A relic is an object, especially a piece of the body or a personal item of someone of religious importance, that was carefully preserved with an air of veneration as a memorial that you can touch. Relics are an important aspect of Buddhism, some denominations of Christianity, Hinduism, shamanism, and many other personal belief systems.
The word relic comes from the Latin reliquiae ('remains'). A reliquary is a shrine that houses one or more relics.