How did the Kaaba function as a polytheistic pilgrimage shrine before Islam?

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Before the rise of Islam, the Kaaba functioned as a polytheistic sanctuary and a central site of pilgrimage for people across the Arabian Peninsula.1

While the early history of the structure remains not well known, it served as a house for various pagan idols that were worshipped by the tribes of the region. The shrine acted as a focal point for religious devotion until 630 CE, when Muhammad conquered Mecca. Following this victory, he ordered the destruction of the idols housed within the shrine and cleansed the site of all signs of polytheism, establishing it as the center of Muslim piety.1