The cat is a sacred animal. What does the Egyptian goddess with the head of a cat mean?

We are so used to our furry for a pet who will always come up and comfort us if we feel sad, who will purr loudly, curled up in a ball on our laps and burying his wet, cold nose in our hand. Of course, a cat is the most gentle and at the same time freedom-loving and rebellious pet.

For example, it’s not easy to put your cat in your purse and drag it all day around the city and to boutiques for animals, not to mention small dogs. And there is no reason to carry them, because they are hunters and love to lie down in the shade, watch for birds, and then, when they see their owner, beg for “Kitekat”.

They are so playful that they have already unraveled all of grandma’s balls around the apartment and conquered Everest several times by climbing onto the curtains. Perhaps cats cause a lot of trouble: damaged furniture, hair all over the house - but how can you blame this fluffy, because a cat is a sacred animal.

However, everyone knows about this, even the smallest children, although people often do not take this fact into account. Let's just restore justice and find out why this animal with pink pads on its paws received this high title.

The meaning of cats in the culture of ancient Egyptians

It all started in Egypt. There are many legends that explain holiness by an elementary economic factor: they say that the stoats did not know how to catch mice, and the grain harvest was spoiled due to rodents, and then she comes, Mademoiselle Cat, who at once copes with pests, saves the Egyptians from hunger, and therefore instantly rises to the heavens, that is, to the pharaoh and queen.

But this is not the only reason why the cat became a Cat and acquired immunity. The priests, who were revered in Egypt no less than the dynasty of the pharaoh, saw in the cat a karmic mission: ridding the home and family in which the animal lives from adversity and stagnant bad energy.

It was also believed that a cat is the embodiment of a deceased person, usually the owner.

Why else were these animals revered, considering them sacred creatures?

1. We admired the gracefulness of these animals, their ability to appear and disappear almost unnoticed and silently;
2. Fertility and the ability to care for offspring also became an invaluable asset;
3. Cleanliness and independent character distinguished cats from other animals.

For all these merits, cats were given special honor: they were fed the best food, looked after them, never offended them. Rich Egyptians after death pet His body was embalmed and buried in cemeteries designed specifically for cats. Rats and mice were embalmed along with them so that they would accompany them in the afterlife.

Energy potential of the animal

Egypt died down, and mystical meaning and the influence of cats is still one of the mysterious pages in the study of animal psychology. Speaking of reincarnation, indeed, a cat is capable of absorbing a certain matrix and energy of a deceased person, thereby cleansing the house. But, in addition, the animal is capable of resembling living owners, which is also explained by the energy, the flows of which the pet captures.

Often a cat is able to see the spirit of a deceased person, when people do not have such abilities. There are many known cases when a cat froze in the doorway, looked into the room and meowed loudly, looking somewhere in the air. And in all cases, this was in those houses where a person had recently died.

• In the East, the role of cats is significant: in China they are considered a kind of symbol of motherhood, and also a guardian of culture. Until now, the inhabitants of this country believe in the animal’s ability to scare away evil spirits. The Chinese believe that if you walk around a sown field with a cat in your arms, the harvest will certainly be abundant;
• In Japan almost complete absence rats and mice are associated precisely with the magical influence that not only living cats have, but also their figurines and images;
• It is noteworthy that in ancient times the Japanese awarded a person who became famous in any field with the title Master Cat. This once again emphasizes the respect for the glorious furry pet. In modern Japan, Cat Day is celebrated annually, which is a national holiday. This happens on February 22, because three deuces in a row in Japanese(22.02) sound like a cat's meow;
• In America they believe that a stray black cat that you adopt will bring happiness into your home. They are considered harbingers of good luck, despite all the prejudices associated with black cats.
• In Slavic culture, the cat is still considered the guardian of the family hearth. In addition, weather changes are often predicted by the behavior of cats. For example, if you notice that an animal is thoroughly washing its ears, then you can wait for rain. If your cat is rushing around the house, jumping and scratching objects, you should wait. strong wind. When a cat is in a playful mood, it rolls on the ground - sure sign that it will start raining soon.

