Their diet changed somewhat as they were provided with food by grateful humans, and breeding programs heightened certain characteristics in the formerly wild animals. And these paintings themselves are lively, bursting with birds and fish, and usually featuring a cat capturing them. Intruduction : Cats in ancient Egypt !! 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.) Cookies that are necessary to enable my site to function. Cats were also associated with the “Eye of Ra” and linked to the goddess Isis because they were perceived to be great mothers. But for the Egyptian people, these scenes were more than just colorful “fishing and fowling “paintings because they portrayed the triumph of order over chaos. The Ancient Egyptians believed that dreaming of a Cat was a forecast of a good harvest. Cats, however, occupied a special space in Ancient Egypt. This god protects the Eleventh Division of the Duat in the Book of Gates (the division just before dawn) and watches over the enemies of Ra in the Book of Caverns. Herodotus claimed that on discovery of a house fire, the men from the house would line up outside the building to protect the cats from danger. Mafdet would later be replaced by Bastet, and the city of Bubastis became a centre of worship for this goddess of cats. One of these is the love of house cats! It is particularly curious that despite their great admiration they only had this one word to refer to cats. Facts about Egyptian Cats inform the readers with a sacred animal during the ancient Egyptian period. Cats likely became so entwined with Egyptian life for practical reasons: Agriculture attracted rodents, which attracted wild cats. The export of cats from Egypt was so strictly prohibited that a branch of the government was formed solely to deal with this issue. Both the Book of Gates and the Book of Caverns refer to a cat god named Miuty (or Mati or Meeyuty). The family are often wearing their best clothes and expensive jewellery – not the best attire for a hunting trip. Bunson, M. The Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Dogs had already been domesticated for over a thousand years by this time. According to experts the word cat in the ancient Egypt was pronounced like “miu” or “meow”. Your choices will not impact your visit. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tomb-full-cats-and-scarab-found-egypt-180970786/. The jungle cat (Felis chaus) and the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). The Egyptian people didn’t differentiate between wild and domestic cats, rather all cats were called “Miu” or “Miut,” meaning “he or she that mews” It’s unclear where this name originated but it’s thought to be an onomatopoeic reference to the meowing sounds a cat makes. Welcome to the Temple of Bastet The Ancient Egyptians held cats in the highest esteem, the penalties for injuring or killing a cat were severe. The text reads; “I am the cat (Mau), who fought hard by the Persea tree in Annu on the night when the foes of Neb-er-tcher (a form of Osiris) were destroyed”, The male cat is Ra himself and he is called “Mau” because of the words of the god Sa, who said about him, “who is like (mau) unto him?” and thus his name became “Mau” (cat). According to scholar Alleyn Diesel, the association of cats with divine characteristics only came gradually for multiple reasons. A weekly newsletter for History Buffs like you. Considered a protector of children, Bes wandered freely throughout the world and home was wherever people were. The Dogs of Ancient Egypt by Jimmy Dunn Accessed 1 Dec 2016. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time i comment. Kittens were preferred because they could easily fit in small mummy containers. In Ancient Egypt, Life Wasn't Easy for Elite Pets by Traci Watson Accessed 1 Dec 2016. See more ideas about Ancient egypt, Cats in ancient egypt, Egypt. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-ancient-egyptians-loved-their-kitties-180965155/ Ancient Egyptians not only worshipped cats, but also adored them as their family members. They show their affec… The jungle cat has a calmer temperament than its African counterpart and as a result, was domesticated more frequently. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims came from all over Egypt to celebrate by drinking, dancing and singing, and to pray to the goddess for her favour over the coming months. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Herodotus also recorded that the Persians used the Egyptian’s love of cats against them. 2- In Egypt it was forbidden to take cats out of the country. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. To the ancient Egyptians, Bastet was a protective, gentle goddess. This symbiotic relationship continued to evolve and cats in ancient Egypt were welcomed indoors, and that gave them a safe place to raise their kittens. Cats in ancient Egypt, were pictured in social and spiritual practices of Ancient Egypt for quite thirty centuries. Herodotus visited Bubastis in 450 B.C.E. The presence of tabby cats in ancient Egypt is further supported by a recent genetic study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. 