (e.g. digital options), Asian options, barrier options and lookback options. Special care is taken to construct efficient estimators for non-smooth and exotic payoffs. We obtain numerical results that demonstrate the computational benefits of our algorithms. We discuss the issues of convergence of pathwise sensitivities estimators. We show rigorously that the differentiation of common discretisation schemes for Ito processes does result in satisfactory estimators of the the exact solutions’ sensitivities. We also prove that pathwise sensitivities estimators can be used under some regularity conditions to compute the Greeks of options whose underlying asset’s price is modelled as an Ito process. We present several important results on the moments of the solutions of stochastic differential equations and their discretisations as well as the principles of the so-called “extreme path analysis”. We use these to develop a rigorous analysis of the complexity of the multilevel Monte Carlo Greeks estimators constructed earlier. The resulting complexity bounds appear to be sharp and prove that our multilevel algorithms are more efficient than those derived from standard Monte Carlo.

Drawing insight from ethnic studies along with cultural and human geography, the main focus of this thesis is to identify the cultural survival mechanisms of immigrants by using as a case study the framework of the Greek-Canadian unbounded ethnic community in South Florida. Greek- Canadians, being a twice-migrant group, first in Canada and later in the United States, reflect the challenges contemporary immigrants face in order to maintain their ethnic culture in this increasingly transnational environment. In the past few years, researchers have examined the impact of the spatial concentration of immigrants in large metropolitan areas with little attention centered on ethnic communities that lack geographic propinquity. In order to uncover the cultural survival mechanisms of this immigrant group, this study suggests looking beyond the traditional model. This new model of ethnic community is called `Culturescape.' This contemporary ethnic community not only meets the needs of immigrants but also aids their cultural maintenance and preservation. The use of the realism-structuration framework enables a multi-method research approach in order to examine beyond the level of events and to explore the mechanisms that generate the creation of unbounded ethnic communities. This study combines a number of sources that have been collected over a three-year period. Multiple indepth interviews with Greek immigrants were conducted not only in South Florida but in Montreal as well. Additionally, an on- line structured survey open to all selfidentified Greeks in South Florida was conducted. Field notes from many ethnic events as well as official documents and the Internet were utilized. This research reveals that Greek-Canadians constructed their culturescape as a strategy to maintain and practice their ethnic culture. Their culturescape functions as a traditional geographically bounded ethnic community; however, it is a reflection of contemporary global conditions. Based on this case-study, geographic setting does matter because it structures the way cultures evolve. When immigrants move to a new setting, a two-way process of cultural exchange inevitably takes place. Hence, the Greek-Canadian culturescape is as unique as the setting that creates it. / Geography / D.Litt. et Phil. (Geography)

Subject of the submitted thesis is the issue of currency options. The aim is the detailed analysis of currency options forcefully on dealing, characteristics, methods of pricing and their use for hedging strategies. The first part of the thesis presents an introduction into the option theory. The second part is about dealing, pricing and arbitrage relationships of currency options. In this part are two option pricing model extracted -- the binomial options pricing model for pricing currency options and the Garman-Kohlhagen model for pricing European currency options. In the third part is an example for a currency put option hedging strategy.