And evil spirits are afraid of cats. That is why when moving to new house is the first to cross the threshold furry pet, who, with his throne-like procession through the new apartments, drives out evil spirits and bad energy. There is also plenty of mysticism in stories where ghosts literally attacked the animal, trying to kill it. That is, a cat is a lightning rod for strong evil spirits - evil spirits focus on the pet and do not touch the person. Although terrible cases are certainly rare. In ordinary life, the furry man simply cleans our house and scares bad aliens from a parallel world.

There are cases when a cat died instead of its owner, taking over in some way the fate of fate. This was also practiced in Egypt, only there for the pharaoh, of course. died who agreed to die and accepted a special ritual.

Warnings from cats are also not uncommon, when more sensitive animals can predict cataclysms or natural disasters. By the way, they not only save their owners from natural disasters, but also from people. For example, there was a case when a cat scratched thieves who threatened the female owner of the animal. The seasoned pet tore the intruders' clothes to shreds and for a long time chased the criminals along the road away from his home.

Of course, these are not all unique stories, let alone that we are still at the subconscious level afraid of black cats and clutching at the button. In general, the Egyptians are a wise people, and it is certainly not for nothing that they awarded the harmless furry animal the status of a sacred animal. And the cases described above only confirm this, although, of course, this is not all about cats.

In any case, a cat will want to protect and stand up for its owner only when it loves its breadwinner, so the cat needs to be groomed and cherished and, of course, respected and adored. Then the pink pads will hide their claws and reciprocate your feelings.

The ancient Egyptians believed that the gods, taking the form of certain animals, surrounded them in the earthly world and, thus, influenced the destinies of people. That's why sacred egypt, the list of which included cats, crocodiles, and whole line birds and even insects became objects of worship. Hunting for them was prohibited, and violation of this law was punishable on the same basis as killing a person. The only exceptions were ritual sacrifices and those cases when the incarnated deities began to multiply so rapidly that their numbers created a threat to people.

Sacred bulls in the temple and in the fields

Since in ancient times the inhabitants of the banks of the Nile fed themselves mainly from the fruits of agriculture (the annual floods of the great river created the necessary preconditions for this), during field work it was impossible for them to do without a reliable draft force, the duties of which were performed by the bull. According to the role that he played in the life of an entire people, he was given one of the leading places among other deified representatives of the animal world.

The most revered sacred animal of Ancient Egypt was the bull named Apis, regularly chosen by the priests from hundreds of other animals. His cult was so great that the chosen one was given a place in the temple of the god of fertility Ptah, located in Memphis. There this darling of fate lived, graciously accepting the honors bestowed upon him, which, however, did not relieve his brothers from hard everyday work under the scorching sun.

Life cycle of the god Apis

According to belief, every night his wife, the sky goddess Nut, taking the form of a cow, went to his temple. After the god Apis fertilized her, his next incarnation was born - a calf-sun shining with rays, ascending to the sky and making his way across it. day's journey. In the evening, having grown considerably old, he returned to the temple again and took on his former appearance. The next night everything happened again.

So the god Apis in the form of a bull was both a husband, a father, and his own child. When he was already dying for real, the priests had to find a replacement. Not every animal was suitable for carrying out such an important mission, but only those with certain characteristics. In particular, the applicant had to have a white triangle on his forehead, a light spot on his side, shaped like a crescent, and another one on his neck, but in the shape of an eagle.

The deceased himself was mummified according to all the rules of this ancient art and, having been placed in a special sarcophagus, decorated with jewelry and sacred amulets, was placed in the underground Necropolis, which was located there, in Memphis, on the western bank of the Nile. If we consider that the average lifespan of a bull (even a sacred one) is 15-20 years, and it has been worshiped for centuries, it is clear that over time a whole city of the dead was formed from such sarcophagi.

Worship of cows by the ancient Egyptians

Not only strong and sometimes very aggressive bulls, but also their more peaceful friends were surrounded by universal reverence on the banks of the Nile. The sacred cow has always been an integral character in the Egyptian pantheon of gods and was never used for sacrifice. This is explained by the fact that, according to the most ancient myths, she was the constant companion of another goddess - Hathor, who patronized femininity, love and fertility. Besides, Holy cow, like any other, supplied the family with milk, which, naturally, deserved gratitude.

