What is the worship of physical objects or a living person?

That would be Idol Worship or "Idolatry". Depending on if you believe The Bible or not, these people were considered evil, or "heathens" in the bible by the people that worshiped the one true God. Idolatry was considered a sin that was punishable by death. I fact, when Moses came down from the mountain and found the Israelites worshiping the Golden Calf, he ordered all who were found bowing down slain. In all, over 3,000 people were killed that day, (again, depending on what your beliefs are).