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Cat-headed deity Bastet. In ancient Egypt, cats were represented in social and religious scenes dating as early as 1980 BC. [2] Several ancient Egyptian deities were depicted and sculptured with cat-like heads such as Mafdet, Bastet and Sekhmet, representing justice, fertility, and power, respectively. [3]
Cats are rarely mentioned in ancient Greek literature, [11] but Aristotle does remark in his History of Animals that "female cats are naturally lecherous." [10]: 74 [11] The Greek essayist Plutarch linked cats with cleanliness, noting that unnatural odours could make them mad. [12] Pliny linked them with lust, [13] and Aesop with deviousness ...
Cats in ancient Egypt were highly revered, partly due to their ability to combat vermin such as mice, rats (which threatened key food supplies), and snakes—especially cobras. Cats of royalty were, in some instances, known to be dressed in golden jewelry and were allowed to eat from the plates of their owners.
The cat was the sacred and peculiar animal of Bast, who is represented with the head of a cat or a lioness and frequently accompanies the deity Ptah in monumental inscriptions. The tombs at Bubastis were accordingly the principal depository in Egypt of the mummies of the cat. [15] [16]
A nearly complete skull fossil found in Egypt has revealed a ... syrtos as a nod to the cat-headed ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet because of the species’ unique shorter snout compared with ...
The Berenice pet cemetery is a pet cemetery in Berenike, Egypt, dating from the 1st–2nd century CE. It contains the remains of more than 580 individual animals including cats, dogs, and monkeys. It is among the oldest known animal cemeteries in the world. Unlike other animal burials in Egypt, none of the animals at Berenike were mummified ...
Throughout the history of Ancient Egypt, animals were highly respected. In many cultures have animals been as influential in so many aspects of life, and has any culture depicted animals so often in their artwork or writing, and Egypt is one of them. [3] It is said that two in every four Egyptian hieroglyphs relates to animals. [3]
The Iberian lynx is one of the most endangered cat species in the world today. ©tony mills/Shutterstock.com The post The History and Evolution of Europe’s Wild Cats appeared first on A-Z Animals .