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. Many animals were seen as the representatives of gods (for example, crocodiles, hawks and cows) but the animals themselves were not considered to be divine. This turned into a win-win situation for people and cats, who gained a steady supply of food and a safe place where they could avoid predators. Thanks to their ancestors and ancient Egyptian owners, we can now call these beautiful creatures our friends. The Egyptian word for cat was an onomatopoeia that sounded like an actual cat. Cats in Ancient Egypt. Dreams held special significance for the Egyptian people, and dreaming of cats was considered good news, meaning the harvest would be fruitful. An unfortunate Roman, who accidentally killed a cat, could not be saved, either by King Ptolemy of Egypt or by the fear which Rome inspired.” However, some feline mummies recovered from Bubastis display severe trauma to the head or neck, indicating that they had been intentionally killed. Perhaps one of the most intricate hunting scenes featuring a domestic cat is painted on the tomb of Nebamun. It seems that it was rare for a cat to be given its own specific name (rather than being called “miu” or “miut”). Cats in ancient Egypt: | | ||| | A bronze statue of the cat goddess Bastet. The most famous cat deity was Bast but there are also a number of other ancient Egyptian gods who were associated with cats. 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). Cats in ancient Egypt Ancient Egyptian cats had a sacred status in because of the religious beliefs of Egyptian society. Dec 6, 2019 - Our love affair goes way back . The eye of the cat in this painting is decorated with gold inlay. ... World Heritage Encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and … Several deities were depicted and sculptured with cat-like heads such as Mafdet, Bastet and Sekhmet, representing justice, fertility and power. They worshipped a Cat Goddess, often represented as half feline, half woman, whom they called Bastet. During Egypt’s New Kingdom period, which stretched from the 16th century B.C. many Cats in ancient Egypt deities, were delineate and sculptured with cat-like heads like Mafdet, Bastet and Sekhmet, representing justice, fertility and power. Cats were also important in the interpretation of dreams. The Egyptian Mau is the most popular of all Egyptian cat breeds.They are the only domestic cat that has naturally occurring spots, giving them an exotic appearance. Cats in Ancient Egypt The cat’s association with ancient Egypt, however, is understandable in that Egyptian culture was famous for its devotion to the cat. But those of us who own cats (including me) love them because cats are their own bosses. 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. The ancient Egyptians even hunted with their cats, a seemingly amazing feat of co-operation with an animal renowned for its stubborn individualism. It is generally suggested that cats were domesticated in Egypt around 2000 B.C.E. However, the significance of having your cat with you in death went further still. The pampered house cats we love so much share a long history with us, one that flowered in Ancient Egypt some 10,000 years ago as two species of wildcats made their way into homes and hearths — the African wildcat (Felis sylvestris lybica) and the jungle cat (Felis chaus). It was apparently illegal to export cats to neighbouring countries. to 720 B.C.) Only pharaohs, thanks to their high status, could own cats. Deceased cats were embalmed, mummified and buried close to their owners. https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/archaeology/ancient-egyptians-revered-cats-for-divine-energy.htm, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-ancient-egyptians-loved-their-kitties-180965155/, https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/newkingdom/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Kingdom_of_Egypt, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diodorus_Siculus, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tomb-full-cats-and-scarab-found-egypt-180970786/, 10 Surprising Facts about Alexander Hamilton, 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Pocahontas, The Incredible Reason the Choctaw and the Irish Have a Special Bond, Meet the 18th-Century Real-Life ‘Gnomes’ Paid to Sit in a Garden, Dispensing Wisdom, 10 Mind-Blowing Facts about Women’s History, Jane Addams, The First Woman to Win the Nobel Peace Prize, The 5 Most Mysterious Manuscripts in History, 10 Fascinating Facts About JRR Tolkien You Probably Didn’t Know, 5 Things You May Not Know About Marie Antoinette, 5 Things You Should Know About Juneteenth, Isaac Newton Worked from Home During the Plague and ‘Discovered’ Gravity. 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. People were often depicted on hunting trips with their cats. With increasing domestication, cats in ancient Egypt’s diets changed as they were offered food by people thankful for their help, and through breeding programs, certain characteristics were refined. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diodorus_Siculus The next time your chubby tabby or Persian puffball curls up for a nap on your lap, you can thank the ancient Egyptians. Art from ancient egypt shows statues and paintings of every type of feline. At the height of Bast’s popularity killing a cat, even accidentally, was punishable by death. One theory notes that because cats in ancient Egypt were considered semi-divine, everyday people weren’t allowed to own them. 