Over the centuries, Egyptian mythology included more and more new images. In her later period, the pantheon was replenished by the Great White Cow of Heliopolis, who was under the patronage of the goddess Isis, just like Hathor, who was in charge of issues of love and the continuation of the human race. It is Heliopolis that is considered the mother of the sacred bull Apis, whose residence was in the Memphis temple.

Feathered Gods of Egypt

Another highly revered representative of the Egyptian fauna was the ibis bird, considered one of the earthly incarnations of the god of wisdom Thoth, who was always depicted with its head and human body. According to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, he was the creator of writing and literature. This large bird, endowed by nature with a long curved beak, also bathed in the rays of the glory of the sage god. According to the law of those years, the person responsible for her death was subject to severe punishment, including the death penalty, and his victim was embalmed.

In the pantheon of feathered Egyptian deities, the falcon also had a place of honor. IN early period history, he was identified with Horus - the god of the sky, sun and royalty. Many of his images in the form of a human figure with the head of a falcon or a winged sun have survived to this day. For more late stage Egyptian history the falcon became associated with the concept of the human soul-Ba, which was the totality of his emotions and feelings.

During human life, she could freely travel both through the world of dreams and the dark labyrinths of the kingdom of the dead. Some time after the death of its owner, the soul-Ba fell into Sopor. In the minds of the Egyptians, she had the appearance of a falcon with a human head, which differed from the images of the god Horus.

Sacred Animals of Ancient Egypt: Cat

However, birds constituted only part of the pantheon of gods. Another ancient Egyptian object that was the object of universal worship was the cat. It is known that in terms of its status it was slightly inferior to a bull. In general, the history of these animals is directly related to Ancient Egypt. There is even an opinion that it was there that they were domesticated, and modern Egyptian Sphynx cats, a breed characterized by a complete absence of hair, became a monument to this.

Life on the banks of the Nile was once a golden age for cats. They were loved and cherished like no other historical eras. The cat was considered the guardian of the hearth, and if peace and prosperity reigned in the family, this merit was attributed to it. In addition, by protecting crops from rodents, they provided people with an invaluable service, saving them from hunger. This, in particular, was one of the reasons why cats were revered by the Egyptians as sacred animals.

It is known that in the event of a fire, earthquake or any other disaster, the cat was first taken out of the house, and only after that they took care of children, old people and various kinds property. No wonder that cat death was the same grief as the death of any family member. Mourning was declared in the house, and the deceased was buried with the same honors as any relative.

Goddess with a cat's head

It was considered a grave crime to cause any harm to a cat, regardless of whether there was malicious intent or not. Sometimes it even reached the point of absurdity. For example, there is a known case when the Persian king Cambyses, during the conquest of Egypt, ordered each of the warriors of the vanguard to tie a live cat to his shield. As a result, the Egyptians surrendered without a fight, since they could not resist, risking injuring their favorites.

The playfulness and gentle disposition of cats became the reason that the goddess of joy and fun Bastet was traditionally depicted as a woman with a cat's head. Such compositions in the form of drawings and figurines became especially widespread during the era of the New Kingdom (1070-712 BC). A favorite subject in them was Bastet feeding her kittens. The modern Egyptian Sphynx cats, well known to us, are somewhat reminiscent of this ancient goddess in their appearance.

Deification of crocodiles

Just as the ox was revered due to the role it played in cultivating the fields, another sacred animal of Ancient Egypt - the crocodile - received universal worship due to the fertility of the land. It was believed that this reptile was the living embodiment of the Nile, which was in charge of the floods, which irrigated the fields and brought life-giving silt to them.

Like Apis, the sacred bull in Ancient Egypt, a crocodile similar in status to him was also chosen by the priests from hundreds of his brothers. He settled in a specially erected temple, and there, living in satiety and contentment, he soon lost the habit of bad inclinations and became completely tame. It was forbidden to kill crocodiles in Egypt, even in cases where their actions threatened human life.

