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 ancient Egyptians honored cats of every color. Killing one could be punishable by death. The ancient Egyptians believed cats watched over their children and their homes. Owing to this, cats came to be regarded as protectors of evil by the ancient Egyptians, and were domesticated by them. How many pyramid tombs are there in Egypt? Ancient Egyptians not only worshipped cats, but also adored them as their family members. The cat achieved an importance that was increasing over the years, both religiously and socially. Due to this endearment of cats, there were several laws to protect the creature. Hence, after studying the DNA of animals buried with the Pharaohs, it was found that the great majority of those were cats. Several ancient Egyptian deities were depicted and sculptured with cat-like heads such as Mafdet, Bastet and Sekhmet, representing justice, fertility and power. Cats . People dedicated mummified cats at the sanctuary of the cat goddess Bastet as offerings. What Kind of Government Does Egypt Have ? Cats--or 'Mao' in Ancient Egyptian Language--were considered 'holy' creatures and symbols for the gods of Egypt. The deity Mut was also depicted as a cat and in the company of a cat. So, if the internet is anything to go by, nothing much has changed. Anyone who harmed a cat, deliberately or not, would be sentenced to death. Killing a cat, either on purpose or by accident led to a death punishment. Cats likely became so entwined with Egyptian life for practical reasons: Agriculture attracted rodents, which attracted wild cats. If you subscribe to BBC History Magazine Print or Digital Editions then you can unlock 10 years’ worth of archived history material fully searchable by Topic, Location, Period and Person. Significance of the divine felines in Egypt. Ancient Egyptians, Catanzariti says, “mummified cats to give them as a sacrifice or offerings to temples. Why were cats important in ancient Egypt? Cats, however, occupied a special space in Ancient Egypt. Egyptians' admiration for cats infiltrated all aspects of life. 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. The sanctuary was located in the city of Bubastis where the remains of numerous cat mummies and small cat sculptures have been found. 215. The ancient Egyptians had great respect for … If you killed a cat, the punishment could be death. Cats were considered important and possessed a status equivalent to that of Gods. There were two main breeds of cat native to Ancient Egypt. Killing one could be punishable by death. Why did the Egyptians stop worshipping the kitties? Snakes were a real issue in Ancient Egypt and the presence of cats reduced the threat of poisoning. The ancient Egyptians sought to seek. Mafdet would later be replaced by Bastet, and the city of Bubastis became a centre of worship for this goddess of cats. The worship of cats in ancient Egypt was well-founded. Cats were drawn on walls, on ceilings, carved out of stones, sculpted on amulets and painted on clothes. Since then, the affection and significance for cats declined. Thanks! January 2020. The cat was embalmed and mummified and usually buried along with their masters. Cat's weren't exactly worshiped in Egypt, despite what Herodotus wrote. Cats were very important animals in Ancient Egypt, they were both pets and symbols of cat gods such as Bast. By the time of the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-c. 2613 BCE) cattle were the most important animal and were regarded as objects of substantial wealth as made clear through the Egyptian Cattle Count which was a for… In the New Kingdom, the cat was considered an incarnation of the Sun god and the manifestation of the goddess Bastet. They revered dogs for their ability to hunt and protect them, while cats for bringing good luck to people who kept them. Cats once saved lives by defending families from vermin. You will shortly receive a receipt for your purchase via email. The latter had a calmer temperament and so was more commonly domesticated than its wilder relative. You can unsubscribe at any time. Recommended: CAT – Protects You And Your Home From Ghosts And Negative Spirits! Within Egypt, cats were originally the perfect solution to the overgrowth of rats and snakes in Egypt. So the humans had lots of respect for cats. Egyptians harvested plants and crops to sustain the lives of family members and community members. The Egyptians were once at war with the Persians when a Persian general developed a plan that would work. Please enter your number below. It was against the law in ancient Egypt to harm a cat. Anyone who’s ever known a spoiled tomcat knows that cats have never forgotten the days when they were worshiped. Ancient Egyptian cats had a sacred status in because of the religious beliefs of Egyptian society. They had become a symbol of the Egyptian culture, a symbol we recognise and love even today. Bast Sekhmet In ancient Egypt, cats were sacred animals. more information Accept. It was in Egypt that the cat was first domesticated 4,000 years ago and where they were held in the most admiration and respect. The ancient Egyptians sought to seek HistoryCats in ancient Egypt Cats in Ancient Egypt The ancient Egyptians were respectful towards the animals that shared their world and associated many of them with deities or positive human characteristics. Provides expediting services for travel visas to Egypt, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Cats in ancient Egypt were represented in social and religious practices of ancient Egypt for more than 3,000 years. Their lives were considered equivalent to the lives of humans, if not superior. The cat owners shaved off them eyebrows and would mourn for their cats until their eyebrows grew back. You're now subscribed to our newsletter. The cat culture continued for centuries, until 30 AD when Egypt became a part of the Roman empire. The cat’s independence was instinct for them, but to the Egyptians this was a sign of power. Due to this endearment of cats, there … 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. These small companions fascinated the Egyptians, and were venerated by all. Cats were considered to be demi-gods in Ancient Egypt, and only the pharaohs were allowed to keep them as pets, so all the cats were protected by law. The domesticated cat was a symbol of grace and poise because of the way it hunts its prey. The ancient Egyptians did not worship cats, but they did believe that cats had magical powers. Bastet, another goddess, is depicted with a cat head. So cats were not considered pets. Several archaeological remains point towards the domestication of cats in Ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptian society relied heavily on agricultural activities. It was believed that she protected the Chambers against scorpions, snakes and all sorts of evil. More information on Bast. Spread of Islam into Egypt added to the decline. Egyptian statues and paintings depict every type of feline. Moreover, various DNA comparisons also suggest that many species of modern cats may have been descended from the Egypt… The ancient Egyptians took their cats on hunting trips instead of dogs, and statues of cats were placed outside the house to protect the inhabitants and to ward off evil spirits. The Ancient Egyptians had Bastet and Sekhmet among other feline deities, and cats were even held in higher regard than men, drawing from the fact that harming a cat was an act punishable by death. But while we love moggies for their companionship, Egyptian society fell in love with them for their skills at keeping the snake, rat, mice and scorpion populations down. When cats died, they were buried along with their owners as a symbol of preserving them, alongside their owner. The Egyptians thought cats to be important because they could keep themselves clean, without a person having to help them get around, manage them, or look after them. 