Middle East
Akhenaten
An Egyptian pharaoh who banished polytheism and started a new religion with a single god, Aten.
Akpallu
A winged, godlike creature once seen in Mesopotamia (contemporary Iraq, Türkiye, Syria, and Kuwait).
Altyn Depe Votive
The Bronze-Age clay figures were offerings from a Bull-Cult site in what is now Turkmenistan.
Anahit
The ancient goddess of fertility. Associated with lakes and rivers, she originates from Armenia.
Ankh
An ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol that represented the word for “life” in Ancient Egypt.
Anubis
Usually depicted holding a scepter, he was the god of embalming and the dead in Ancient Egypt.
Ark of the Covenant
A gold chest containing the Ten Commandments. The provenance is unclear, possibly Eritrea or Israel.
Bastet
A bejeweled and revered cat goddess from Ancient Egypt (some household cats were mummified).
Christ Pantocrator
The earliest images of Orthodox Christianity were icons from monasteries in the Sinai, Egypt.
Dallaya
An effigy of twinned animals from the Bronze Age found in the present-day United Arab Emirates.
Fayum Mummy Portraits
Naturalistic portraits of the dead of later Romanized Egypt, they replaced the mummies of Egypt.
Great Sphinx of Giza
The 4,500-year-old statue has a lion’s body and a human head and comes from Egypt.
Hamsa
A hand with an eye placed in the middle, dating back to ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq, Syria, Türkiye).
Hanukiah
A candelabra with nine candles is lit to commemorate the second temple in Jerusalem, Israel.
Hermit
A solitary being who has vowed obedience, poverty, and chastity to the Church. The first known hermits were from Egypt.
Isaiah
A prophet whose famed quote, "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands," is in the Old Testament's Book of Isaiah.
Isis
A goddess first depicted in the Old Kingdom, her power was greater than the other gods of Ancient Egypt.
Islamic Prayer Mat
Ensures cleanliness to those kneeling in worship. Probably started as reed mats in Saudi Arabia.
John the Baptist
Mainly known for baptizing Jesus. Baptism became popular with Early Christians and is now the dominant Christian sacrament.
Lamassu
A deity with a human head, an eagle's wings, and a bull's body. It inhabited parts of Türkiye and Iraq.
Mabakhir
An incense burner used in mosques. Found throughout the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.
Magic Lamp
Originating in Syria, the story from One Thousand and One Nights is about Aladdin and his magic lamp.
Marduk
The supreme god of Ancient Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq, Türkiye, Syria, and Kuwait.
Mary Magdalene
One of the followers of Jesus. She regretted her sinful past and became a symbol of penance.
Mermaid
A mythical sea creature known all over the world. From Ancient Assyria, now part of Iraq and Türkiye.
Mezuzah
Placed on the doors of Jewish homes to remind Jews of their covenant with God. Originated in Israel.
Moses
Known and famed for leading Israel out of slavery in Egypt. He also provided the world with the Ten Commandments.
Nine-Pointed Star
The main symbol of the Bahá'í religion, originating in Iran. The Arabic means"O Glory of Glories.”
Peacock Angel
Revered by the Yazidis of Türkiye, Iraq, and Syria as a messenger to their god, Yazdan.
Pepi I
A Pharaoh of the Sixth Egyptian dynasty is shown kneeling, offering ritual vessels in Ancient Egypt.
Prayer Medallion
![Prayer Medallion](https://cosmicgossip.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/6.Prayer-Medallions-300x300.png)
Statues are forbidden in Islam, so medallions remind believers of god. These are from Iran.
Qebehsenuef
A deity used for the Pharaoh's intestines in preparation for mummification in Ancient Egypt.
Saint Anne
Her husband was Joachim, her child was the Virgin Mary and her grandchild was Jesus.
Saint George
The patron saint of the Caucasus country of Georgia, whose fame reached Western Christianity during the crusades.
Saint Joseph
A carpenter. Father or stepfather of Jesus, he is barely mentioned in the Bible, but images of him are popular with American house sellers.
Saint Jude
Is shown with a Pentecostal flame, given to him and the other Apostles celebrating in Jerusalem, Israel.
Saint Martha
Because she served Jesus a meal, she later became the patron saint of the hospitality industry (including baristas).
Saint Peter
One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and the first leader of the Early Church.
Santa Claus
He originated as a bishop known for his generosity in Myra, Türkiye, and has been transformed into Santa Claus, also known for his generosity.
Scarab
The dung beetle was associated with the morning sun that signaled rebirth in Ancient Egypt.
Shabti Dolls
Covered in hieroglyphs, they escorted the dead to the afterlife and acted as aides in Ancient Egypt.
Shams
The sun goddess was worshipped in a trinity that included the god of Venus and the moon god in what is now Yemen and Oman.
Sufi Dervish
The mystical branch of Islam, which emphasizes universal love and peace, originated in Türkiye.
Terre de Nazareth
Earth from the village of Nazareth, where Jesus spent his childhood and possibly walked on this earth.
The Prophet
Muhammad, born in Mecca, was the founder of Islam which started in the early 600s CE in Saudi Arabia.
Thoth
Usually shown with the head of the ibis, he was the god of wisdom and writing in Ancient Egypt.
Thutmose III
A military leader who also ruled as Pharaoh. He was buried in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt.
Tomb Guardian
Guarded burial chamber entrances for sometimes thousands of years in Ancient Egypt.
Tulpar
The legendary horse of Central Asia is still renowned in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Tutankhamun
A pharaoh who was renamed King Tut and became famous when his tomb was discovered in Egypt.
Wishing Pyramid
Shaped like the ancient pyramids, it works by writing a wish, opening the pearl knob, and placing it inside.
Yam
An ancient god of oceans and rivers. From Canaan, now modern Lebanon and the State of Palestine.