Frogs and their connection with the afterlife

The ancient Egyptians also had great sympathy for all kinds of amphibians and reptiles. In particular, they included frogs among the sacred animals, since they were part of the retinue of the goddess Heket, who patronized women in labor. In addition, there was a belief that they had the ability of spontaneous generation. This gave reason to connect them with the afterlife, in which all those who have completed their earthly journey are reborn.

Good and evil snakes

The Egyptians had an ambivalent attitude towards snakes, since in the latter’s understanding these creatures were carriers of both good and evil principles. For example, the mythical serpent Apep was the personification of evil and darkness. It was believed that when the sun god Ra makes his way between the banks of the underground Nile at night, an insidious serpent tries to stop him by drinking all the water from the river. A struggle ensues between them, from which Ra always emerges victorious, but the next night this story repeats itself.

At the same time, the patroness of Lower Egypt was the red cobra, which was the personification of the goddess Wajit, the guardian of royal power. Her stylized image - the uraeus - always adorned the tiaras of the pharaohs, being evidence of their reign both in this world and in the afterlife.

Fearless Mongoose

After talking about snakes, it is appropriate to recall another sacred animal of Ancient Egypt, which is directly related to them - the mongoose. In Egypt, these small predators were found in abundance and were easily tamed. They were often kept as pets. The Egyptians were impressed by the courage with which they rushed to the cobras.

Since snakes, as mentioned above, were perceived as carriers of not only good, but also evil principles, it was believed that mongooses exterminate precisely those of them that are filled with bad intentions. For this, small animals enjoyed universal veneration and were also considered sacred animals.

The veneration of the mongoose was so widespread that to this day, among the ruins of temple complexes, monuments erected in their honor can be found. In addition, during excavations in Egypt, many bronze sculptures were discovered, as well as body amulets with the image of an animal. It was believed that this accessory could protect against snake bites.

Beetle following the path of the sun

And finally, it is absolutely impossible to imagine Ancient Egypt without the scarab beetle, which became a living symbol of this unique civilization. He received this honor due to his ability to roll the dung balls he made from east to west.

He does this until the eggs embedded in the manure mature and the larvae are born. The Egyptians, who believed that in this way the hardworking beetle followed the path of the sun, considered it a symbol of the creative energy of this heavenly body.

It is characteristic that they depicted their supreme god Khepri - the creator of the world and people - as a man with a scarab instead of a head. The universal glorification of this generally ordinary dung beetle was also facilitated by the belief that, like the frog, it had the ability of spontaneous generation and, like it, visiting the kingdom of the dead, helped all newcomers there to resurrect.

Deprived of love

It is wrong to think, however, that all animals without exception were deified and received honors. There were exceptions among them. For example, the cult of the hippopotamus, widespread in Ancient Egypt, existed only in the Paprimitsky district. The rest of the country's inhabitants were very wary of it, which, however, did not stop them from depicting the goddess Taurt - the patroness of women in labor - in the form of a pregnant female of this animal.

The Egyptians also did not like pigs, which were considered unclean animals. There was even a belief that pig milk could cause leprosy. Once a year they were used as a ritual sacrifice, after which they were eaten. Apparently, hunger overpowered superstitious fear.

The ancient Egyptian inscription on the obelisk in Nebra reads: “Oh, wonderful cat, bestowed forever.” The cult of this small predator began during the Old Kingdom and lasted for many centuries. Never in any state in the world has this graceful animal been revered as much as in the country of the pyramids. Cats in Ancient Egypt were not only full members of Egyptian families and favorite pets of the pharaohs, people assigned them divine status and built temples and even entire cities in their honor. It was a golden age in cat history.

The role of the cat in Ancient Egypt: why were these animals deified?

Ancient Egyptian cat figurines

The past of Ancient Egypt and the history of the domestication of wild cats are inextricably linked, since it was in the land of the pyramids that the ancestors of modern cats first began to live next to humans. This is evidenced by many sources dating back to the 3rd millennium BC.