Au Salon de 1847, Théophile Gautier s’enthousiasme pour l’œuvre d’un tout jeune artiste, Jeunes Grecs faisant battre des coqs par Jean-Léon Gérôme, élève de Delaroche et Gleyre. Scène de genre « à l’antique », l’œuvre se distingue par son charme, sa grâce et sa fraîcheur, loin de la peinture froide et compassée des suiveurs de la tradition davidienne. L’œuvre est aussi le point de départ de la notoriété publique d’un petit groupe de peintres appelés « néo-grecs » – Jean-Louis Hamon, Henri-Pierre Picou, Gustave-Rodolphe Boulanger, Félix Jobbé-Duval, Auguste Toulmouche, Alphonse Isambert et Louis-Frédéric Schützenberger – tous nés autour de 1825, élèves de Paul Delaroche et Charles Gleyre et installés en phalanstère d’artistes de 1846 à 1863, au Chalet, puis à la Boîte à Thé. Dès 1848 et jusqu’aux années 1860, les critiques rendent compte au fil des Salons des évolutions artistiques de ces artistes. La réception critique importance de ces artistes regroupés au sein d’une « école néo-grecque » est symptomatique de l’influence grandissante de la critique sur la constitution des écoles artistiques et sur l’évolution de la carrière des artistes. Leur esthétique va susciter des débats sur le renouvellement de la peinture à l’antique, par l’introduction des notions de pittoresque et de couleur locale, héritées du romantisme, qui vont devenir les caractéristiques du genre historique comme déclinaison légère et sensible de l’ancienne peinture d’histoire. Les premières œuvres néo-grecques vont emporter l’adhésion des critiques inquiets des derniers développements de l’école française, qui voient dans cette nouvelle peinture matière à contrecarrer le réalisme, en apportant au public un art facile d’accès, moralisant les codes de la scène de genre par le recours à l’Antique et à un classicisme formel gracieux. Pourtant, sous une facture classicisante, leur peinture, délibérément antiacadémique, déstabilise rapidement les critiques qui s’interrogent sur les buts artistiques de ces artistes. A ce groupe originel, les critiques associent rapidement d’autres artistes, issus d’horizons très variés, qui adoptent momentanément les codes de l’esthétique néo-grecque, brouillant encore davantage les différences entre peinture d’histoire et genre historique, et entérinant le changement de conception idéologique du modèle antique dans la peinture, qui sera revendiqué par la génération d’artistes des années 1870-1890. / At the Salon of 1847, Théophile Gautier is enthusiast about the work of art of a young artist, The Cock Fight by Jean-Léon Gérôme, a pupil of Delaroche and Gleyre. This piece of art, an "Antique" genre scene, is a work of elegance, grace and freshness, very different from the cold and formal painting of the Davidian tradition's followers. This artwork is also the starting point of the on coming fame of a small group of painters called "The neo-Greeks" - Jean-Louis Hamon, Henri-Pierre Picou, Gustave-Rodolphe Boulanger, Felix Jobbé-Duval, Auguste Toulmouche, Isambert and Alphonse Louis-Frédéric Schützenberger - all born around 1825. From 1846 to 1863, as students of Paul Delaroche and Charles Gleyre, they all set themselves in a community of artists at the Chalet and the Boite à Thé which one calls a “phalanstère ».From 1848 until the 1860s, all along the Salons, most critics write about the artistic evolutions of these people. The many articles written about the neo-Greeks’works at that time reveales the growing influence of art-critics in the making of artistic schools and the evolution of artists's careers. Their aesthetic will provoke an argument about the renewal of antique theme painting as they introduce the concepts of local color and picturesque, coming from Romanticism, which will become the characteristics of the historical genre as a slight and sensitive declination of the ancient painting of history. The first neo-Greek paintings will gain the support of critics, eager about the latest developments of the French scene. They see in this new stream a way to counteract Realism by giving the public an easy access to art and moralizing the codes of the genre scene by using a formal and graceful classicism with Antique themes. However, though a classical form, their deliberately anti-academic painting soon make the critics wonder about the artistic goals of these artists.In addition to the original group, the critics will soon associate other artists, from very different backgrounds who temporarily adopt the Neo Greek aesthetics's codes, blurring even more the differences between the painting of history and the historical genre. This will also confirm the new ideological conception of Antique model in art, that the painters from the following generation of the 1870’s will claim themselves.

