Aveiro is
built on the southern shore of a marshy lagoon, containing many small
islands, and measuring about 15 m. from north to south, with an average
breadth of about 1 m. The Barra Nova, an artificial canal about 33 ft.
deep, was constructed between 1801 and 1808, and gives access to the
Atlantic ocean. The local industries include the preparation of sea-salt,
the catching and curing of fish, especially sardines and oysters, and the
gathering of aquatic plants (_molico_). There is also a brisk trade in
wine, oil and fruit; while the Aveiro district contains copper and lead
mines, besides much good pasture-land.

Aveiro is probably the Roman Talabriga. In the 16th century it was the
birthplace of Joao Affonso, one of the first navigators to visit the
fishing-grounds of Newfoundland; and it soon became famous for its fleet of
more than sixty vessels, which sailed yearly to that country, and returned
laden with dried codfish. During the same century the cathedral was built,
and the city was made a duchy. The title "duke of Aveiro" became extinct
when its last holder, Dom Jose Mascarenhas e Lancaster, was burned alive
for high treason, in 1759. The administrative district of Aveiro coincides
with the north-western part of the province of Beira; pop. (1900) 303,169;
area, 1065 sq. m.

AVELLA (anc. _Abella_), a city of Campania, Italy, in the province of
Avellino, 23 m. N.E. of Naples by rail. Pop. (1901) 4107. It is finely
situated in fertile territory and its nuts (_nuces Abellanae_) and fruit
were renowned in Roman days. About 2 m. to the north-east lies Avella
Vecchia, the ancient Abella, regarded [v.03 p.0053] by the ancients as a
Chalcidian colony. An important Oscan inscription relates to a treaty with
Nola, regarding a joint temple of Hercules, attributable to the 2nd century
B.C. Under the early empire it had already become a colony and had perhaps
been one since the time of Sulla. It has remains of the walls of the
citadel and of an amphitheatre, and lay on the road from Nola to Abellinum,
which was here perhaps joined by a branch from Suessula.

See J. Beloch, _Campanien_ (2nd ed., Breslau, 1890), 411 seq.

(T. AS.)

AVELLINO, a city and episcopal see of Campania, Italy, the capital of the
province of Avellino, 1150 ft. above sea-level, 28 m. direct and 59 m. by
rail E.N.E. of Naples, at the foot of Monte Vergine. Pop. (1901) 23,760.
There are ruins of the castle constructed in the 9th or 10th century, in
w