Idol Collection (#9)

Alexander the Great of Macedon (Iskandar) is brought by a priestess to spare an idol from destructio
Alexander the Great of Macedon (Iskandar), Mughal School, 1595-1596. Iskander is brought by a priestess to spare an idol from destruction. Illustration from a Persian manuscript

Terracotta Idols from House of the Idols, Citadel of Mycenae, Greece, 13th century BC. one of the idols is holding a sword. Mycenae is an archaeological site near Mikines in Greece

Do not worship any other but God, The Ten Commandments, c20th century. Frankfurt, West Germany (1st)

Steatite Idol, 31st century BC
Steatite Idol from the Chalcolithic Period, 31st century BC

The Worship of the Egyptian Bull God, Apis, c. 1500. Artist: Lippi, Filippino, (School)
The Worship of the Egyptian Bull God, Apis, c. 1500. Found in the collection of the National Gallery, London

Alexander the Great being beseeched to save an idol from destruction, 16th century
Alexander the Great being beseeched to save an idol from destruction, from the Persian Mughal school. From the British Museums collection, 16th century

Two-headed Celtic Janus figure, 5th century
Two-headed Celtic Janus figure, at Boa Island, County Fermanagh, Ireland. The form is related to Spanish fiddle-idols, 5th century

Steatite Cypriot idol, 31st century BC
135 mm high steatite Cypriot idol, from the Archaeological Museums collection of Cyprus, 31st century BC

Two headed pagan Celtic figure, 5th century
Two headed pagan Celtic figure, with a libation hollow between the two heads, and really two separate figures. It is often compared to Spanish fiddle-idols

Close-up of Celtic wood male idol, Ralaghan, Co. Cork, Ireland, c1st century BC. Made of oak
Close-up of Celtic wood male idol, Ralaghan, Co.Cork, Ireland, c1st century BC. Made of oak

Celtic wood male idol, Ralaghan, Co. Cork, Ireland, c1st century BC
Celtic wood male idol, Ralaghan, Co.Cork, Ireland, c1st century BC. Made of oak

The Philistines offer up Sauls Armour, 1804. The offering is being made to Astaroth (Ashtoreth), Canaanite and Phoenician goddess of fertility

The idol of war, Kana, Dahomey, Africa, 1892. Artist: Henri Meyer
The idol of war, Kana, Dahomey, Africa, 1892. Between 1892 and 1894 Dahomey was conquered by French troops from Senegal and incorporated into Frances West African colonies

The Golden Calf, 1892. Artist: Henri Meyer
The Golden Calf, 1892. Satirical print on the Panama Scandal of 1892-1893, which involved the French government taking bribes to not inform the public of the extent of the Panama Canal Companys

Double canoe with oarsmen, Hawaii, 18th century. Artist: John Webber
Double canoe with oarsmen, Hawaii, 18th century. The men are wearing gourd masks. The passenger is holding an idol

Temple of Ten Thousand Idols, Japan, 1880

Seated fiddle-idol, 21st century BC
Bronze age seated fiddle-idol from Tarxien Cremation cemetery, 21st century BC

Red terracotta Eye Idol, Tell Brak, N. Syria, Chalcolithic period, 3300 -3000 BC
Red terracotta Eye Idol, Tell Brak, N.Syria, Chalcolithic period, 3300-3000 BC. Now in The Louvre

Human sacrifice, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA, 1912. Decapitation of a victim tied to a stake in front of the image of a Voodoo god during a Voodoo ceremony

Minoan Art. Crete. The younger snake goddess, from the palac
Minoan Art. Island of Crete. The younger snake goddess, from the palace of Knossos. C. 1600 BC. Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Greece

Advertisement for Pebeco toothpaste, recommended by doctors and dentists. Free sample from P Beiersdorf & Co, Idol Lane, London. Date: 1914

CARTOON: MAO ZEDONG, 1966. The new religion. Cartoon comment on the Cultural Revolution and Mao Zedongs cult of personality; Mao is depicted as a Buddha-like figure

Statue of the goddess Nike, Ephesus, Turkey
Stone carving of the goddess Nike at the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. The sports equipment company Nike, Inc. is named after the Greek goddess Nike

China, Sichuan Province, Leshan, Grand Buddha (Da Fo), low angle view
Largest Buddha in the World. Begun AD 713. by a Buddhist Monk completed 90 years after his death.built to protect fishermen in the Dadu river below

Worship of a golden calf by the Hebrews
Worship of a golden calf by the Israelites in the time of Moses. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Worship of a golden calf idol
Animals sacrificed to worship a golden calf in Biblical times. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

The Buddhas of Bamyan, Bamyan valley, Hazarajat region, central Afghanistan, seen here in the 19th century. The statues were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001