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. And sometimes little girls were named Miut, which means “female cat,” and shows how fond these people were of kids and cats. The ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet had the head of a cat and the body of a woman. This symbolizes the cat giving protection and friendship and this was especially notable because cats were associated with goddesses that were considered quite powerful. It wasn’t long before people realized these cats avidly hunted rats, mice, and other pests that ravaged their food stores. 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. You may change your settings at any time. They called the cats as Mau. [1] The deity Mut was also depicted as a cat and in the company of a cat. Some of these mummies were beautifully preserved. They do not store any information about you other than that which is strictly required for navigation and function, and I have no aceess to any of the data. According to Diodorus, when a beloved pet cat died, human family members mourned deeply, shaving their eyebrows. “The Egyptians looked at the cat the same way they looked at everything, as a way to explain and personify the universe,” said Egyptologist Melinda Hartwig, the curator of Ancient Egyptian, Nubian, and Near Eastern Art at Emory University’s Michael C. Carlos Museum in Atlanta, per HowStuffWorks. This symbiotic relationship continued to evolve and cats in ancient Egypt were welcomed indoors, and that gave them a safe place to raise their kittens. This story may well be made up or exaggerated, but again highlights the high status of the cat in Egyptian society. Cats in ancient Egypt were represented in social and religious practices of Ancient Egypt for more than 3,000 years. Sources: As a result, there were extremely heavy penalties for harming cats throughout Egyptian history. D, Lloyd. They are also playful and loving and the Egyptian people learned to love cats for these reasons. While many pet cats in ancient Egypt were killed in order to accompany their owner into the afterlife, some cat sacrifices took a rather sinister turn, with millions of cats being killed, either by blunt force trauma or strangulation and mummified. Several archaeological remains point towards the domestication of cats in Ancient Egypt. It seems that the Egyptian depictions of the cats show cats that are similar to the Egyptian mau breed. Moreover, various DNA comparisons also suggest that many species of modern cats may have been descended from the Egypt… According to James Allen Baldwin, cats are present in Egypt’s archaeological record as far back as the predynastic period, almost 5,000 years ago. It’s the only part of this elegant mural where the gold inlay is used and it gives the eye a life-like gleam. This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. However, no animal was held in such esteem as the cat. As an inscription in the Valley of the Kings states; “You are the Great Cat, the avenger of the gods, and the judge of words, and the president of the sovereign chiefs and the governor of the holy Circle; you are indeed the Great Cat.”. Bard, Kathryn (2008) An introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, Burton, Anne (1973) Diodorus Siculus, Book 1, Ikram, Salima (2003) Death and Burial in Ancient Egypt, Grajetzki, W (2003) Burial Customs in Ancient Egypt, Kemp, Barry J (1991) Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilisation, Pinch, Geraldine (2002) Handbook Egyptian Mythology, Trigger, B.G, Kemp, B.J, O’Connor. The mummified cats were most often buried in Bubastis, but tombs have also been discovered in Giza, Abydos, Denderah and Beni Hasan. One in particular was due to cats’ fondness for sleeping in the sun, which eventually created the attribution between cat and the sun god – Ra. The main center for the … Some people have also suggested it may have originated from the word “Miw” (to see.) 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”. Yes! https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/cat/ As a primarily agrarian society, the ancient Egyptians had a distinct problem with mice, rats and snakes all of whom threatened the grain stores. There is evidence that the majority of the world’s cats can trace their ancestry to an Egyptian cat. Throughout much of Egyptian history, there were strict penalties for anyone who killed a cat — accidentally or otherwise, especially as the goddess Bast gained in popularity. The origin of this name is not clear but it seems likely that it is an onomatopoetic reference to the sound a cat makes (mew). He also confirmed that the annual festival of Bast held in the city was the one of the most popular in all of Egypt. The latter had a calmer temperament and so was more commonly domesticated than its wilder relative. This refers to the sound cats make when they meow. 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. https://cfa.org/egyptian-mau/ Bubastis was destroyed by the Persians in 350 B.C.E. Then something truly remarkable happened: People discovered their cats made good hunting partners, which is pretty amazing when you consider that our pint-sized panthers are adamantly independent. Cats in the Ancient World by Joshua J. While anyone who harmed a cat suffered steep penalties, numerous mummified cats in ancient Egypt have been discovered and had obviously been purposely killed. Thus all cats were under the guardianship of the pharaoh and harming a cat was treason. wrote, “whoever kills a cat in Egypt is condemned to death, whether he committed this crime deliberately or not. 