Even then, on the paintings in the tombs of noble citizens and even the pharaoh himself, furry animals were depicted living in the house as honorary family members and wearing special collars. Egyptian artists tried to paint the sacred animal in any form and pose on funerary slabs or papyri. Sculptors sculpted them from gold, bronze, stone or wood, sculpted them from clay, and carved them from elephant tusks. Young Egyptian women always kept amulets with cat images, which were called “uchat” and were a symbol of childbirth.

Thanks to frescoes and other objects of art decorated with graceful feline figurines, it also became known that the Egyptians called their pets "miu" or "miut". There is an assumption that cats received this nickname because of the meowing sounds they make. This name was also given to girls to emphasize their beauty, grace and softness.

The inhabitants of the country of the pyramids greatly revered furry animals. They admired their cleanliness and grace. A special mystery for humans was the secret twilight lifestyle of the cat, its eyes glowing in the dark, silent gait, and independent disposition. These unusual and inexplicable qualities awed the ancient people and instilled in their hearts boundless respect for the freedom-loving animal. In addition, the cat was also credited with mystical abilities - according to the Egyptians, it could visit the other world.

Therefore, cats were welcome guests in many temple complexes of Ancient Egypt. There they were fed fresh fish, which were specially bred in ponds. The care of temple animals was carried out by priests - “cat guardians” and was one of the most honorable services in the state. Moreover, this respected profession was proudly passed down from father to children. Superstitious Egyptians believed that temple animals were able to predict the future. Therefore, the priests carefully watched their every gesture, and then interpreted the signs, believing that this was how the gods themselves communicated with them.

The practical side of the issue

The veneration of cats in Ancient Egypt also had economic prerequisites, in addition to mystical ones. In those distant times, the state was engaged exclusively in agricultural activities and was famous throughout the world for its rich harvest of grain crops. In fact, the life of the country of the pyramids directly depended on the amount of wheat grown and its safety.

But the harvest was often completely destroyed by countless hordes of rodents. It was then that the ancient Egyptians paid attention to furry animals, each of which was able to save up to ten tons of grain a year. Thus, cats were vital animals for the survival of an entire nation.

Small predators also deftly destroyed poisonous horned vipers, of which there were great numbers in those lands. Cats were also taken for hunting as game animals; they caught birds and fish.

Thanks to the cat mummies that have survived to this day, archaeologists and scientists were able to find out what these animals looked like in those distant times. They were small in size, thin, graceful and mostly a solid reddish color.

The meaning of the goddess Bastet in religious cult

Archaeologists suggest that the ancient Egyptian pantheon contained the names of several hundred gods. But one of the most popular deities included in the “sacred nine” (nine supreme deities) was considered a young and beautiful girl with the head of a cat - the goddess Bastet (Bast).

Her statues were carved from stone and made of gold or bronze. In her hands she held a sister ( musical instrument), and four kittens frolicked at the feet of the goddess. On the bases of these statues and obelisks were carved sacred prayers: “I am the cat, the mother of life. She can give life and strength, all health and joy of the heart.”

The cats of Egypt were also revered in two guises: the Sun God himself was often depicted in the form of a red cat (the male form of Bastet). And in the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead the Great Matu is depicted - a cat white, who saved humanity from the serpent Apep.

Sometimes the goddess was depicted with a lion's head to emphasize the duality of nature. This is connected with one interesting legend about the daughter of the supreme god Ra, who could take the form of a lioness - Sekhmed (or Muut). She was the mistress of the desert, the formidable and merciless goddess of war and the scorching sun. As weapons she had the sultry winds of the simoom and arrows that struck enemies to the very heart.

Despite her quarrelsome character, Sekhmed was considered the guardian of peace and protector of the human race. Thousands of believers offered prayers to her in moments of danger and asked for protection from ill-wishers.

According to the myth, Ra sent Muut to earth to punish disobedient people. But once she got to mere mortals, the cruel goddess tasted human blood, went mad and crossed all permitted boundaries. She began to mercilessly exterminate humanity. Then the god Onuris decided to deceive the lioness and doused the ground with beer tinted red (according to another version, red wine).

