ADORED AND ADORNED
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The ancient Egyptians made representations of both dogs and cats. While those of dogs always portrayed living animals, those of the cat were frequently symbolic or religious in nature.
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Depictions of cats often show them with jewelry such as earrings and necklaces, so it is likely that Egyptians adorned their pets. The cat's tail is always placed neatly against the right side of the animal. This reflects the Egyptian tradition of depicting all animals in hieroglyphics as facing right. Unlike dogs, cats were rarely named in ancient Egyptian literature and mythology; they were most often simply called miu. One cat was the exception: Nadjem, also known as "the pleasant one" or as "sweetie." The height of cat worship in Egypt was reached around 400 BCE with the mother goddess, Bastet. Bastet had the body of a woman and the head of a cat. She was associated with fertility, motherhood, grace, and beauty. Her largest temple was in the city of Bubastis and housed many, many cats, as well as numerous bronze statues of cats, such as the one before you. The lion-headed goddess Sekhmet, who symbolized the burning sun, is often found in Egyption religious art. |
| This statue of Sekhmet was found in the Chapel of Ptah erected by Thothmes III. |
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Produced by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. © Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation This page was made possible by a grant from Friskies PetCare Company and the National Science Foundation. All photographic images contained within these Web pages ARE COPYRIGHTED and may not be reproduced or utilized in any manner without the express written consent of the owner. Photograph of cat statue by Jim Angus. Photograph of Sekhmet from Below the Cataracts by Walter Tyndale (J. B. Lippincott Company, 1907) Special thanks to Jay Bisno for his assistance. Page design by Jim Angus |