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Along with hieroglyphics, obelisks and geometric patterns, cats feature prominently in ancient Egyptian art, reflecting the animal’s unique status among the people who dwelled along the Nile...
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.
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. The export of cats from Egypt was so strictly prohibited that a branch of the government was formed solely to deal with this issue.
The ancient Egyptians mummified countless cats, and even created the world's first known pet cemetery, a nearly 2,000-year-old burial ground that largely holds cats wearing remarkable iron...
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. Cats likely became so entwined with Egyptian life for practical reasons: Agriculture attracted rodents, which attracted wild cats.
Cats are among the most iconic animals in ancient Egyptian art and culture. The Egyptians encountered lions, panthers and jungle cats in the wild. Smaller cats lived among humans from early on, hunting vermin in homes and granaries.
There were two main breeds of cat native to ancient Egypt. The jungle cat (Felis chaus) and the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). The latter had a calmer temperament and so was more commonly domesticated than its wilder relative.
From wild animals to divine creatures, cats in ancient Egypt played an important role for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians’ special love for cats is well known. Admired for her hunting abilities, the sleek feline achieved divine status, becoming a fixture of ancient Egyptian society.
In ancient Egypt, cats held a special place in society and were deeply intertwined with religious beliefs. The goddess Bastet, often depicted as a woman with a cat’s head, was the most prominent feline deity.
In ancient Egypt, artists often depicted cats with grace and respect. These creatures appear in hieroglyphics as symbols of protection and good fortune. Egyptians venerated cats, seeing them as guardians of the underworld and associates of the gods.