Idolatry King Solomon left center Solomon kneeling
The Idolatry of King Solomon, The Idolatry of King Solomon. To the left of the center is Solomon kneeling, holding an incense burner in front of an idol in the form of the god Jupiter

Statue Apollo Apollo Idol Delphos title object
Statue of Apollo Apollo, Idol at Delphos (title on object), Print upper right: Pag: 711, (story of) Apollo (Phoebus), Apollo shoots Python, the dragon, statues, paintings, etc

Petra Transjordan Altar crudely carved idol 1900
Petra in Transjordan, Altar with crudely carved idol 1900, Jordan, Petra (Extinct city)

Idol altar Copan Views ancient monuments Central America
Idol and altar at Copan, Views of ancient monuments in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, Catherwood, Frederick, Chromolithograph, 1844

Hermensul Or Irmensul. Ancient Saxon Idol, 19Th Century Reproduction Of Woodcut From Annales Circuli Westphaliae By Herman Stangefol Dated 1656

Crodon. Ancient Saxon Idol, 19Th Century Reproduction Of Woodcut From Annales Circuli Westphaliae By Herman Stangefol Dated 1656

Hawaii, Windward Oahu, Valley Of The Temples, Byodo Inn, Close-Up Of Buddha Statue

Myanmar, Yangon, Shwedagon, Paya, Head of a Buddha statue against blue background

Laos, Vientiane, Wat That Luang Neua, Buddha statue against blue sky

A Terra Cotta Head Of Buddha Sits In Front Of Bas-Relief In A Terra Cotta Garden; Chiang Mai, Thailand

Heads Of Statues Of Buddha Are Stacked In A Terra-Cotta Factory; Chiang Mai, Thailand

Tunnel Between The Temple Of Trajan And The Theatre On The Acropole; Bergama, Turkey

Ruins Of The Temple Of Trajan, The Pergamenes Were Known As The Temple-Keepers Of Asia; Pergamon, Turkey

Hawaiian Reef Scene, Moorish Idol, Slate Pencil Sea Urchin, And Reef Fish C1959

Hawaii, Butterflyfish, Coral, False Moorish Idols, Backlit Fish By Sunburst A83E

Hawaii, False Moorish Idols (Heniochus Diphreutes) And Butterflyfish Sunburst A84F

Malaysia, Sipadan Island, School Of Moorish Idols Over Reef, Blue Ocean

USA, With Sunburst; Hawaii, Tropical Fish On Reef

The Adoration of the Golden calf. Engraving. Colored
The Israelites worshiping of the Golden calf during Moses absence. Engraving. Colored

Prehistory. The wooden idol from Pohjankuru. Finland, ca. 30
The wooden idol from Pohjankuru. Southern Finland, dates from ca. 3000 BC and is the oldest known portrait of an inhabitant of Finland. The National Museum of Finland. Helsinki

The Nuremberg Chronicle (Liber Chronicarum) by Hartmann Schedel. 1493. IllustratorMichael Wolgemut and Wilhelm Pleydenwurff. Language: Latin, German. Engraving

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From Hollywood heartthrobs to ancient deities, idols have captivated us throughout history. On the Tatler cover, Ronald Colman and his Sealyham Terrier exude an idol-like aura of charm and elegance. Meanwhile, the Big Buddha statue on Lantau Island stands tall as a symbol of devotion in Hong Kong's Po Lin Monastery. In the world of entertainment, Rudolph Valentino was hailed as a silent film idol whose smoldering looks melted hearts worldwide. And even centuries ago, a man with a glass in hand captured in Cycladic Art became an enigmatic idol frozen in time. Traveling to India's Kumortuli reveals small bells that adorn idols crafted by skilled artisans in Kolkata, showcasing their dedication to religious traditions. In Mexico's Aztec civilization, human sacrifices were offered to appease the sun-god—an unsettling reminder of how far people would go for their beliefs. Literature too has its share of idols; Bardelys The Magnificent tells tales of charismatic heroes who become legends. Yet not all they are fictional; missionaries like those shown in 1837 sought to challenge China's worship practices and redefine what it meant to be an idolater. Throughout history, figures like Charlemagne and Baal held immense power over civilizations as gods or rulers—idols worshipped or feared by many. Even closer to home at Sandringham estate lies an Indian Idol amidst the grounds—a testament to cultural exchange and appreciation. Lastly, we encounter Vitzliputzli (Huitzilopochtli), a Mexican deity whose name echoes through time—an idol revered by ancient civilizations for protection and strength. Whether they inspire adoration or controversy, these diverse idols remind us of humanity's eternal quest for something greater than ourselves.