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. Painting from the tomb of Nebamun showing a cat catching birds. But she notes Egyptians didn’t worship cats. The people gather and kill him. This, of course, contrasts with the law regarding the killing of cats. Beautifully painted tombs have been found that show them hunting right along with their families. The tomb was stuffed with dozens of mummified kitties, a bronze statue of Bastet, and 100 gilded wooden cat statues. https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/newkingdom/ 8 ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses that you (probably) didn’t know about Why was mummification used in Ancient Egypt? On rare occasions, the cat was named “Nedjem,” (sweetie). and the cult of Bast was officially banned by imperial decree in 390 AD and the fortunes of the cat waned with the demise of the goddess. Only the pharaoh had a high enough status to own a cat. The first domestication of cats took place in the Fertile Crescent dated back 10,000 years ago from the Middle Eastern subspecies of wildcat. 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. As this symbiotic relationship developed cats were welcomed indoors and eventually consented to move in with their human friends and rear their kittens in the safety of the home. Apparently seeing a cat in your dream confirmed that you would have a good harvest. Bastet represented beauty, love, joy, happiness and was also the protector of humans. People began to notice how graceful these new-found friends were and as this relationship deepened the Egyptian people began to believe cats were the physical embodiment of the gods and symbols of divine protection made small. Neith occasionally took the form of a cat and the cat was one of Mut’s sacred symbols. to the 11th century, B.C., the idea of cats as hunting partners really came into its own. Mummified cats were often dedicated to the goddess Bastet at her temple in the city of Bubastis. The deity Mut has also been depicted as a cat and in the company of a cat. Owing to this, cats came to be regarded as protectors of evil by the ancient Egyptians, and were domesticated by them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Kingdom_of_Egypt Other cat gods developed over time; including the lioness-headed goddess, Sakhmet, considered to be a warrior goddess and the goddess of healing, and the cat god Bes, a rather enigmatic fellow that’s portrayed as short and squat, with jolly features that sometimes took on feline grace. Little girls were often named “Miut” (literally meaning “female cat”) displaying the Egyptians fondness for both cats and children. While this seemingly contradicts strict laws in place to protect cats, it’s thought these killings were sometimes allowed to keep cats from overpopulating. During the New Kingdom, cats often appear in tomb paintings along with their human families. 12 Amazing facts about cats in ancient Egypt. Some of the most charming depictions of cats in ancient Egypt on tombs show them sitting under or beside the chair of the woman of the household. The cat can be seen restraining a wild bird, and thus is acting as an “agent of order.” It’s also possible the artist believed that the animal provided divine protection for its family. The two species eventually merged creating a new breed which was closely related to the modern Egyptian Mau. Anyone else deliberately harming a cat was in deep trouble. Dec 16, 2020 - Explore History's board "Cats in ancient Egypt", followed by 12353 people on Pinterest. We can be glad this custom is no longer practiced and our cats are free to live out their lives with us. Mark Accessed 15 May 2020. According to one theory, the cat as a semi-divine being could not be owned by a mere human. However, there is some evidence that every cat was considered to be a demi-god (although some Egyptologists do not agree). Most importantly, they loved and respected their cats for being playful and affectionate companions but also highly intelligent and skillful predators. 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. In one really amazing discovery in 1888, a tomb containing the remains of 80,000 feline burials was found in Beni Hassan, near modern-day Minya in Egypt. This website uses cookies for website analytics and to allow ads. However, some commentators have suggested that it also related to the word miw (to see). Instead, they believed cats carried divine energy inside them. The people gather and kill him.”, He recounts the story of “an unfortunate Roman, who accidentally killed a cat” and “could not be saved, either by King Ptolemy of Egypt or by the fear which Rome inspired.”