Shi'a religious parade standard

The Shi'a religious parade standards were used 400 years ago in Iraq for religious processions through the streets. This was around the time that Iraq converted from Sunni Islamic to Shi'a Islamic. They are shaped after the swords of Imam Ali, the Husband of Fatima, daughter of the prophet Mohammad. The Shi'as believed that Imam Ali was the true successor to the Prophet. The sword has the names of the prophet and his important followers inscribed upon it. Even in the Middle East, the controlling government of the time paid homage to the deities that the people worshiped through open ceremony in hopes of pleasing both the people and the gods.