Mistaking the drink for blood, she began to lap it up and soon became drunk. It was then that the gods turned the bloodthirsty wild animal into a fluffy miniature cat. Therefore, in addition to the refined cat essence, Bast also had a second dark nature of the cruel predator Sekhmed. Over time, this myth was forgotten, and after 2000 BC, images of Bastet changed significantly - she began to be depicted exclusively in the form of a graceful cat.

In the country of the pyramids, Bast personified life itself, the fertility of women and the earth, and was the patroness of the hearth and protector of the pharaoh and his family. In addition, the royal goddess was associated with the solar and moonlight. She was given the power to open the dawn of a new morning.

Also, the cat goddess was revered as the patroness of pregnant and giving birth girls, since these are the animals that kitten easily. The ancient Egyptians believed that Bast protected children from the bites of poisonous snakes and scorpions, as well as serious illnesses. Therefore, amulets with the image of a cat were made for newborns, and corresponding tattoos were applied to older children.

Temples built in honor of the cat-headed woman

In the religion of Ancient Egypt, the divine cat had great significance and influence. In her honor, not far from the Nile Delta, a religious center of worship was built - the city of Bubastis, in which there was a beautiful temple dedicated to the cat goddess, according to the description of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. It was here that annual religious celebrations associated with the cat cult took place, where many pilgrims flocked from all over the country. Archaeologists have even found ancient city the largest burial site of mummified furry animals (about three hundred thousand mummies).

It is also known that in the temple complex of Saqqara, not far from the step pyramid of Djoserra, the Egyptians erected a large sanctuary in honor of the cat. In its center stood a gigantic statue of Bastet, made of expensive Aswan marble. During religious celebrations, the statue was taken out of the temple, loaded into a boat and transported along the river banks.

Historians associate such a rise of the cat-headed goddess with serious political changes in the country of the pyramids, when central power moved from the Upper Kingdom to the Lower Kingdom, and the state had a new capital - Per-Bast (house of Bast). The cult of Bastet lasted on Egyptian soil until the 4th century AD.

Little known facts

The descendants of the sacred Nubian cats are the modern Egyptian Mau, which became famous throughout the world thanks to its natural leopard color. There is also a version that the first cats of the country of the pyramids were descendants of reed and steppe cats. Hairless animals, the sphinxes, also played a special role at the pharaoh's court, which eventually disappeared from Egypt and were revived to life in Canada only in the 70s of the 20th century.

Interesting facts about ancient Egyptian cats, which only emphasize their importance for the inhabitants of the country of the pyramids:

• Almost all ordinary Egyptians had their own furry favorite. They left fresh fish for her as a treat, looked after her as the most honorable member of the family, and believed that for this she would protect all the residents of the house. If a fire suddenly started, the pet was taken out of the burning building first and only then the children.
• The Egyptians protected sacred cat and prevented its export outside the country, since the animal was the property of the pharaoh himself. Violation of this rule was punishable death penalty, and animals that left the state were returned home through ransom or kidnapping.
• Even for the unintentional murder of a little rat catcher, the criminal paid own life. The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus testified to the case of how one of the Romans accidentally drove over an animal in a chariot and was torn to pieces by angry Egyptians for this.
• If a furry pet died, her funeral was held with great honors and funeral songs, and the owners shaved off their eyebrows and hair on their heads in tribute and plunged into a long 70-day mourning.

Dead animals were mummified by being wrapped in linen cloth with ornaments and sacred prayers and anointing the body with incense and oils. It was believed that thanks to this ritual, the pet’s soul would gain the ability to be reborn in a new body. Rich citizens put a gold mask on the mummy, placed it in a wooden, bronze or gold sarcophagus and left their favorite toys and embalmed mouse carcasses in the tomb.

Photo of a cat mummy exhibited in the Louvre

But worship furry darling once played a cruel joke on the Egyptians. According to the records of the historian Ptolemy, in 525 BC. cats negatively influenced the results of the siege of the border city of Pelusium by Persian troops. Circumstances forced the Persians to stand under the walls, since they were not known for their ability to storm well-defended cities.

