The Supreme Lord Siva is called Pasupati in the Vedas.
An ancient middle Eastern text calls the Supreme Lord. The Shepherd man. Siva wears moon on his head. According to the Saiva agamas the moon worn by Siva on his head is a symbol of knowledge Candrah sarvjnata rupah. Moon is extolled as the presiding deity of knowledge and was called Thot in Ancient Egytian religion. The concept was also adopted in Greek where the deity of knowledge came to be called Hermes.
Please read the following prayer composed in ancient Egypt around 300 CE and also please note the comparison with Saiva concepts.
"Holy is the god and parent of the Entirety Holy is the god that wills to be known and is known by its own Holy are you of whom all the natural order is naturally an image Holy are you whose form the natural order has not been able to represent Holy are you who are mightier than all power Holy are you who are greater than all preeminence Holy are you who are mightier than praises O you who are beyond verbal expression, ineffable, and invoked in silence Give me your grace."
This poem has been found in an Egyptian papyrus dateable to around 300 CE and is cited in mediaeval texts of 14th to 16th cent. Scholars are puzzled over these expression and the source.
God, according to the above prayer is the parent of the world. In the Saiva religion God is the parent of the world. They are called Ammai Appar.
Ammai appare ulahukku Ammai Appar Says the Saiva scriptures. Kalidasa the greatest of Indian poet says the Universal Parents are united
This concept of God is portrayed in every Siva temple as Somaskanda with Siva and Parvati shown seated. The parenthood is suggested by the child Skanda shown either on the lap of his mother Parvati or dancing in between them.
The entire Saiva Siddhanta is based on this concept of Universal Parent as per the following line from Sivajnana siddhiyar an authoritative Saiva text.
ammaiyodu appan aki cerivu aziyadu ninra sivan adi cenni vaippam The central theme of Saiva religion is that God wills to be known through the removal of ignorance and can be known only through his own will.
avan arulale avan tal vanangi
is the famous saying of Saint Manikkavacakar.
Compare this with the Egyptian prayer, that God wills to be known and is known by its own.
Saivism extols Siva as one with form and without form - Rupa and Arupa The Linga form of Siva worshipped in the sanctum is a formless form rupa-arupa according to all the agamas. God is beyond speech verbal expression
yato vaco nivartante aprapya manasa saha i.e. from which the word and mind return, without comprehending the fullness says the Veda. Siva's nature is his Supreme silence and so he is called Mauna Guru
There is much in common in religious thoughts between various ancient civilizations.
This question might interest researchers but for the followers, the message is more important. Nagaswamy