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. Protection and Significance of the divine felines, How long does it take to get a visa to Egypt. 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. Why were cats so important in Ancient Egypt? Cats were mighty and strong and held sacred. Without them, civilization as we know it might have never survived! A whole branch of government was formed to just deal with this issue. These are just but a few examples of the kind of high esteem that cats have been held to by both the current and past generations. When a household cat died, the entire neighborhood mourned for it. 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. The most famous Ancient Egyptian insect is the Scarab Beetle. Several pagan rituals were banned by the Romans in the following centuries, thus cat worshipping and religion grew apart. Cats were praised for killing venomous snakes and protecting the … The official website for BBC History Magazine, BBC History Revealed and BBC World Histories Magazine, Save 50% on a BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed subscription, Modern-day moggies are beloved by millions, but in the land of the Pharaohs cats were worshipped, quite literally. Ancient Egyptians had crafted several laws to protect their cats. In the New Kingdom, the cat is trained to take it to bird hunting. Eventually, it emerged as the guardian of domesticated cats. Why were Cats so Important in Ancient Egypt?Wild Ciencias Channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDBgTJ_aPb8YT4FuLZ6WU2w♦Consider to Support the … The cat in ancient Egypt, or miw (to see), was a sacred and respected beast. According to several historians, the cat cult in Egypt started 5000 years ago, during the First and Second Dynasty. In the New Kingdom, the cat was considered an incarnation of the Sun god and the manifestation of the goddess Bastet. Sekhmet, another God was introduced as a much more fierce cat than Bastet, years later. Ancient Egyptians were known to worship many animals for many years. Why Were Cats So Important In Ancient Egypt? Exporting of cats was prohibited in Egypt. Hundreds of thousands descended on the temple there every year for the festival of Bast, which the visiting Greek historian Herodotus described as one of the most popular in all of Egypt. Egyptian history is full to the brim with incredible culture, architecture, mythology and traditions. He knew how much the ancient Egyptians cared for their cats so he sent the soldiers to still as many cats as they could. But cats were special! Scarab Beetle . Two goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon were even portrayed as cat-like- Bast and Sekhmet and were worshiped as long ago as 3000 b.c.e. 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. This article was first published in the January 2018 issue of BBC History Revealed magazine, Save a huge 50% off a subscription to your favourite history magazine. Egyptians believed cats were magical creatures, capable of bringing good luck to the people who housed them. How many elephants did Hannibal take over the Alps. The jungle cat (Felis chaus) and the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). While the Ancient Egyptians depicted many gods and goddesses with the characteristics of different animals, they perhaps admired no creature more than the cat. As a sign of how highly they regarded cat hunting skills, the cat-headed goddess Mafdet (who goes back to the fourth millennium BC) was thought to protect people and their homes against these dangerous or food-spoiling pests. Why Were Cats So Important In Ancient Egypt? They believed cats guarded their children and their homes. Cats: If you guessed cats were the most popular pet in ancient Egypt, you would be wrong. Ancient Egyptians were known to worship many animals for many years. In this time and place — Ancient Egypt — one creature existed that could make the world safe from these little monsters: the cat,” the website read. They were slaughtered by the millions to be mummified and serve as messengers to the gods. At a certain point in the Late Period, thousands of cats were produced in Egypt.” You have successfully linked your account! Bastet represented beauty, love, joy, happiness and was also the protector of humans. Usually, cats were dressed in jewels by wealthy families to appear royal. One of the most interesting traditions found in ancient Egypt is cat worshipping. Ordinary citizens and esteemed professionals alike noted the importance of cats in Egyptian culture. Sekhmet was known to have the head of a lioness and initially was regarded the same as Bastet. There were many cats. Article by History. Their lives were considered equivalent to the lives of humans, if not superior. Everything you ever wanted to know about... History TV and radio in the UK: what’s on our screens in December 2020? By entering your details, you are agreeing to HistoryExtra terms and conditions and privacy policy. Cats were seen as symbols for “blessing, fertility and balance of nature”. Ancient Egyptian deities are the gods and goddesses worshipped in ancient Egypt.The beliefs and rituals surrounding these gods formed the core of ancient Egyptian religion, which emerged sometime in prehistory.Deities represented natural forces and phenomena, and the Egyptians supported and appeased them through offerings and rituals so that these forces would continue to function … Cats were considered important and possessed a status equivalent to that of Gods. They revered dogs for their ability to hunt and protect them, while cats for bringing good luck to people who kept them. It was in Egypt that cats were first domesticated more than 4000 years ago, and around 2000 BCE that the fully domesticated cat was brought into the houses of Egyptians. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. In fact, every family had a cat. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. The ancient Egyptians had a strong love for cats, so strong that they surrendered to the Persians because of their cats. Although it has been commonly accepted that cats were first domesticated in Egypt 4000 years ago, their history among human beings goes back much further. Cats appeared in art, always in a position of respect, and were domesticated into loving members of a family – so much so that they would be mourned and mummified after they died. Cared for their cats until their eyebrows grew back once at war with the Pharaohs, it as! 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