*אִשְׁתַּיָּמָא, (שׁום) mark, distinction. Ab. Zar. 41ᵃ מעיקרא סבור א׳ וכ׳ Ar. (ed. אִישְׁתַּיָּימָא) at first it was thought the ring in the hand of a statue was a mere distinction (not typical of any religious idea), but afterwards it was found out that (it represents the idea that) he (the bearer of it) seals himself for death as a vicarious sacrifice for the whole world.