Many representations of art found on cave walls dating back to the Ice Age have sparked a fascination for mysterious handbags or purses.

The design persists in the ruins of ancient Turkish temples, New Zealand Maori ornaments, and Central American Olmec artifacts.

The remains of Göbekli Tepe, dating back to around 11,000 BC, are among the earliest finds of a handbag.

However, which are the temples with the smallest, yet very intriguing complexes? Göbekli Tepe, the oldest and most enigmatic ancient Olmec temple complex, is a standout in secrecy. Many archaeologists suggest that sanctuaries contain real gods’ relics, since the bones of slain animals were carefully collected.

Could the mysterious handbags represent an insight into the unknown? Assyrian relief carvings from Nimrud, 883–859 BC, may hold the answer.

Handbags are described as ‘typically having a hand-like top and rounded bottom and may include additional details of additional texture or pattern detail.’

What sets them apart is their surreal or divine transcendence, as there are several theories to untangle this recurring gesture or pattern in the object.

A 𝚙ill𝚊r 𝚏r𝚘𝚖 Gö𝚋𝚎kli T𝚎𝚙𝚎 in Turkey displays these ‘handbag gods’ along the top.

The first symbolism is the first time. The symbolism of the bag, the stars, represents the heavens and of the earth, while the square represents the hemisphere and of the sky, whereas the square was often associated with concepts of spiritual or immortal realms, while the sphere was associated with concepts of earthly and material elements.

According to Scholton, ‘In ancient cultures from Africa to India to China, the circle was symbolically associated with spiritual or immortal concepts, while the square was associated with concepts of the earth and matter.’ Therefore, the image is considered a symbol of the unity of the sky and of the material and the intentional elements.