Summaries in English and Greek / Keywords in English and Greek / This thesis explores the phenomenon of language shift and maintenance in the Greek community of Johannesburg, which is the largest Greek community in South Africa. The main aim of the study is to provide an account of the factors which assist in maintaining the Greek language which is under pressure from English, the dominant official language in the country. This study draws on the theoretical and methodological frameworks established in the many studies conducted on the Greek communities in the USA and Australia. The Greek community has played a significant role in assisting to shape the development of South Africa. Up until the 1980s, they were subject to discrimination from the host society; consequently, many immigrants lived together in certain suburbs and founded their own churches, clubs and schools. These factors contributed greatly to the retention of their language and culture. Since the late 1980s, the discriminatory attitude of the host society toward the immigrant communities has decreased notably, and subsequently, there has been an increased integration and assimilation into the host society. The process of assimilation has resulted, inter alia, in an increased use of English, the dominant language of the host society, consequently the retention of the mother tongue has declined. A number of factors were identified as playing an important role in the maintenance of Greek: education, religion, family, language loyalty and socio-cultural activities; and, to a lesser extent, media and overseas visits. Education has played a key role in maintaining the language, in particular through the establishment of Greek day and afternoon schools. Despite a preference for bilingual church services, the Greek Orthodox Church continues to play a vital role in the maintenance of Greek. The family, loyalty towards the language and culture and a notable pride in being Greek, and participation in socio-cultural activities contribute significantly to the maintenance of the Greek language. Despite a marked shift towards English in the younger generation, the future of Greek in South Africa may be characterized by relatively stable bilingualism, provided that current trends continue. / Η παροφςα μελζτθ πραγματεφεται το φαινόμενο τθσ αλλαγισ και διατιρθςθσ τθσ ελλθνικισ γλϊςςασ ςτθν ελλθνικι κοινότθτα του Γιοχάνεςμπουργκ, θ οποία αποτελεί τθν μεγαλφτερθ κοινότθτα ςτο Γιοχάνεςμπουργκ. Ο κφριοσ ςκοπόσ τθσ διατριβισ, είναι να παρουςιάςει τουσ παράγοντεσ που ςυμβάλλουν ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ ελλθνικισ γλϊςςασ, θ οποία καταπιζηεται γλωςςικά από τθν Αγγλικι, τθν κυρίαρχθ και επίςθμθ γλϊςςα τθσ χϊρασ. Η μελζτθ αυτι αντλεί τουσ κεωρθτικοφσ και μεκοδολογικοφσ τθσ άξονεσ από τισ διάφορεσ μελζτεσ που ωσ αντικείμενό τουσ ζχουν τθν μελζτθ των ελλθνικϊν κοινοτιτων ςτισ Ηνωμζνεσ Πολιτείεσ και ςτθν Αυςτραλία. Η Ελλθνικι κοινότθτα ζχει παίξει ςθμαντικό υποβοθκθτικό ρόλο ςτθν πορεία τθσ εξζλιξθσ τθσ Νότιασ Αφρικισ. Μζχρι το 1980 ιταν αντικείμενο φυλετικισ διάκριςθσ από τθ χϊρα υποδοχισ με αποτζλεςμα πολλοί μετανάςτεσ να ηουν