The cats were mummified after death and were buried in the cemetery of the temple. Cats, however, occupied a special space in Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians held cats in the highest esteem, the penalties for injuring or killing a cat were severe. In ancient Egypt, they would refer to a cat as the mau, or miu, or mii, which is probably more fitting than the English word as it sounds more like the sound a cat makes. One theory notes that because cats in ancient Egypt were considered semi-divine, everyday people weren’t allowed to own them. The goddess Bastet was usually represented with the head of a feline and a golden earing. The Egyptians did not distinguish between a wild cat and a domesticated cat; all cats were known as “miu” (or “miut”) often translated as “he or she who mews”. Indeed, cats were literally assimilated to deities! Egyptians religion was complicated but some of the most known things are their gods and goddesses, their cats, and their mummies.The Egyptians had a religion that if you put a dead body in a coffin or a sarcophagus, they could go to the afterlife and have everything they need with them. 11- In Egypt we can distinguish two types: The jungle cat (Felis catus), also called reed cat or swamp cat and the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). The family began mourning that in many cases involved shaving their eyebrows (according to the Greek historian Herodotus) as a symbol of the pain they felt. Cats became more colourful (as the need to be almost permanently camouflaged lessened), their bodies became smaller and less muscled (due to changes in diet and activity), their brains became smaller (as a result of the reduction in necessary survival instincts) and they developed an increased tolerance for humans. 10 Sternebewertungen.
The cat in ancient Egypt was sacred
There were many cat-like goddesses such as Bastet and Sekhmet
Cats were given the “royal treatment” even to the point of being more important than humans!! It is probably why people jokingly associate cats with royalty and dominance over their human… There are exceptions such as the cat named “Nedjem” (“sweetie”). Ancient Egypt Religion Egyptians had a very complicated religion. Wild cats were probably domesticated at least as early as 2000 BC, but they were regularly represented in Egyptian tomb paintings only some 500 years later, in the New Kingdom. This, of course, contrasts with the law regarding the killing of cats. Her best-known depiction is one in which her body is that of a human woman, but with the head of a cat. D, Lloyd. The goddess Bastet was represented with the head of a cat. 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. Wild cats were probably domesticated at least as early as 2000 BC, but they were regularly represented in Egyptian tomb paintings only some 500 years later, in the New Kingdom. Many modern cats are descendants of the cats of ancient Egypt. A cookie which helps me track how many visitors come to my site and what pages they look at. One of the most interesting traditions found in ancient Egypt is cat worshipping. For example, the goddess Bast, Bastet or Ubastet represented the protection of man, as well as a cat with its young. Robin Ngo March 06, 2014 4 Comments 4003 views Share. It seems that it was rare for a cat to be given its own specific name (rather than being called “miu” or “miut”). She is usually represented as a woman with a cat’s head, and a giant temple was built in her honor. Cats (Felis silvestris catus), known in Ancient Egypt as mau, were important in ancient Egyptian society.Based on recent DNA comparisons of living species, it has been estimated that cats were first domesticated from the Middle Eastern subspecies of the Wildcat about 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent. The Importance of Gods in Ancient Egypt The cat was wrapped in linen and “treated with cedar oil and such spices as have the quality of imparting a pleasant odour and of preserving the body for a long time.” The cat would then be buried along with provisions such as milk, mice and rats. Cat fanciers who consider their pets majestic have history on their side: felines were domesticated in ancient Egypt around 2000 B.C. Cats were also mummified as a votive offering to the goddess Bast. Cats were probably originally allowed into the houses of the Ancient Egyptians becasue they caught rats and chased snakes away from the home. The ancient Egyptians did not attack for fear of hurting the cats. Apr 12, 2020 - Explore Cynthia Woodbury's board "Cats in ancient egypt" on Pinterest. The history of cats in ancient Egypt goes back to Bastet, a feline warrior goddess who was depicted as being half cat and half woman. Egyptians religion was complicated but some of the most known things are their gods and goddesses, their cats, and their mummies.The Egyptians had a religion that if you put a dead body in a coffin or a sarcophagus, they could go to the afterlife and have everything they need with them. Cats in Ancient Egypt 1. Cats (Felis silvestris catus), known in Ancient Egypt as the mau, were important in ancient Egyptian society. However, there is some evidence that every cat was considered to be a demi-god (although some Egyptologists do not agree). The cat is depicted as restraining or controlling a wild bird, and so acts as an agent of order, as well as perhaps providing divine protection for the members of the family. Wild cats were probably domesticated at least as early as 2000 BC, but they were regularly represented in Egyptian tomb paintings only some 500 years later, in the New Kingdom. See more ideas about ancient egypt, cats in ancient egypt, egypt. They were not only the most popular pet in the house, but their status rose to that of the sacred animals and then on to the most esteemed deities like no other creature before them. Courtesy of the British Museum. "Cats in ancient Egypt were widely represented in the iconography and social or religious practices of Ancient Egypt, fulfilling a practical role in the region's culture during life and were often mummified and entombed." We have evidence of this in the many statues and representations of these felines that date from that time. The goddess Bastet was the goddess of cats. Cats in ancient Egypt were represented in social and religious practices of Ancient Egypt for more than 3,000 years. The history of cats in ancient Egypt goes back to Bastet, a feline warrior goddess who was depicted as being half cat and half woman. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. Similar looking spotted cats are depicted in Ancient Egyptian paintings and described in hieroglyphs, suggesting that the origins of the Mau go way back to when cats were first domesticated. See more ideas about Cats in ancient egypt, Ancient egypt, Egypt. The two species eventually merged creating a new breed which was closely related to the modern Egyptian Mau. However, it is thought that this action was considered acceptable in Bubastis to prevent an explosion of the feline population and that all the cats were offered to Bast (and would therefore live eternally in kitty-heaven). But why? Ancient Egyptian Cats. They worshipped a Cat Goddess, often represented as half feline, half woman, whom they called Bastet. Kundenrezensionen. If an animal easily comes to mind when one thinks of Egypt, it is the little feline known as a cat. These cats, unlike beloved pets, seem to have been bred for this purpose and intentionally killed (by strangulation or blunt force to the head) which suggests that the Egyptians were not always sentimental about their cats! Most modern cats are thought to be descended from the cats of ancient Egypt, so these beautiful and engaging creatures represent a living link between ancient Egyptian civilization and our own times. These beautiful creatures thus represent a living link between the modern world and the ancient Egyptian civilization. But why? According to one theory, the cat as a semi-divine being could not be owned by a mere human. This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. 3- In the temples or in the wealthiest families it was customary to mummify the cats that died. Egyptian history is full to the brim with incredible culture, architecture, mythology and traditions. 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. Cats (Felis silvestris catus), known in Ancient Egypt as mau, were important in ancient Egyptian society.Based on recent DNA comparisons of living species, it has been estimated that cats were first domesticated from the Middle Eastern subspecies of the Wildcat about 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent. and noted that although the temple of Bast was “not as large as those of other cities, and probably not as costly, no temple in all of Egypt gave more pleasure to the eye”. Archaeological digs have found that Cats were commonly celebrated in art during the Ancient Egyptian era and depictions of Cats have been found on tomb walls. I quite like cat history and trying It is probably why people jokingly associate cats with royalty and dominance over their human… Egyptians shared a lot of what we do in the modern world. Both the Book of Gates and the Book of Caverns refer to a cat god named Miuty (or Mati or Meeyuty). Owing to this, cats came to be regarded as protectors of evil by the ancient Egyptians, and were domesticated by them. Bubastis-Wikipedia. Apparently, the Persians captured a large number of cats and let them loose on the battlefield outside Pelusium. She was entrusted with no lesser duty than to protect her country. Among those, cats were perhaps the most popular. A Cat in Ancient Egypt
Did they have the “good life”?
3. They worshipped a Cat Goddess, often represented as half feline, half woman, whom they called Bastet. Their respect and veneration for this animal was so great that the year 525 BC, when the Persians besieged Pelusium, ancient Egyptians lost the city since Cambyses II, knowledgeable about their customs, had cats tied to the shields of his soldiers. Ancient Orient Museum Istanbul 2008 (6).JPG 1,024 × 768; 58 KB. CATS in Ancient Egypt
2. In the Seventeenth Chapter of the Book of the Dead, Ra takes on the form of a cat named simply “Mau” (cat) in order to kill the serpent Apep. Cats were often used by the Ancient Egyptians on hunting trips to fetch birds and fish from the marshes around the Nile River. Cats in Ancient Egypt. The mummified cats were most often buried in Bubastis, but tombs have also been discovered in Giza, Abydos, Denderah and Beni Hasan. Most modern cats are thought to be descended from the cats of ancient Egypt, so these beautiful and engaging creatures represent a living link between ancient Egyptian civilization and our own times. Mummification was not reserved for human burials. https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/sacred-cats-of-ancient-egypt Moreover, various DNA comparisons also suggest that many species of modern cats may have been descended from the Egypt… The earliest representation of a cat or lion in Egyptian religion was the fur-midable Mafdet, a cat-like deity associated with justice and execution. In fact, archaeologists found a man interred with his cat in a burial mound in Mostagedda near Asyut dated to around 6,000 years ago. who warned that “The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth (Bubastis) shall fall by the sword: and these cities shall go into captivity”. Over the following centuries, they became popular household pets; they are regularly shown in tomb paintings of family life. Cats in Ancient Egypt 1. Discover (and save!) Your email address will not be published. The festival was so famous that it made it onto a hit list of the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 30:17, sixth century B.C.E.) Particularly interesting is the scene in the tomb of Nebamun in which it was discovered that the eye of the cat is decorated with gold inlay – the only part of the tomb decorations to feature this effect. The popular perception of ancient Egyptian cats has been driven by which monuments happen to survive to present day, but an examination of additional data reveals a striped surprise. Cats were closely connected to a number of gods and goddesses, and there is evidence that they were considered to be demi-gods in their own right. The cat goddess Bastet was quite popular and the temple of Bastet was erected in her honour which housed thousands of cats. And, interestingly, the work ‘mau‘ in Egyptian means ‘cat.’ This breed has a characteristic ‘M’ on its forehead and is the only one with natural spots. Seems that the Egyptian depictions of the ancient Egyptians perceived cats and role! 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