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

One index · three ways in

Explore the index

Search five thousand distinct lineages

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

28 lineages in the selected candidate country

Page 1 of 2

Atlas 0150Community-bound / restricted

Egúngún ancestral masquerade tradition

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Benin, Nigeria
Period / origin
Precolonial origins; living
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesBenin, Nigeria

View full record
Atlas 0919Community-bound / restricted

Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove and annual festival

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Precolonial sacred landscape; living annual observance
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 0920Initiatory

Yoruba Oro society traditions

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Precolonial to present
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 1385Community-bound / restricted

Ijele Igbo masquerade tradition

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Historically documented; living
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 1386Community-bound / restricted

Sango Festival of Oyo

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Historically documented; living; UNESCO-listed 2023
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 1387Community-bound / restricted

Benin Kingdom Igue festival cycle

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Historically documented; living
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 1388Community-bound / restricted

Edo Olokun devotional traditions

African & Afro-Diasporic Religious tradition

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Historically documented; living
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 1389Community-bound / restricted

Igbo Ọdịnala and Omenala religious traditions

African & Afro-Diasporic Umbrella tradition

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Historically documented; living and revitalized in varied forms
Evidence status
Cluster-level source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 1390Community-bound / restricted

Igbo dibia specialist traditions

African & Afro-Diasporic Lineage / school

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Historically documented; living
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 1391Community-bound / restricted

Igbo Iri Ji new-yam ceremonial traditions

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Historically documented; living in diverse local forms
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 1392Closed ethnoreligion

Northern Igbo Odo masquerade tradition

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Ethnographically documented; contemporary status varies by community
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 1393Initiatory

Nsibidi sign and restricted-knowledge traditions

African & Afro-Diasporic Practice / discipline

Public geography
Cameroon, Nigeria
Period / origin
Historically documented; living and museum-documented forms
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesCameroon, Nigeria

View full record
Atlas 2363Institution-specific

The Church of the Lord (Prayer Fellowship) Worldwide

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Documented modern institution; current status should be checked with the institution
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 2364Institution-specific

The African Church

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Documented modern institution; current status should be checked with the institution
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 2371Institution-specific

Celestial Church of Christ

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography
Benin, Nigeria
Period / origin
Documented modern institution; current status should be checked with the institution
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesBenin, Nigeria

View full record
Atlas 2372Institution-specific

Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Documented modern institution; current status should be checked with the institution
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 2373Institution-specific

Brotherhood of the Cross and Star

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Documented modern institution; current status should be checked with the institution
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 2376Community-bound / restricted

Holy Mount Tabieorar annual festival

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Historically documented; living transmission or safeguarding context
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 2389Open / public

The First African Church Mission

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Documented modern institution; current status should be checked with the institution
Evidence status
Related-entry source

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 2876Community-bound / restricted

Sukur Hidi palace and ritual landscape

African & Afro-Diasporic Sacred site / complex

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
17th century–present
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 2883Community-bound / restricted

Ogbunike Caves sacred complex

African & Afro-Diasporic Sacred site / complex

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Historic–present
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 3843Community-bound / restricted

Eyo masquerade festival

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Long-standing; UNESCO nomination examined in 2015
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 3845Community-bound / restricted

Kano Durbar ceremonial tradition

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
19th century–present form
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record
Atlas 4341Open / public

Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography
Nigeria
Period / origin
Documented from the 1930s–present
Evidence status
Directly cited

Candidate countriesNigeria

View full record