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Cherubim (cherub in the singular) are winged creatures that appear as attendants to God in the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Their main duties are to praise God and to support his throne, though their roles vary from culture to culture. Scholars disagree about the origin of the word cherubim. It may have come from karabu, an ancient Near Eastern word meaning "to pray" or "to bless," or perhaps from mu-karribim, the guardians of the shrine of the ancient Sheban moon goddess.

Whatever the origin of the name, the cherub itself can be traced to mythologies of the Babylonians, Assyrians, and other peoples of the ancient Near East. In these cultures, cherubim were usually pictured as creatures with parts of four animals: the head of a bull, the wings of an eagle, the feet of a lion, and the tail of a serpent. The four animals represented the four seasons, the four cardinal directions (north,...