A striking cobalt blue mosque lamp, from around 1570, shows an Islamic way of doing honour to the word - calligraphy. In Jewish religious ceremonies a yad - a small silver rod with a little hand and a pointing index finger - is used to follow the text during readings from the Torah, to avoid any damage to the delicate parchment. Neil MacGregor reflects on faiths which focus on the word rather than the image as an expression of beliefs.

Image: A yad, Credit: British Museum Show less