Votive shield showing the king slaying two lions, from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

Small porcelain hogs as votive offerings, Marishisonten-do temple, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Small torii votive offerings, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Ema votive offerings, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Small torii votive offerings, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Heart-shaped ema votive offerings, Kamigamo shrine, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

votive chapel, Santa Maria al Bagno, Nardò, Lecce, Salento, Apulia, Italy

Small torii votive offerings, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Votive column of the Madonna del Carmine, Mesagne, Brindisi, Salento, Apulia, Italy

Votives (Ema prayer tablets) at Toshogu Shrine in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Interior of Votive Church, Szeged, Southern Plain, Hungary, Europe

Votive Church, Szeged, Southern Plain, Hungary, Europe

Votives (Ema prayer tablets), with prayers and wishes for success at Kitano Tenmangu Temple, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Votive offerings in Our Lady of Bonfim church, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, South America

Votives (Ema prayer tablets), with prayers and wishes for success at Kitano Tenmangu Temple, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Interior of Votive Church, Szeged, Southern Plain, Hungary, Europe

Votive Church, Szeged, Southern Plain, Hungary, Europe

Votives (Ema prayer tablets), with prayers and wishes for success at Kitano Tenmangu Temple, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Votive Church, Szeged, Southern Plain, Hungary, Europe

Votive notices in Meiji Jingu shrine, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Votive Church, (Votivkirche), Interior view, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Votive Church, (Votivkirche), Interior view, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Votive Church, (Votivkirche), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Terracotta horses, each a votive offering to village guardian deity, Ayyanar, at the Solai Andavar shrine, Palathur, Tamil Nadu, India, Asia

Votive candles, Boudhanath Stupa, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Votive Church, (Votivkirche), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Votive Church, (Votivkirche), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Antique votive stupas line the Chankramana Walk adjacent to the ancient north wall of the Buddhist Mahabodhi Mahabihara Temple (Great Stupa), Bodh Gaya, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bihar, India, Asia

Terracotta horses, each a votive offering to village guardian deity, Ayyanar, at the Solai Andavar shrine, Palathur, Tamil Nadu, India, Asia

The newly renovated Votive Church (Votivkirche), Vienna, Austria, Europe

Ema wooden votive tablets in Meiji Shrine, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Stone votive stupas found at the site of 5th century Ratnagiri monastery by the Archaeological Survey of India, Ratnagiri, Odisha, India, Asia

The newly renovated Votive Church (Votivkirche), Vienna, Austria, Europe

The newly renovated Votive Church (Votivkirche), Vienna, Austria, Europe

Votive offerings and discarded fortunes, Sanzen-in Temple, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

The miracle room with votive offerings and prayers next to the Basilica do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, Congonhas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, South America

Prince of Peace votive Catholic church, St. Augustine, Florida, United States of America, North America

Votive papers at Kun Lam temple, Macao, China, Asia

Nepal. Ritual, sonam/boom. Lobsangs cremation. Humla. traveler reached of journey! In freedom of infinite he is free from sorrow, fetters that bound thrown away, burning fever of life is no more,oesays dharmapada. Lobsang having spent whole life preparing moment of death, finds liberation on february 14, 1986. Extensive ritual follows cremation-traditionally a forty nine period, sonam lama rattles damaru. A small ritual drum to have origin in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bone dreid human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. Boom lama blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers. On makeshift altar rest chhome, votive lamps filled with butter, cups of water, grains, tormas, holy food made of barley meal decorated with medallions of butter offered to gods. Alone, boom lama continues prayers of deceased

Wax body parts votive offerings at the Lourdes Grotto in the Convent of the Concepcionistas, a 1925 scale reproduction of the French grotto. Viveiro, Lugo Province, Galicia, Spain, Europe Galicia, Spain, Europe

Replica of the grotto at the Lady of the Lourdes shrine in the Convent of the Concepcionistas. Viveiro, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, Europe

Niches in wall near Greek Theatre, Neapolis Archaeological Park, Syracuse, Sicily, Italy

Prayer candles inside Swayambhunath temple, Kathmandu

Votive tablets at Shinto Shrine, Tokyo, Japan

Pilgrim and Tibetan monks refilling the brass bow with yak butter, Samye Monastery, Tibet, China, Asia

Votive candles in the side chapel of the church in El Rocio, Andalusia, Spain, Europe