Then King Cambyses II ordered to catch many cats and tie them to the armor and shields of the soldiers walking in front of the entire army. Seeing this, the Egyptians did not dare to use spears and arrows, so as not to injure any sacred animal. As a result, the battle was lost. But despite everything, cats continued to be deified in Egypt until the conquest of the country by the Greeks, and a little later by the Roman legions.

For several centuries, archaeologists have found cave paintings, vases, and figurines depicting cats in Egypt. And this may already be a sign that even in ancient times the Egyptians revered and respected these animals. Cats were decorated, given various gifts and worshiped. According to scientists and according to documents that have survived to this day, cats occupied a special place in the history of the peoples inhabiting the Nile Valley. It was in Egypt that the cat was first tamed and domesticated. The pharaohs treated cats that lived in palaces with even more reverence. On the day the cat died, the pharaohs went into seventy days of mourning. Why did the Egyptians fall in love with cats? There are several versions.

Excellent rodent fighter

The most basic and widespread food product in Ancient Egypt were various cereal crops(barley, wheat). Rodents were a real disaster for people. Even a small population of mice could destroy all a family's grain reserves, thereby dooming the family to starvation. The Egyptians needed to preserve their crops, and cats could be good protectors. There could also be cats good hunters, catch not only rodents, but also birds, which also caused great damage to crops.

Features of the religion of Ancient Egypt

Initially, before the formation of religion with the Pantheon of Gods, there was a Cult of Animals in Egypt. People worshiped various animals and revered them for their power and strength. The Egyptians simply adored cats. They worshiped this animal so much that they practically made them gods. The cat's glowing eyes in the dark made the ancient Egyptians feel trembling fear. The ability of a cat to appear silently and disappear just as silently evoked respect mixed with horror, attributing it to magical properties available only to the Gods. The Egyptians admired these soft and furry creatures. There is evidence in historical literature that when a Roman cart driver accidentally ran over a sacred animal, he was immediately killed by an angry crowd that attacked him. If in Egypt a cat was killed by someone, it was considered a terrible crime and was punishable by death. Also, on pain of death, the export of cats from the country was prohibited.

goddess Bastet

It was in Egypt that cats were given various gifts. There are many examples of this: the god Ra was depicted as a red cat. Lady of the home, female beauty and fertility goddess Bastet (Bast) was depicted as a woman with the face of a cat. In honor of this goddess, temples were built and annual holidays were held, and the priests made sacrifices to both the goddess Bastet and the cats that lived at the temples. The cat was loved for its cleanliness and immense care for its offspring. And these properties were also attributed to the goddess Bastet.

If there was a fire in the house, people would rush into the fire to make sure that there were no cats left there. Dead cats were mummified and buried with special honors, and the family shaved off their eyebrows as a sign of grief. The cult of Bastet was officially banned by Pharaonic decree in 390 AD. Thus, religious interest in cats began to wane in Egypt, and although they remained as pets, they were no longer objects of worship in temples.

Love played a cruel joke

But such a great love for cats once turned out to be a different side for the Egyptians. In 525 BC. Egypt was attacked by the Persians. Persian king, Cambyses II, decided on an insidious, vile cunning. Using knowledge of the great love and religiosity of the Egyptians for cats, he ordered his warriors to attach cats to their shields. Thus, the Egyptians faced a difficult choice - break the law and kill the sacred animal or surrender with virtually no fight. In the end, we chose the second one. Thus, Cambyses II, thanks to his sophisticated cruelty and knowledge of the laws of another country, was able to conquer Egypt.

Only wealthy people could keep a cat in their home, since the cat required special care, which was not very cheap. Cats didn't just eat mice. The cats were given the best pieces of meat or fish.

Cats in Egypt today

Cats and people have lived together for more than 6,000 years. Despite this, unlike other domestic animals (cows, horses, dogs), the cat managed to maintain its primitive independence and free character. Today, in Egypt, the cat is as common a pet as in many other countries. Some people are avid cat lovers, while others can’t stand these fluffy creatures. But, nevertheless, living under one roof for such a long time could not help but leave its mark on the behavior of both people and cats. As before, they try not to offend cats (so as not to incur the wrath of the Gods). Man constantly uses cat motifs in his creativity, be it fine art, sculpture or cinema. Love and respect for cats seems to be already in the Egyptians' genes.

