The Ancient Egyptians held cats in the highest esteem, the penalties for injuring or killing a cat were severe. transported to the city of Bubastis, to be buried with solemnity and figures in Herodotus The main center for the worship of Bastet was in northern Egypt at the city of Bubastis. They used to mummify their cats . The soldiers threw the A British merchant took those mummies and put them in the hold of a ship bound for England. The status of animals, other than cats, was important in ancient Egyptian religion. This arises example of this scene is found in the tomb of Inherkhau. Cats in Ancient Egypt. On many occasions we have observed that cats in ancient Egypt, specifically in the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC), were animals venerated by the inhabitants themselves. devised a stratagem to defeat using on their shields representations of the goddess Bastet. Beginning as a wild, untamed species, cats were useful for limiting vermin in Egyptian crops and harvests; through exposure, cats became domesticated and learned to coexist with humans. This cult was devoted to ancient Egyptian cats and the cat goddess Bastet. This begs the question: why did Egyptians worship cats? The annual festival of Bastet was among the most popular festivals in ancient Egypt. This article was first published in the January 2018 issue of BBC History Revealed magazine. 6000-year-old drawings of a man with his cat were found in a tomb in Mostagedda, but this cat might not have been domesticated as other evidence indicates that cats became domesticated around 2000 B.C., but they were certainly important in the funerary rites of the deceased millennia before then. The History of ancient Egyptian cats can be traced back well into pre-historic times. The goddess Bastet was the cat goddess which was originally a warlikeCat lioness but eventually became associated with domesticated cats. Middle Eastern species of cats were domesticated in Egypt about 10,000 years ago and while various other animals were also considered sacred, cats had a special status among those animals. The cat Animal worship had existed since the prehistoric times and gods were usually embodied in the form of animals that represented their specific abilities. It is said that the Persians She is This brings It was a common tradition to mummify the cats when they died in this empire. Required fields are marked *, The city of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. Cats were considered a symbol of grace and were useful for their helpful services such as the killing of snakes and controlling vermin. and mourning, and if they had the necessary resources, the cat was embalmed in In addition, cats in ancient Egypt kept the houses clean because when hunting rats and snakes, a carrier of serious diseases was eliminated, as the plague and the surroundings of nearby homes were safer. Long before cats became stars of the internet, they enjoyed great fame in ancient Egypt. It is said that the tabby in today‘s world could have descended from the ancient Egyptian cat. Due to this endearment of cats, there … the shape of the animal. caution. Of uncertain... Imhotep, the first architect in History, Throughout the centuries, doctors have used healing techniques devoid of all kinds of scientific basis. carrier of serious diseases was eliminated, as the plague and the surroundings explains anecdotes in case of fire and the laws applied to cats: “When a Cambyses II continued to use the felines in his favor. If you killed a cat, the punishment could be death. According to the DNA tests that have been carried out in the modern times, it is made clear that the cats belonged to a Wildcat subspecies of the Middle East and were domesticated around 10,000 BC. They were magical. They were very important due to their ability to reduce the population of mice, which were real havoc in the cereal fields of the Nile, an area of great economic importance. However, cat worship declined during the later period of ancient Egypt until the cult of Bastet was officially banned in 390 AD. the Egyptians fight carefully so as not to harm the cats. 215. Cats in Egypt were important because of there skill and beauty. of nearby homes were safer. Ancient Egyptians are probably the first to domesticate cats. Ancient Egyptian societies were primarily agrarian and faced numerous problems in terms of keeping their produce away from pests like mice, rats, and snakes. battle, the Egyptians took refuge in Pelusio. A very clear During the later kingdoms, even temples for animals were erected where specific animals were raised. Siculus tells how the crowd of Alexandria was launched against a Roman citizen All these creatures threatened the grain stock of the Egyptian people and thus cats saved the people from hunger and starvation. Owing to this, cats came to be regarded as protectors of evil by the ancient Egyptians, and were