Cats In Ancient Egypt
Cats have provoked admiration, mystery and intrigue in human beings since time immemorial. Dating back to the time before Christ, specifically about 3,600 years, cats in Ancient Egypt had a special relevance. At that time, the four pets were only four: the cat or miu , the dog, tysem or iu , the baboon or ian and the monkey or ky .
Characteristics of cats in Ancient Egypt
Different experts believe that the breed of cat domesticated by the Egyptians was a spotted subspecies of the African wild cat, Felis silvestris lybica . It appears that Egyptian representations show cats similar to the Egyptian mau breed. And, interestingly, the word ‘ mau ‘ means ‘cat’ in Egyptian.
This breed has an ‘M’ feature on the forehead and is the only one with natural markings. They are characterized by the great fidelity shown to both their human and cat families, their melodious meowing and the incessant movement of their tail.
The cat participated in many aspects of life in Egypt. Among them were the religion, mythology and daily life of the Egyptians. In all of them, cats were “worshiped as deities, loved as pets, protected by law, mummified and missed after their death,” according to UBER Magazine in October 2009.
Way of life of cats in Ancient Egypt
The cat is domesticated and enters the life of the Egyptians in the Middle Kingdom. The Middle Kingdom is the most prosperous time of Ancient Egypt, in which pharaohs such as Amenhotep III (~ 1390 – 1353 BC) stand out. Pharaoh Amenotep III had a beautifully decorated sarcophagus built for his cat Tamit, whose name means ‘cat’.
Cats fulfilled different duties, such as keeping pests under control, which proliferated near the houses. The plagues were caused mainly by rats, but also by other animals such as scorpions or snakes.
Other tasks also consisted of helping to hunt their owners. They scared away the birds, which took flight to facilitate the hunting work. Their work was so important that they became the favorite pet of royalty.
In everyday Egyptian life
Cats acquired an important role in the different branches of Egyptian culture such as religion or mythology. For example, the goddess Bast, Bastet or Ubastet represented the protection of man like a cat with her young.
His best known representation is the one in which his body is that of a human woman, but with the head of a cat. The goddess Bast was the mother of Nefer-Tmu. While the mother represented the gentle and comforting warmth of the sun, the daughter personifies the sun itself and its warmth.
Cats were the sacred creature associated with the goddess Bastet. In the temples of this goddess, cats were raised and protected. However, usually, they were sacrificed and mummified when they were 10 months old as offerings by pilgrims or other individuals.
Curiosities
In Ancient Egypt a series of events occurred that were curious. Among those facts, the following stand out:
- When the pet died, the owners expressed their pain and grief by shaving a part of the body. If the deceased pet was a cat, the owner would pluck his eyebrows. On the contrary, if the pet was a dog, the owner would shave his entire body.
- The wealthier classes sometimes paid for embalming their pets.
- The Egyptians prohibited the export of cats outside the kingdom. Even so, around 2,500 years ago BC, cats had arrived in Greece.
- Cats have been part of numerous stories, legends, and literary novels.
- In a legend, the cat is represented as a divinity, as the god of the sun. This cat-god is standing in a heavenly tree and is chopping a snake. Not enough is known to deduce which god the cat represents, so different options are being considered.
- One study suggested that Middle Eastern European populations lived with cats. A double grave, of a human and a cat, was found buried on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus 9500 years ago.
Since they began to be a part of human life, cats have generated mixed feelings. His independence can simulate indifference, just as his stealthy yet elegant gait can cause concern by not knowing when he is approaching. However, their transparent gaze, their cuddly purr and the elegance they convey are appreciated qualities.
