In the practice of religion, a cult image is a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. In several traditions, including the ancient religions of Egypt, Greece and Rome, and modern Hinduism, cult images in a temple may undergo a daily routine of being washed, dressed, and having food left for them. Processions outside the temple on special feast days are often a feature. Religious images cover a wider range of all types of images made with a religious purpose, subject, or connection. In many contexts "cult image" specifically means the most important image in a temple, kept in an inner space, as opposed to what may be many other images decorating the temple.
One of the earliest known idols worshiped by humans. From Jericho, in modern-day Palestinian Territories. Pre-pottery Neolithic. Jordan Archaeological Museum, Amman, Jordan
6th-century stone murti of Shiva
Songye power figure
Reproduction of the Athena Parthenos statue at the original size in the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee
The Ancient Greek: δαίμων, pronounced daimon or daemon, originally referred to a lesser deity or guiding spirit such as the daimons of ancient Greek religion and mythology and of later Hellenistic religion and philosophy.
The word is derived from Proto-Indo-European daimon "provider, divider ," from the root *da- "to divide". Daimons were possibly seen as the souls of men of the golden age acting as tutelary deities, according to entry δαίμων at Liddell & Scott. See also daimonic: a religious, philosophical, literary and psychological concept.
Gold ring with Sitting Goddess and row of Minoan Genius figures bearing offerings, found in context from Mycenaean Greece, but probably made in Minoan Crete, NAMA
Carnelian gem imprint representing Socrates, Rome, first century BC – first century AD
Winged genius facing a woman with a tambourine and mirror, from southern Italy, about 320 BC