A pagan is a person who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew. A pagan may be a worshiper of a polytheistic religion or may profess no religion.
palette
small slab of stone used for grinding cosmetics in pre-dynastic Egyptian times; later, large ceremonial palettes bearing carved reliefs commemorated important events.
palmetto
stylized palm leaf used as a decorative element
palmiform
in the form of a palm leaf
parchment
the skin of a sheep or goat prepared as a material on which to write
Pascha
Passover; feast of Easter
pasha
Turkish military or civil title of high rank
patera
ancient Roman containers in the form of a shallow bowl without handles, often with a base whose center is pushed up into the body; used for offering libations at religious ceremonies or for drinking
Patrashil
The Patrashil is a stole, or vest, that is worn by the priests of the Coptic Church. It is made of white linen and is decorated with religious drawings on the chest.
Patriarch
The Patriarch is the Bishop of Alexandria. The Patriarch has authority over the other bishops of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
pectoral
large piece of jewelry, usually in the form of a trapezoid, worn on the chest
pediment
triangular unit surmounting the facade of a building, used as decoration in Greek architecture
pendant
an ornament or piece of jewelry attached to a necklace or bracelet
Persea tree
magical tree on which the gods wrote the name of the kings at coronation and jubilee festivals to assure them that their names and their lives would last forever
Peshent
also known as the Double Crown, representing the whole country (Upper and Lower Egypt), and worn by royalty
pikstyr
Coptic word meaning the spoon used in the Sacrament of the Eucharist
plumes
large feathers, usually worn on a crown or headdress
polychrome
having many colors
porphyry
rock of feldspar crystals embedded in a compact dark red or purple groundmass
portico
an entrance of a building with columns topped by a ceiling
praenomen
first or given name
Praxis
portion of the Acts of the Apostles
Ptolemaic
The Ptolemaic Dynasty ruled Egypt from 323 BC to 30 BC. It was a Macedonian or Greek dynasty in origin.
pylon
massive facade of a temple consisting of two towers that are joined by a gate; pylons are the largest part of the temple and were mostly built last.
pyramidion
A small pyramid placed on the top of a pyramid, an obelisk, or a tomb