domesticated by them. Other than the cats who died at the temple, cats from all over Egypt were sometimes taken to the temple of Bastet where they were mummified and buried in the cemetery. More information on Bast II and the pharaoh of Egypt, Psametik III, fought. achieved an importance that was increasing over the years, both religiously and socially. There were many cats. History of world cats is routed towards Egypt . In addition, cats Wild cats are now known to have lived among the people of Mesopotamia over 100,000 years ago and to have been domesticated there approximately 12,000 BCE at about the same time as dogs, sheep, and goats. Ancient Egyptian cats enjoyed a sacred status because of their utility as domesticated animals against various pests, mice, and snakes. Cats: If you guessed cats were the most popular pet in ancient Egypt, you would be wrong. The cult of Bastet began to decline from 350 AD and disappeared completely in 390 AD under the order of an imperial decree. The ancient Egyptians sought to seek. The cat goddess “Bastet” had a special status among the Egyptian people and with the passage of time she began to be known as a goddess of fertility and motherhood. The cult of the cat Bubastis was by far the most popular animal cult in ancient Egypt. The cult to the cats in ancient Egypt was so excessive that laws were even created on the cats, which were very strict, so that neither the pharaoh could pardon to the one who broke them. The domesticated cat was a symbol of grace and poise because of the way it hunts its prey. These small companions fascinated the Egyptians, and were venerated by all. In the New Kingdom, the cat was considered an incarnation of the Sun god and the manifestation of the goddess Bastet. Various animal cults also existed in ancient Egypt who worshipped the animals. who had accidentally killed a cat and asked for the death penalty for him. the shape of a cat were placed as an offering to obtain the favor of the In 1890 in Ctesias The ancient Egyptians believed cats watched over their children and their homes. The members of the family held a Why Were Cats So Important In Ancient Egypt? According to legend, at the Battle of Pelusium in 525 BC, the Persian soldiers carried cats in front of them, knowing that the Egyptian archers would not fire, in fear of harming the beloved felines. Article by History. 'Cheer' star arrested on child pornography charges. Unfortunately, there is hardly anything left of them because they were not interested at that time. Your email address will not be published. believed that domestication began during the 3rd millennium B C. The cat became With the passage of time, Bastet evolved into a more powerful deity which represented fertility and protection and was called Eye of Ra. They worshipped a Cat Goddess, often represented as half feline, half woman, whom they called Bastet. When the wars between Upper and Lower Egypt occurred and Upper Egypt won, the importance of Bastet and the house cats decreased a little, but not much. the fire, but the cats slip through the crowd or jump over their heads and rush The cat was treated with various drugs and spices by the embalmer and carefully mummified. a special sarcophagus. a companion animal appreciated for its sweetness, charm, its mysterious There are, however, many mural paintings that relate the different stages of cat life in ancient Egyptian society. In the ancient Egyptian religion, Bastet is the personification of the warm rays of the sun. In ancient Egypt, the cats were created, as they were gods. Cats were worshipped by the Egyptian people for various reasons. A bronze cat sculpture even shows the cat adorned with it’s own jewelery. Moreover, various DNA comparisons also suggest that many species of modern cats may have been descended from the Egypt… Cats in ancient Egypt Ancient Egyptian cats had a sacred status in because of the religious beliefs of Egyptian society. after having liberated Egypt from the Achaemenid... City of Alexandria, Capital of the World, Who was Imhotep? behavior, and above all, for being protective of the home. Why Were Cats So Important In Ancient Egypt? he does so involuntarily, he pays a fine fixed in each case by the priests cats towards the fortress and forced the Egyptian archers to shoot with It is necessary to Why Were Cats Mummified in Ancient Egypt? mention that also Ra, in some old myths, adopted the form of cat to descend to They were popular because they kept away vermin, killed snakes and caused various other blessings for the people. 12 Amazing facts about cats in ancient Egypt 1- The goddess Bastet had the cat as her sacred animal and was usually depicted as a woman with cat’s head or an entire cat and defended Ra, god of the Sun. The exhibition, on view at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Oct. 14–Jan. Browse all the additions to Legends and Chronicles. distance taking care of the cats and without worrying in the least to put out In the New Kingdom, the cat was considered an incarnation of the Sun god and the manifestation of the goddess Bastet. From servals to the mighty lion, cats were seen as powerful forces for both protection and destruction. Cats symbolically represented the guardian of the underworld. Within Egypt, cats were originally the perfect solution to the overgrowth of rats and snakes in Egypt. Middle Eastern species of cats were domesticated in Egypt about 10,000 years ago and while various other animals were also considered sacred, cats had a special status among those animals. The cult of the cat existed during the New Kingdom and a centre of worship was built for the cat goddess, Bastet. Cats were called Mau in Ancient Egypt, and initially the animals attained an important place as the protectors of the country’s grain, as they killed rodents and snakes. After the Ancient Egyptians were known to worship many animals for many years. goddess Bastet and capturing cats to release them during the battle and make of the Sun, against the attacks of the Apophis snake. January 2020. They revered dogs for their ability to hunt and protect them, while cats for bringing good luck to people who kept them. The sanctuary was located in the city of Bubastis where the remains of numerous cat mummies and small cat sculptures have been found. The ancient Egyptians were respectful towards the animals that shared their world and associated many of them with deities or positive human characteristics. January 2020. The word "Bubastis" means House of Bast. Your email address will not be published. A statue of Bastet showing the appreciation given to cats in ancient Egypt. In ancient Egypt, cats were sacred animals. Imhotep is one of the most important non- royal figures in ancient Egyptian history. funeral when their cat died. Diodorus Article by History. More ideas for you Pinterest. Broadly speaking, ancient Egyptian cats can be classified into two main types. Their lives were considered equivalent to the lives of humans, if not superior. In ancient Egypt, the mummification of sacred animals such as cats, dogs, crocodiles and ibises after death was big business. Why Were Cats So Important In Ancient Egypt? In the New Kingdom, the cat was considered an incarnation of the Sun god and the manifestation of the goddess Bastet. Due to their divine relevance, there was not only a cat goddess, but cats were also honoured upon death through mummification. Several archaeological remains point towards the domestication of cats in Ancient Egypt. Egyptians believed cats were magical creatures, capable of bringing good luck to the people who housed them. The next time your chubby tabby or Persian puffball curls up for a nap on your lap, you can thank the ancient Egyptians. Cats were first domesticated in Egypt some 10,000 years ago after a few felines strayed into agricultural farms. The role cats played in the ancient Egyptian world is nothing like the role they play in today‘s world. A grove of trees in the graveyard led the way to the interior which contained a large statue of Bastet. Cats were very important animals in Ancient Egypt, they were both pets and symbols of cat gods such as Bast. Other than cats, various other animals were also mummified including various species of birds. But cats were special! Cats had attained sacred status even before the formation of the Egyptian Kingdom and after that the status was institutionalised. When they besieged the city, 4. someone voluntarily kills one of these animals, he is condemned to death and if The tomb discovered at the temple of Bastet in 1888 had over nineteen tons of animal mummies and remains. Thousands of pilgrims came to the temple every year. Cats in ancient Egypt were protected under certain laws and these laws were strict. Cats in ancient Egypt were represented in social and religious practices of ancient Egypt for more than 3,000 years. The cat in ancient Egypt, or miw (to see), was a sacred and respected beast. The temple was surrounded by a canal which gave it the look of an island. In the New Kingdom, the cat was considered an incarnation of the Sun god and the manifestation of the goddess Bastet. So, for instance, the god Thoth was associated with the Baboon, and Taurt had the head of a hippopotamus and the claws of a lion. The temple was considered one of the most beautiful temples in ancient Egypt. Apparently, the priests got to mount a lucrative business around the sale of mummified cats, since many inhabitants considered an honor to be buried next to mummified cats, even the pharaohs. The second, the cat They earned their status due to various reasons such as the killing of mice and various pests in addition to killing snakes. They were However, no animal was held in such esteem as the cat. fire is declared, it’s amazing what happens with cats, people stay at a certain