Why cats were sacred in Egypt?
In ancient Egypt, cats were greatly respected. It was believed that cats had magical power & they could bring good luck to the people who housed them. Thus, cats were thought to be the most special.
Why were cats mummified in ancient Egypt?
According to researchers, the reasons behind mummifying animals such as cats, dogs etc. in ancient Egypt may have been various. Sometimes pet animals were mummified & buried along with its owners’ mummies. On the other hand, some animals were mummified because of their special importance; for example, cat.
Egyptian cat god
Bastet was believed to be the goddess of protection & cats. As the daughter of the sun god, Ra, she was worshipped as a protector from evil spirits & diseases. Her main cult center was the city of Bubastis.
Discovery of a tomb in Saqqara necropolis
During the first half of the month of November 2018, a team of archaeologists discovered a very interesting tomb in the Saqqara necropolis near Cairo, the capital of modern-day Egypt. Saqqara necropolis was used by the people of the ancient city of Memphis.
What does the tomb reveal?
The newly discovered tomb revealed dozens of mummified cats. Apart from this, a bronze statue of Bastet, the goddess of cats & 100 gilded wooden cat statues were also recovered from the tomb. According to the Ministry of Antiquities, Egypt this tomb dated back to at least 4500 years old & belongs to the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom.
Along with the cats, archaeologists discovered gilded statues depicting a lion, a cow & a falcon; wooden snakes & crocodiles & a number of mummified scarab beetles. Two large scarabs have been found in good condition, wrapped in linen inside a limestone sarcophagus with a vaulted & decorated lid.
The significance of the discovery
According to archaeologist Salima Ikram of the American University in Cairo, a leading scholar in the field of aminal mummy, in ancient Egypt, animal mummification was equivalent of lighting a candle in church to ask for a blessing.
Ancient Egyptians buried animals in tombs to act as offerings to a particular deity, to provide food in afterlife etc. This discovery will throw light on the animal mortuary practices in ancient Egypt.
Last year archaeologists also found mummified cats & crocodiles at the site of Gebel-el-Silsila. This site is located on the bank of the Nile & about 65 km north of Aswan.
