omphalos

Meanings

1. An ancient religious stone artifact, or baetylus, used to denote the direction of the "center" of the world.
2. The theological proposition that the world was created with certain indicia of a history which had not actually occurred (such as the humans who had never been connected to umbilical cords being created with navels).
3. The navel.
4. A raised central point; a boss.
5. The center or hub.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ὀμφαλός (omphalós, “navel”). Doublet of navel.