A living reference atlas

Atlas of Religious and Esoteric Lineages

Five thousand religious, mystical, Indigenous and esoteric lineages from around the world — what they are, where they came from, and where to read more.

Source-linked and transparently qualified. Editorial standards and correction criteria are public.

Created and maintained by Ayara and Kyle Jonathan B@KJB_and_AYARA

Entries: 5,000
Candidate geography relations: 7,326
Candidate country vocabulary: 162

Explore the index

Search five thousand distinct lineages

Entry data: effective Atlas view
Geography: candidate layer pending adjudication

60 lineages in the selected candidate country

Page 2 of 3

Atlas 2103Institution-specific

Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great

Christian Mysticism Order / organization

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: Traditionally founded in the late 4th century; documented living monastery in 2025–2026
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2107Institution-specific

Monastery of Saint Bishoy

Christian Mysticism Order / organization

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: Traditionally founded in the late 4th century; documented active institution in 2026
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2111Scholarly / historical only

Zayniyya Sufi order

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt, Syria
Period / origin: Founded in the 15th century
Evidence status: Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesEgypt, Syria

View full record

Atlas 2129Scholarly / historical only

Bekriyya branch of the Khalwatiyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 17th–18th centuries
Evidence status: Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2130Scholarly / historical only

Hifniyya branch of the Khalwatiyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 18th century
Evidence status: Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2131Scholarly / historical only

Kamaliyya branch of the Bekriyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 18th century
Evidence status: Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2132Scholarly / historical only

Dardiriyya branch of the Hifniyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 18th century
Evidence status: Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2133Scholarly / historical only

Sawiyya branch of the Dardiriyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: Late 18th–early 19th centuries
Evidence status: Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2134Scholarly / historical only

Sibaiyya branch of the Dardiriyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: Late 18th century or later
Evidence status: Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2135Scholarly / historical only

Bekriyya branch of the Shadhili Vefaiyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 16th century
Evidence status: Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2140Scholarly / historical only

Sharnubiyya branch of the Desuqiyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 16th century
Evidence status: Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2601Institution-specific

Saint Catherine’s Monastery and Sinai sacred area

Christian Mysticism Sacred site / complex

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 6th century foundation; living monastic and pilgrimage complex
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2617Varies by lineage

Diriniyya branch of the Rifaiyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 13th century
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2632Varies by lineage

Azhariyya branch of the Hifniyya

Islamic Mysticism & Esotericism Lineage / school

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 18th century
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2866Scholarly / historical only

Abu Mena pilgrimage city

African & Afro-Diasporic Sacred site / complex

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 4th–7th centuries
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2867Community-bound / restricted

Wadi Natrun Coptic monastic landscape

African & Afro-Diasporic Sacred site / complex

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 4th century–present
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2868Community-bound / restricted

Monastery of Saint Anthony, Egypt

African & Afro-Diasporic Sacred site / complex

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 4th century–present
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 2869Community-bound / restricted

Monastery of Saint Paul the Anchorite

African & Afro-Diasporic Sacred site / complex

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 5th century–present
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 3372Community-bound / restricted

Historic Cairo

African & Afro-Diasporic Sacred site / complex

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: 7th century–present
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 3379Scholarly / historical only

Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae

African & Afro-Diasporic Sacred site / complex

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: New Kingdom–Late Antiquity
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 3380Scholarly / historical only

Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis

African & Afro-Diasporic Sacred site / complex

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: Middle Kingdom–Ptolemaic periods
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 3841Community-bound / restricted

Zaffa wedding procession tradition

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: Long-standing–present
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 4058Scholarly / historical only

Horus temple cult at Edfu

Historical Religions & Mystery Cults Historical religion / cult

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: Ptolemaic period; standing temple built 237–57 BCE
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record

Atlas 4059Scholarly / historical only

Khnum temple cult at Elephantine

Historical Religions & Mystery Cults Historical religion / cult

Public geography: Egypt
Period / origin: New Kingdom; blocks later reused under Nectanebo II
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesEgypt

View full record