The Sphynx is Egypt's most famous cat

The Sphinx is a mythical creature with the body of a lion (a member of the cat family) and the head of a man, falcon or ram. The word itself is of Greek origin and is translated as “strangler.” The ancient Egyptian name of this creature could not be established. Such statues personified the pharaoh defeating his enemies. The statue of sphinxes was installed in temples and near burial vaults. The most famous Great Sphinx - one of the oldest sculptures on Earth - is located in Giza, on the west bank of the Nile, near the Pyramid of Cheops.

Currently, there is also a breed of Sphynx cats, which in turn is divided into:

– Canadian Sphynx;

– St. Petersburg Sphynx or Peterbald.

According to most scientists and according to documents that have survived to this day, cats occupied a special, honorable place in the history of Egypt. It was the Egyptians who were the first to tame this proud and independent animal, domesticating it. Many researchers are generally inclined to believe that the very history of the emergence of domestic cats is inextricably linked with the history of Egypt.

The official position of scientists is that it was on the territory of this country that the crossing of a wild Euro-African cat with a jungle cat took place, which was the impetus for the emergence of domestic cat breeds that are familiar to us in modern times. Archaeologists unanimously claim that the very first images of cats date back to approximately two thousand BC!

Why did the Egyptians take such a liking to cats?

There are several possible answers to this question. Firstly, we should not forget that Egypt has always been considered an agricultural country, for which rodents were a real disaster. Saving the crop from these small pests became practically a matter of national importance. Preserving grain reserves during periods of Nile flood meant that the population would not starve. That is why nature itself pushed graceful cat to the Egyptians, who admired her dexterity and hunting skills. In addition, many Egyptians have significantly succeeded in such a difficult task as training cats. It turned out that these smart animals obey commands perfectly and can easily hunt all kinds of game birds and small rodents.

However, if the Egyptians had simply kept cats in economic purposes, it is unlikely that they would have become such a bright event in their lives and almost certainly would not have become part of the history of the country. But the Egyptians not only adored cats, they began to worship this animal, elevating it to the same level as divine beings, practically making them gods. To confirm this, we can mention the fact that taking a cat out of Egypt (and this was regarded as stealing a cat from the pharaoh) was considered the most terrible crime and was punishable by death.

The cult of cat worship reached its peak in 1813 BC. It was at this time that the temple of the goddess Bast, traditionally depicted as a woman with the head of a cat, was erected in the Nile River Delta. This place has become a center of pilgrimage for Egyptians from all over the country. The goddess was presented with specially created small figurines of cats, made of ceramics and cast in bronze. Not far from the temple there was a necropolis where dead cats were embalmed and buried in special sarcophagi.

However, such a great love for cats once cost the Egyptians very dearly. In 525 BC, Egypt was attacked by the Persians. Their king, Cambyses the Second, resorted to insidious meanness. Knowing about incredible love and about the Egyptians' feelings of holiness towards cats, he ordered his soldiers to tie cats to their shields. Thus, the Egyptians simply had no choice - they could not shoot at the sacred animal and were forced to open the gates and surrender almost without a fight. Thus, Cambyses was able to conquer Egypt with his sophisticated cruelty.

Images of cats are found on almost all papyri and tomb walls. Archaeologists to this day find figurines of cats made from a wide variety of materials - ivory, stone, clay and many others. It was customary for Egyptian girls to wear special amulets with inscriptions of cats, which symbolized fertility. They prayed to cats for children, so the number of kittens on amulets meant the number of children that the family would like to have.

The attitude towards cats today in Egypt is similar to the attitude towards them in any other country: some people can’t stand them, while others simply adore them. But centuries-old worship of these graceful animals could not help but leave its mark - they try not to offend cats, and to this day cats are enthusiastically depicted in paintings, films are made about them, and they are mentioned in everyday conversations. Love and reverence for cats is, perhaps, inherent in the Egyptians at the genetic level.