When looking at different cultures, the differences between each stand out very clearly. Likewise, amongst all the different cultures of the world, one aspect is prevalent in every culture regardless of time, location, and even influence. All cultures of all time have always had a religious aspect. Religion is one of the few aspects that has withstood the test of time and distance, as every culture has a religion in its history. Although every culture has the concept of religion in common, the different views of religion vary greatly, from the practice of polytheism where one worships many gods, to the practice of monotheism where one worships only one god. .
A classic example of a monotheistic religion is Islam. In Islam the fact of there being only one, almighty god is undeniable. Not only is the fact that only Allah should be praised repeated in their holy text, the Koran, but the theme of Allah being supreme can be seen in virtually every religious art work. This can range from the eloquent cover of a Koran to a engraving on the side of a canteen depicting the life of Christ. On the other side of the religious spectrum, lies the practice of polytheism, the worship of many gods. This can most easily be seen in Ancient Egypt. Books and countless pieces of art testify to the Ancient Egyptians belief of many gods. When looking at ancient Egyptian art work, one of the easiest ways to see the diversity of their gods is to look at the many different statues that are carved in one of the gods images. The ancient Egyptians had many different gods who took on many different forms; from humans to animals to a combination of both. .
An easy piece of art that can testify to the belief of one god, Allah, in Islam is a very eloquently designed canteen from Syria during the mid-13th century. On this canteen is the depiction of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus. Surrounding this picture are pictures of knights and saints with decorative styles of calligraphy and motifs of Allah.