ομαδικά ςε ςυγκεκριμζνεσ περιοχζσ, ιδρφοντασ τισ δικζσ τουσ εκκλθςίεσ, ςυλλόγουσ και ςχολεία. Οι προαναφερόμενοι παράγοντεσ ςυνζβαλαν αιςκθτά ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ γλϊςςασ και του ελλθνικοφ πολιτιςμοφ. Από τα τζλθ του 1980, θ πολιτικι διακρίςεων λόγω φυλετικισ καταγωγισ από τθ χϊρα υποδοχισ προσ τισ μεταναςτευτικζσ ομάδεσ ζχει μειωκεί αιςκθτά ενϊ μετζπειτα παρατθρείται μια αυξθμζνθ ενςωμάτωςθ και αφομοίωςθ ςτθν χϊρα-οικοδεςπότθσ. Η διαδικαςία ενςωμάτωςθσ ςυντζλεςε, inter alia, ςτθν αφξθςθ τθσ χριςθσ τθσ αγγλικισ γλϊςςασ, τθν κυρίαρχθ γλϊςςα τθσ χϊρασ υποδοχισ με αποτζλεςμα να μειϊνεται θ διατιρθςθ τθσ μθτρικισ γλϊςςασ. Αναγνωρίςτθκε ζνασ αρικμόσ παραγόντων με ςθμαντικό ρόλο ωσ προσ τθ διατιρθςθ τθσ ελλθνικισ γλϊςςασ: θ παιδεία, θ κρθςκεία, θ οικογζνεια, θ αφοςίωςθ ςτθ γλϊςςα και οι κοινωνικό-πολιτιςμικζσ δραςτθριότθτεσ ενϊ ςε μικρότερο ποςοςτό, τα μαηικά μζςα και οι διεκνείσ επιςκζψεισ. Η εκπαίδευςθ ζχει παίξει ςθμαντικό ρόλο ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ γλϊςςασ ιδιαίτερα μζςω τθσ ίδρυςθσ ελλθνικϊν θμεριςιων και απογευματινϊν ςχολείων. Η Ελλθνικι Ορκόδοξθ Εκκλθςία ςυνεχίηει να παίηει ουςιϊδθ ρόλο ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ γλϊςςασ παρότι υπάρχει μια προτίμθςθ για τισ δίγλωςςεσ εκκλθςιαςτικζσ λειτουργίεσ. Η οικογζνεια, θ αφοςίωςθ ςτθν γλϊςςα και ςτον πολιτιςμό, θ εμφανισ υπερθφάνεια ωσ προσ τθν ελλθνικι ταυτότθτα και θ ςυμμετοχι ςε κοινωνικό-πολιτιςμικζσ δραςτθριότθτεσ επίςθσ ςυμβάλλουν αιςκθτά ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ ελλθνικισ γλϊςςασ. Παρόλο το φαινόμενο τθσ γλωςςικισ αλλαγισ προσ τθν αγγλικι γλϊςςα από τθ νεότερθ γενεά, το μζλλον τθσ ελλθνικισ ςτθ Νότια Αφρικι μπορεί να χαρακτθριςτεί από μια ςτακερι διγλωςςία, υπό τθν προχπόκεςθ ότι κα ςυνεχιςτοφν οι τρζχουςεσ τάςεισ. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

Summaries in English and Greek / Keywords in English and Greek / This thesis explores the phenomenon of language shift and maintenance in the Greek community of Johannesburg, which is the largest Greek community in South Africa. The main aim of the study is to provide an account of the factors which assist in maintaining the Greek language which is under pressure from English, the dominant official language in the country. This study draws on the theoretical and methodological frameworks established in the many studies conducted on the Greek communities in the USA and Australia. The Greek community has played a significant role in assisting to shape the development of South Africa. Up until the 1980s, they were subject to discrimination from the host society; consequently, many immigrants lived together in certain suburbs and founded their own churches, clubs and schools. These factors contributed greatly to the retention of their language and culture. Since the late 1980s, the discriminatory attitude of the host society toward the immigrant communities has decreased notably, and subsequently, there has been an increased integration and assimilation into the host society. The process of assimilation has resulted, inter alia, in an increased use of English, the dominant