In ancient Egypt, cats were represented in social and religious scenes dating as early as 1980 BC.[2] Several ancient Egyptian deities were depicted and sculptured with cat-like heads such as Mafdet, Bastet and Sekhmet, representing justice, fertility, and power, respectively.[3] The deity Mut was also depicted as a cat and in the company of a cat.[4]
Cats were praised for killing venomous snakes, rodents and birds that damaged crops, and protecting the Pharaoh since at least the First Dynasty of Egypt. Skeletal remains of cats were found among funerary goods dating to the 12th Dynasty. The protective function of cats is indicated in the Book of the Dead, where a cat represents Ra and the benefits of the sun for life on Earth. Cat-shaped decorations used during the New Kingdom of Egypt indicate that the domesticated cat became more popular in daily life. Cats were depicted in association with the name of Bastet.[5]
Cat cemeteries at the archaeological sites Speos Artemidos, Bubastis, and Saqqara were used for several centuries. They contained vast numbers of cat mummies and cat statues that are exhibited in museum collections worldwide.[6] Among the mummified animals excavated in Gizeh, the African wildcat (Felis lybica) is the most common cat followed by the jungle cat (Felis chaus).[7] In view of the huge number of cat mummies found in Egypt, the cat was certainly important for the country's economy; cats were bred for the purpose of sacrifice and mummification, requiring a trading network for the supply of food, oils and resins for embalming them.[8]
^TakĂĄcs, G. (2008). "mjw". Etymological Dictionary of Egyptian. Vol. 3. Leiden / Boston: Brill. p. 135. ISBN 9789047423799.
^El-Kilany, E.; Mahran, H. (2015). "What lies under the chair! A study in ancient Egyptian private tomb scenes, Part I: Animals". Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt. 51: 243â264. JSTOR 26580640.
^Malek, J. (1997). The Cat in Ancient Egypt (Revised ed.). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812216325.
^Te Velde, H. (1982). "The cat as sacred animal of the goddess Mut" (PDF). In Van Voss, H.; Hoens, D. J.; Van de Plas, A.; Mussies, G.; Te Velde, H. (eds.). Studies in Egyptian Religion dedicated to Professor Jan Zandee. Leiden: Brill. pp. 127â137. ISBN 978-90-04-37862-9.
^Langton, N.; Langton, M. B. (1940). The cat in ancient Egypt, illustrated from the collection of cat and other Egyptian figures formed. Cambridge University Press.
^Zivie, A.; Lichtenberg, R. (2005). "The Cats of the Goddess Bastet". In Ikram, Salima (ed.). Divine Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press. pp. 106â119. ISBN 9789774248580.
^Morrison-Scott, T. C. S. (1952). "The mummified cats of ancient Egypt" (PDF). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 121 (4): 861â867. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1952.tb00788.x.
(2005). "The Cats of the Goddess Bastet". In Ikram, S. (ed.). Divine Creatures: Animal Mummies inAncientEgypt. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press...
AncientEgypt was a civilization of ancient Northeast Africa. It was concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River, situated in the place that...
Baset. In ancient Greek religion, she was known as Ailuros (KoinÄ Greek: Î±áŒŽÎ»ÎżÏ ÏÎżÏ, lit.â'cat'). Bastet was worshipped in Bubastis in Lower Egypt, originally...
not a breed of cat but a coat pattern found in many official cat breeds. It is very common among the general population of mixed-breed cats around the world...
guide to ancientEgypt: AncientEgypt â ancient civilization of eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is...
archaeology of AncientEgypt is the study of the archaeology of Egypt, stretching from prehistory through three millennia of documented history. Egyptian archaeology...
Cats portal Acoustic Kitty Cats and the Internet Dickin Medal, recipients includes only one cat List of animals awarded human credentials List of cat...
the domestic cat as derived through analysis of It was long thought that the domestication of the cat began inancientEgypt, where cats were venerated...
AncientEgyptian deities are the gods and goddesses worshipped inancientEgypt. The beliefs and rituals surrounding these gods formed the core of ancient...
as cats (felids) in the United States. These include domestic cat (both house cats and feral), of the species Felis catus; medium-sized wild cats from...
buy cats instead of properties. Animal fancy â Hobby regarding pets or domestic animals Cat lady â Single woman who owns many pet catsCatsinancient Egypt â...
letters. The Egyptian language or AncientEgyptian (r n km.t) is an extinct branch of the Afro-Asiatic languages that was spoken inancientEgypt. It is known...
depicting cats as well mummified cats indicate that it was commonly kept by ancientEgyptians since at least the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. Celtic fables...
"Possible first jungle cat record from Malaysia". Cat News. 53: 13â14. Morrison-Scott, T. C. S. (1952). "The mummified cats of ancientEgypt" (PDF). Proceedings...
The cultural depiction of cats and their relationship to humans is old and stretches back over 9,500 years. Cats are featured in the history of many nations...
started domesticating catsinAncientEgypt. AncientEgyptians found cats to be beneficial for pest reduction. Human influence on cat evolution can be seen...
AncientEgyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals that formed an integral part of ancientEgyptian culture. It centered...
Art of ancientEgyptAncientEgyptian art refers to art produced inancientEgypt between the 6th millennium BC and the 4th century AD, spanning from Prehistoric...
The ancientEgyptians had an elaborate set of funerary practices that they believed were necessary to ensure their immortality after death. These rituals...
AncientEgyptian deities were an integral part of ancientEgyptian religion and were worshipped for millennia. Many of them ruled over natural and social...
The medicine of the ancientEgyptians is some of the oldest documented. From the beginnings of the civilization in the late fourth millennium BC until...
Black-footed cat History of lions in Europe Holocene extinction CatsinAncientEgypt Lion-baiting Pease, A. E. (1913). "The Distribution of Lions". The...
some catsinancientEgypt were considered sacred animals and were personified with the deity Bastet, and provided with elaborate burials. Dogs in religion...
depictions of house catsinancientEgyptian paintings about 3,600 years old. However, in 2004, a Neolithic grave was excavated in Shillourokambos, Cyprus...
InancientEgypt, especially during the Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom periods, dwarfs and pygmies were seen as people with celestial gifts. They were...
Global Information