Votive image from the Ostermiething Parish, Upper Austria, from 1785, to be spared from bad weather, Maria Geburt Pilgrimage Church, Maria Eck near Siegsdorf village, Chiemgau, Upper Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Seventeenth-century votive image depicting the Siege of Donauwoerth, Hl. Kreuz Gruftkapelle Church, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Votive image of 1818 from the Friedolfing Parish which was surprised by a thunderstorm in Maria Eck, Maria Geburt Pilgrimage Church, Maria Eck near Siegsdorf village, Chiemgau, Upper Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Mary pieta, Catholic pilgrimage site, miraculous image of the Painful Mother of God, candles, Ziemetshausen, In den Stauden, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Ex voto votive, lime paint, representation of the miraculous rescue of a carriage from the waters of a river, 16th century, Tuntenhausen, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Ex voto votive, lime paint, representation of a vehicle accident with miraculous rescue, 16th century, Tuntenhausen, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Devotional grotto with Madonna and votive candles in the courtyard of the Basilika Goessweinstein basilica, Balthasar-Neumann-Strasse 7, Goessweinstein, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Sign saying "warum?", "why?", and candles to commemorate the victims of the stampede at the Love Parade 2010, Duisburg, Ruhr Area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Candles to commemorate the victims of the stampede at the Love Parade in 2010, Duisburg, Ruhr Area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Detail of the ornamentation in the Byzantine-Romanesque votive chapel, Memorial Chapel St. Ludwig to commemorate King Ludwig II near Berg on Lake Starnberger See, Fuenfseenland area, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Christ of the Last Judgement, Byzantine-Romanesque votive chapel, Memorial Chapel St. Ludwig to commemorate King Ludwig II near Berg on Lake Starnberger See, Fuenfseenland area, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Sacrificial candles in the church of Panagia Angeloktistos, built from the angels, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kiti, Cyprus, Greek section, Southern Europe, Europe

Votive tablets in the pilgrimage church of Maria Himmelfahrt in Sammarei, Klosterwinkel, Ortenburg, Lower Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Votive image from 1745 for the saving from a terminal illness, Kirchwald Pilgrimage Church near, Nussdorf, Bavarian Inntal, Upper Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Mary pieta, Catholic pilgrimage site, miraculous image of the Painful Mother of God, candles, Ziemetshausen, In den Stauden, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Votive candles, Church of Moni Panagia Theotokou Monastery, Paleokastritsa, north-west Corfu, Corfu Island, Ionian Islands, Greece, Southern Europe, Europe

Mary pieta, Catholic pilgrimage site, miraculous image of the Painful Mother of God, candles, Ziemetshausen, In den Stauden, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Luesen Luson in The Val di Luson Luesener Tal under the Plose near Brixen Southern Tyrol Alto Adige Italy church St. George Lourdes Mary

Votive candles and incenses, Wannian monastery, Mount Emei near Chengdu, China, Asia

Votive chapel, Marienweiher monastery, pilgrimage church, district of Kulmbach, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Sacrificial candles, Mariahilf Church, Au district, Munich, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

1st anniversary of the massacre of Winnenden-Wendlingen, a path of pebbles with messages for the way into the future, Winnenden, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe

Votive candles, Peterskirche church, St. Peter's Church, Munich, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Votive pictures in the Maria unter der Egg Pilgrimage Church, Peiting, Pfaffenwinkel, Upper Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Wannian monastery, Mount Emei near Chengdu, China, Asia

Young couple lighting votive candles in the Milan Cathedral, Duomo di Milano, Milan, Lombardy, Italy, Europe

Votive tablets in the pilgrimage church of Maria Himmelfahrt in Sammarei, Klosterwinkel, Ortenburg, Lower Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Children give votive candles, Wannian monastery, Mount Emei near Chengdu, China, Asia

Mary pieta, Catholic pilgrimage site, miraculous image of the Painful Mother of God, candles, Ziemetshausen, In den Stauden, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Memorial place of the 1st anniversary of the massacre of Winnenden and Wendlingen, Winnenden, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe

Deepaks, little candles made from ghee, widely used for offerings, Kathmandu, Nepal, South Asia

Candles in a church

Entrance to the Wannian monastery, Mount Emei near Chengdu, China, Asia

Icons, burning candles, Russian Orthodox Church, Altea, Costa Blanca, Alicante province, Spain, Europe

Icons, burning candles, Russian Orthodox Church, Altea, Costa Blanca, Alicante province, Spain, Europe

Candles in front of an icon of Our Lady in Salzburg Cathedral, Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria, Europe

Burning votive candles in a church, St. Martin's Church, Landshut, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Votive candles, Wannian monastery, Mount Emei near Chengdu, China, Asia

Figure of St Mary, votive candles in a chapel, Regensburg, Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Pilgrimage Church of Maria Steinbach, Maria Steinbach, Allgaeu, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Sacrificial candles in the Basilica St. Eufemia in Grado, Italy, Europe

Votivkirche, Votive Church, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Holy Chapel gallery with votive pictures Kapellplatz Altoetting Upper Bavaria Germany

Vineyards of Trittenheim, Moselle, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Europe

Votive church Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore on the canal, Giudecca, Venice, Veneto, Italy, Europe

Votive Church, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Burning votive candles in a church, St. Martin's Church, Landshut, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Offerings from pilgrims who receive the blessings of Bahubali by local priests on Indragiri hill in Sravanabelagola, Karnataka, India, Asia

Votive candles in the Church of Our Lady, Dresden, Saxony, Germany, Europe

Votive candles in the Wallfahrtskirche Mary Eck sanctuary, burning candles, Chiemgau, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Candles burning in the Armenian orthodox church at Geghard monastery near Garni, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kotayk region, Armenia, Asia

Votive Church, Ringstrasse, ring road, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute Church, Votive Church, Grand Canal, Vaporetto, Venice, Italy, Europe

Votive tablets in the church of the monastery Loukous near Astros, Peloponnese, Greece