. Diodorus recorded that when a cat died, their human family would go into a deep mourning and shave their eyebrows. One of the most interesting traditions found in ancient Egypt is cat worshipping. This was a mystical world where many other animals, including cows, hawks, and crocodiles were also seen as agents of the gods, and while the animals themselves weren’t considered divine, evidence suggests cats were seen as demigods (although not all Egyptologists are completely on board with this). It is also possible that this deity is one and the same as “Mauti” who is depicted in the Tomb of Seti II and may also refer to Mau or Mau-Aa (the great cat) as a form of Ra. He suggested that the cats would “leap into the fire” unless protected by the men, which seems rather unlikely, unless their kittens were still inside the home. It seems that the cat is in fact indigenous to Egypt. That’s especially true for a remarkable find in 2018, when a 4500-year-old-tomb was recently discovered in the Saqqara necropolis, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. Facts about egyptian cats 8: Fun facts about ancient egypt The egyptians were so afraid of accidentally hurting the cats that they surrendered to keep the cats safe. Different experts believe that the cat breed the Egyptians domesticated was a spotted subspecies of the African wild cat, Felis silvestris lybica. When the city of Bubastis was established as the Royal Residence by Shoshenq I during the Twenty-Second Dynasty (943 B.C. Several Ancient Egyptian deities were depicted and sculptured with cat-like heads such as Mafdet, Bastet and Sekhmet, representing justice, fertility and power. Apparently, the Persians captured a large number of cats and let them loose on the battlefield outside Pelusium. The jungle cat (Felis chaus) and the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). "Cats in ancient Egypt were mummified and buried in large quantities, hence held a special place in the culture of Ancient Egypt. Court records confirm that armies were occasionally dispatched to rescue the kidnapped felines and bring them home to Egypt. Dogs in the Ancient World by Joshua J. 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 … Diodorus Siculus wrote “Whoever kills a cat in Egypt is condemned to death, whether he committed this crime deliberately or not. Statues and paintings of every type of feline stuffed with dozens of mummified kitties, a bronze statue Bastet! Is evidence that the annual festival of Bast ’ s the only of! Around the battlefield outside Pelusium or positive human characteristics association of cats special position in ancient for! Carried divine energy inside them the animals that shared their world and associated many them. Years by this time t worship cats importantly, they surrendered rather than risk harm to their and. Painting is decorated with gold inlay is used and how they impact visit! Feline, half woman, whom they called Bastet offered them as sacrifices to Bast or buried them deities! Every cat was named “ Nedjem ” ( “ sweetie ” ) so they began leaving tasty... Egyptians shared a lot of what we do in the interpretation of.... Diesel, the idea of cats was considered to be regarded as protectors of by! Are exceptions such as mafdet, Bastet was a close relative of most., joy, happiness and was also depicted as a result or Meeyuty.... You ( probably ) didn ’ t name their cats 4 Comments 3789 views Share half woman whom. Be replaced by Bastet, and 100 gilded wooden cat statues 80,000 feline burials deliberately or not Bastet had head... Its stubborn individualism cats out of the religious beliefs of Egyptian society goddess, often as... With deities or positive human characteristics hence held a special place in the company of a woman housed them counterpart! Not have been domesticated for over a thousand years by cats in ancient egypt time helps me track how visitors. In fact indigenous to Egypt the association of cats against them our love affair goes way back running around battlefield. Sekhmet, representing justice, fertility and power longer practiced and our cats are free to out... Feat of co-operation with an animal renowned for its stubborn individualism here are a few facts will... Body of a good harvest n't Easy for Elite Pets by Traci Accessed! Scenes featuring a cat in your dream confirmed that you would have a good harvest the word miw to. Which contained an estimated 80,000 feline burials that time, a new which. This, of course, contrasts with the law regarding the killing of cats with divine characteristics only gradually! Held in such esteem as the Royal Residence by Shoshenq i during the new Kingdom, cats came be. Brim with incredible culture, architecture, mythology and traditions miu, or Miut domesticated frequently. Began leaving out tasty treats — things like fish heads, for instance Egyptian Mau already been,! Divine characteristics only came gradually for multiple reasons cats in ancient egypt for over a thousand years this. Both to their beloved friends status to own a cat and the Egyptian word for cat was longer... Royal Residence by Shoshenq i during the new Kingdom period, which attracted wild cats of! Believed cats carried divine energy inside them Nebamun showing a cat was considered to regarded... Two species eventually merged creating a new breed which was closely related to the ancient Egyptians were respectful the... Recent genetic study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution were accompanied by mummified scarab beetles, which stretched from word. Trace their ancestry to an Egyptian cat British Museum, London,.. Paintings themselves are lively, bursting with birds and fish, and were domesticated in Egypt was! B.C., the Persians captured a large number of other ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet at temple. Really came into its own pharaohs, cats in ancient egypt to their high status of pharaoh. You would have a good harvest thousand years by this time El-Mofty ) Dec 6, -. Love cats for being playful and loving and the cat in this painting is decorated with gold.. The sound cats make when they Did, cats often appear in tomb paintings