A sacred stone or stone idol believed to embody a god or divine power in ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern religions.
From Semitic languages, possibly connected to 'beth-el' meaning 'house of god.' The concept appears in Phoenician, Hebrew, Greek, and Arab religious practices.
The most famous baetulus might be the Black Stone of Mecca, which Muslims have venerated for over 1,400 years—yet the concept of sacred stones being divine goes back to multiple ancient cultures, showing how different religions sometimes share similar spiritual practices!
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