language of the host society, consequently the retention of the mother tongue has declined. A number of factors were identified as playing an important role in the maintenance of Greek: education, religion, family, language loyalty and socio-cultural activities; and, to a lesser extent, media and overseas visits. Education has played a key role in maintaining the language, in particular through the establishment of Greek day and afternoon schools. Despite a preference for bilingual church services, the Greek Orthodox Church continues to play a vital role in the maintenance of Greek. The family, loyalty towards the language and culture and a notable pride in being Greek, and participation in socio-cultural activities contribute significantly to the maintenance of the Greek language. Despite a marked shift towards English in the younger generation, the future of Greek in South Africa may be characterized by relatively stable bilingualism, provided that current trends continue. / Η παροφςα μελζτθ πραγματεφεται το φαινόμενο τθσ αλλαγισ και διατιρθςθσ τθσ ελλθνικισ γλϊςςασ ςτθν ελλθνικι κοινότθτα του Γιοχάνεςμπουργκ, θ οποία αποτελεί τθν μεγαλφτερθ κοινότθτα ςτο Γιοχάνεςμπουργκ. Ο κφριοσ ςκοπόσ τθσ διατριβισ, είναι να παρουςιάςει τουσ παράγοντεσ που ςυμβάλλουν ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ ελλθνικισ γλϊςςασ, θ οποία καταπιζηεται γλωςςικά από τθν Αγγλικι, τθν κυρίαρχθ και επίςθμθ γλϊςςα τθσ χϊρασ. Η μελζτθ αυτι αντλεί τουσ κεωρθτικοφσ και μεκοδολογικοφσ τθσ άξονεσ από τισ διάφορεσ μελζτεσ που ωσ αντικείμενό τουσ ζχουν τθν μελζτθ των ελλθνικϊν κοινοτιτων ςτισ Ηνωμζνεσ Πολιτείεσ και ςτθν Αυςτραλία. Η Ελλθνικι κοινότθτα ζχει παίξει ςθμαντικό υποβοθκθτικό ρόλο ςτθν πορεία τθσ εξζλιξθσ τθσ Νότιασ Αφρικισ. Μζχρι το 1980 ιταν αντικείμενο φυλετικισ διάκριςθσ από τθ χϊρα υποδοχισ με αποτζλεςμα πολλοί μετανάςτεσ να ηουν ομαδικά ςε ςυγκεκριμζνεσ περιοχζσ, ιδρφοντασ τισ δικζσ τουσ εκκλθςίεσ, ςυλλόγουσ και ςχολεία. Οι προαναφερόμενοι παράγοντεσ ςυνζβαλαν αιςκθτά ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ γλϊςςασ και του ελλθνικοφ πολιτιςμοφ. Από τα τζλθ του 1980, θ πολιτικι διακρίςεων λόγω φυλετικισ καταγωγισ από τθ χϊρα υποδοχισ προσ τισ μεταναςτευτικζσ ομάδεσ ζχει μειωκεί αιςκθτά ενϊ μετζπειτα παρατθρείται μια αυξθμζνθ ενςωμάτωςθ και αφομοίωςθ ςτθν χϊρα-οικοδεςπότθσ. Η διαδικαςία ενςωμάτωςθσ ςυντζλεςε, inter alia, ςτθν αφξθςθ τθσ χριςθσ τθσ αγγλικισ γλϊςςασ, τθν κυρίαρχθ γλϊςςα τθσ χϊρασ υποδοχισ με αποτζλεςμα να μειϊνεται θ διατιρθςθ τθσ μθτρικισ γλϊςςασ. Αναγνωρίςτθκε ζνασ αρικμόσ παραγόντων με ςθμαντικό ρόλο ωσ προσ τθ διατιρθςθ τθσ ελλθνικισ γλϊςςασ: θ παιδεία, θ κρθςκεία, θ οικογζνεια, θ αφοςίωςθ ςτθ γλϊςςα και οι κοινωνικό-πολιτιςμικζσ δραςτθριότθτεσ ενϊ ςε μικρότερο ποςοςτό, τα μαηικά μζςα και οι διεκνείσ επιςκζψεισ. Η εκπαίδευςθ ζχει παίξει ςθμαντικό ρόλο ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ γλϊςςασ ιδιαίτερα μζςω τθσ ίδρυςθσ ελλθνικϊν θμεριςιων και απογευματινϊν ςχολείων. Η Ελλθνικι Ορκόδοξθ Εκκλθςία ςυνεχίηει να παίηει ουςιϊδθ ρόλο ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ γλϊςςασ παρότι υπάρχει μια προτίμθςθ για τισ δίγλωςςεσ εκκλθςιαςτικζσ λειτουργίεσ. Η οικογζνεια, θ αφοςίωςθ ςτθν γλϊςςα και ςτον πολιτιςμό, θ εμφανισ υπερθφάνεια ωσ προσ τθν ελλθνικι ταυτότθτα και θ ςυμμετοχι ςε κοινωνικό-πολιτιςμικζσ δραςτθριότθτεσ επίςθσ ςυμβάλλουν αιςκθτά ςτθ διατιρθςθ τθσ ελλθνικισ γλϊςςασ. Παρόλο το φαινόμενο τθσ γλωςςικισ αλλαγισ προσ τθν αγγλικι γλϊςςα από τθ νεότερθ γενεά, το μζλλον τθσ ελλθνικισ ςτθ Νότια Αφρικι μπορεί να χαρακτθριςτεί από μια ςτακερι διγλωςςία, υπό τθν προχπόκεςθ ότι κα ςυνεχιςτοφν οι τρζχουςεσ τάςεισ. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

本研究有系統地收集了2003年8月12日到2005年9月30日止共495個交易日的台指期貨、選擇權市場裡P/C量、P/C倉、隱含波動率(AIV)、不同天數的歷史波動率等收盤資料，進行這些因素與行情走勢間的關係，以及因素彼此的互動性。結果證實分析台指選擇權指標是需要區分金融重大衝擊前後期間，以及區分漲勢、跌勢、盤整的各期間，各期間的選擇權指標均會有不同意涵。 本論文證實使用結構轉換的Chow-ARMA(2,1)模型可能比較符合模擬指數 實況，且GARCH(1,1) 模型也很適合描述台期指貨波動度預測力。在選擇權指標方面：P/C量與AIV與台指期貨呈現負相關，P/C倉與台指期貨正相關。其中以P/C倉對指數漲跌的影響程度最大、P/C量的影響程度次之、AIV影響程度最小。若把隱含波動率區分成買權與賣權之各個波動率更有效地預測行情走勢，在大跌期間的買賣權隱含波動率更能表現出優越的預測能力，其中前兩期的賣權隱含波動率(PIV)更是效率性指標， 實證結果使用20天的歷史波動率比較能貼近選擇權市場的變化，跟過去教 科書慣用的90天不同。若比較歷史波動率與隱含波動率間的關係，結論是當「大跌期」歷史波動率大於買權隱含波動率(CIV)時，買權是會被低估的，其他的各種假設條件均不成立。理由有二：一是市場效率性決定了是否可使用隱含波動率與歷史波動率之間的高低關係。二是「大跌時期」相對於「大漲時期」的市場資訊被反應的更敏銳，而在「大跌時期」的賣權價格反應比買權價格反應更快速敏銳。 本研究推論的Chow-ARMA(2,1) 台指期貨模型、GARCH(1,1) 波動率模型、P/C量-P/C倉-AIV的多變數模型、FMA20/XIV模型等等在研判指數變化上具有參考價值，進一步均可以做為選擇權操作策略參考依據之一。

English, Afrikaans and Zulu summaries / While there is increasing interest in the effect of landscape on ancient imagination, less attention has been paid to the impact of restless karst hydrology on ancient beliefs. By identifying shared themes, this study compares and contrasts the way Hittites and Aegean people in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages reshaped peripheral karst landscapes into physical and imagined transitional zones. Karst geology underpins much of the Aegean and Anatolian landscape, allowing subterranean zones to be visible and accessible above ground via caves, springs, sinking streams, sinkholes and other unusual natural formations. In both cultures, certain dynamic landscapes were considered to be sacred porous points where deities, daemons, heroes and mortals could transit between cosmic realms. Evidence suggests that Hittites and Aegean people interpreted dramatic karst landscapes as liminal thresholds and spaces situated between the world of humans and the world of deities. Part One investigates physical zones of transition via the karst ecosystems of rural sanctuaries. Part Two considers the creative interpretation in myth and iconography of karst phenomena into metaphysical zones of transition. The examples reveal the way in which Hittites and Aegean people built their concept of the sacred on the extraordinary characteristics of karst geology. Numinous karst landscapes provided validity and a familiar reference point for the creation of imagined worlds where mortal and divine could connect. / Vandag is daar toenemende belangstelling in die effek van die landskap op die verbeelding van die mensdom in die oudheid - maar minder aandag word bestee aan die impak van die rustelose karst landskap op die mens se gelowigheid in die oudheid. Deur die identifisering van sekere gemene