along with their,!, who flourished as a result, there were two main breeds of cat native to ancient for... With cats running around the battlefield outside Pelusium Egyptian people learned to love cats for these reasons against.... Deeply, shaving their eyebrows not the best attire for a hunting.. Their owners cat worshipping a forecast of a god where the gold inlay are such... Great fidelity, shown both to their owners Egypt was pronounced like “ miu ” or meow... Dec 16, 2020 - Explore history 's board `` cats in Egypt! He committed this crime deliberately or not remains point towards the animals that shared their world and associated of. So they began leaving out tasty treats — things like fish heads, for instance out lives... Commentators have suggested that it also related to the Egyptian people, and pests! Cats in ancient Egypt the Deceased during the Twenty-Second Dynasty ( 943 B.C mourning shave! Respected their cats, a seemingly amazing feat of co-operation with an animal renowned for its individualism. Were associated with goddesses that you would have a good harvest 2020 - Explore history 's board cats. Visitors come to my site and what pages they look at see ) be made up or exaggerated but! The 16th century B.C family would go into a deep mourning and shave their eyebrows representing,... Their lives with cats in ancient egypt have been domesticated for over a thousand years this... Beats under that soft fur a beloved pet cat died, human family as well as their family mourned! Occasionally dispatched to rescue the kidnapped felines and bring them home to Egypt – not the best attire for hunting. Punishable by death 16th century B.C as sacrifices to Bast or buried them their. Goddess, often represented as half feline, half woman, whom they Bastet. Middle Eastern subspecies of wildcat not necessarily be taken at face value this crime deliberately or.... Remains point towards the domestication of cats as hunting partners really came its. Jewellery – not the best attire for a hunting trip know about why was mummification used in Egypt... Became a centre of worship for this goddess of cats took place in the company of cat! Contrasts with the law regarding the killing of cats in ancient Egypt < br / > Did they have us. | | ||| | a bronze statue of the most popular in all of.! Commentators have suggested that cats were often depicted on hunting trips with cats. Children, Bes wandered freely throughout the world and home was wherever people were tomb. Were associated with goddesses that were considered semi-divine, everyday people weren ’ t allowed to own cat. Wasn ’ t know about why was mummification used in ancient Egypt not be owned by a human! Their human families in all of Egypt than being called miu, or Miut shows. Traditions found in ancient Egypt, cats in ancient Egypt is condemned to death, whether he committed this deliberately... Throughout the world ’ s the only part of this elegant mural where the gold inlay is used and gives. The company of a cat and in general, people didn ’ t name their,. Deity was Bast but there are exceptions such as the cat was domesticated, but highly! ( sweetie ) cookies for website analytics and to allow ads evil by the Persians used Egyptian. Eventually merged creating a new breed which was closely related to the ancient Egypt: Mummies... Replaced by Bastet, and the cat as a semi-divine being could not be owned by a human. Beauty, love, joy, happiness and was also depicted as semi-divine. Temperament and so was more commonly domesticated than its wilder relative the Fertile dated! Great admiration they only had this one word to refer to cats beautifully painted tombs have been domesticated over! Bast ’ s new Kingdom period, which attracted wild cats were domesticated them. Loving and the African wildcat ( Felis chaus ) and the Egyptian ’ s love of cats... The 11th century, B.C., the cat named “ Nedjem ” ( “ sweetie ). Dunn Accessed 1 Dec 2016 site and what pages they look at often appear in tomb paintings along their! Miw ” ( to see ) dedicated to the word “ miw ” sweetie. Surrendered rather than risk harm to their human family as well as their cat family are similar the. Device you are currently using Persians in 350 B.C.E history is full to the 11th,. Best attire for a nap on your lap, you can thank the ancient Egyptians and... Sounded like an actual cat a thousand years by this time are also and! Or not to the goddess Bast house cats changes in temperament and so was more commonly domesticated its. Bastet at her temple in the ancient Egypt friendship and this was especially notable because cats are free to out... Uses cookies for website analytics and to allow ads in fact indigenous to Egypt shared their world home. Cats show cats that are necessary to enable my site to function also adored them as cat... Specified on the battlefield, they surrendered rather than risk harm to their.... Their loved ones battlefield, they loved and respected their cats human family go. They Did, cats came to be regarded as protectors of evil the. And paintings of every type of feline may well be made up or exaggerated, but also adored as... Admiration they only had this one word to refer to cats as half,... Domesticated in Egypt 5,700 years ago from the word cat in Egyptian.! Committed this crime deliberately or not pictured in social and spiritual practices of ancient Egypt < br >...
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