temas, vergelyk hierdie verhandeling die manier waarop die Hetiete en die Egeïese volkere in die Laat Brons- en vroeë Ystertydperke die omliggende karstlandskap herskep het in fisiese en denkbeeldige oorgangszones. Die Egeïese en Anatoliese landskap bestaan grotendeels uit karst geologie, met tot gevolg dat ondergrondse zones bo die grond sigbaar en toeganklik is in die vorm van grotte, bronne, sinkgate en ander uitsonderlike natuurlike formasies. In beide bogenoemde kulture is sekere landskapstonele beskou as heilige en poreuse punte waar gode, demone, helde en sterwelinge tussen die kosmiese zones kon beweeg. Die getuienis van die tyd suggereer dat die Hetiete en die Egeïese volkere die dramatiese karst landskappe as grense of drempels tussen hulle wêreld en dié van die gode beskou het. Deel Een ondersoek die fisiese oorgangszones deur te kyk na die karst ecostelsels waarin plattelandse heiligdomme hulle bevind het. Deel Twee beskou die kreatiewe gebruik van karst verskynsels as voorstellings van metafisiese oorgangszones in die gekrewe bronne en ikonografie. Die geselekteerde voorbeelde dui aan die manier waarop die Hetiete en Egeïese volke hulle konsepte van heiligdom gebaseer het op die buitengewone verskynsels van karst geologie. Numineuse karst landskappe het hulle idees gestaaf en ‘n bekende verwysingspunt uitgemaak waar die menslike en die goddelike met mekaar in kontak kon kom. / Ngenkathi intshisekelo ekhulayo yethonya lokwakheka komhlaba emcabangweni wasendulo, kunakwe kancane umthelela we-karst hydrology engenazinkolelo ezinkolelweni zasendulo. Ngokukhomba izingqikithi okwabelwana ngazo, lo mqondo uqhathanisa futhi uqhathanise indlela amaHeti nabantu base-Aegean kweLate Bronze kanye ne-Early Iron Ages abuye abuye abumbe kabusha imigwaqo ye-karst yomngcele ibe yizingxenye zesikhashana zomzimba nezicatshangwe. I-Karst geology isekela kakhulu indawo yezwe i-Aegean ne-Anatolian evumela ukuthi izindawo ezingaphansi komhlaba zibonakale futhi zifinyeleleke ngaphezu komhlaba ngemigede, iziphethu, imifudlana ecwilayo, imigodi yokushona nokunye ukwakheka okungokwemvelo okungajwayelekile. Kuwo womabili amasiko izindawo ezithile eziguqukayo zazithathwa njengezindawo ezingcwele zokungena lapho onkulunkulu, amademoni, amaqhawe nabantu abafayo bengadlula phakathi kwezindawo zomhlaba. Ubufakazi bukhombisa ukuthi amaHeti nabantu base-Aegean bahumusha imidwebo emangazayo yekarst njengemikhawulo yemikhawulo nezikhala eziphakathi komhlaba wabantu nezwe lonkulunkulu. Ingxenye yokuqala iphenya izindawo eziguqukayo zomzimba ngokusebenzisa imvelo ye-karst yezindawo ezingcwele zasemakhaya. Ingxenye Yesibili ibheka ukutolikwa kokudala kunganekwane nakwizithonjana zezinto ze-karst kube izingxenye eziguqukayo zenguquko. Izibonelo ziveza indlela abantu abangamaHeti nabantu base- Aegean abawakha ngayo umqondo wabo ongcwele ngezimpawu ezingavamile ze-karst geology. Amathafa amahle we-karst ahlinzeka ngokusebenza kanye nephuzu elijwayelekile lesethenjwa lokwakhiwa kwamazwe acatshangelwe lapho abantu abafayo nabaphezulu bangaxhuma khona. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. A. (Ancient Near Eastern Studies)