Sekhmet is one of the lesser-known Egyptian cat goddesses, especially compared to the goddess Bastet. They’re also very loyal, the same way Bastet is to Ra. Their sleek, stately appearance makes them regal enough to represent a god and receive worship like Bastet. Despite being a domestic cat breed, they’re pretty close in their lineage to their wild ancestors they have big pointed ears and long, lithe bodies that look a lot like the statues of cats dedicated to Bastet. At night, when Ra was resting, Bastet would morph into her cat form and protect her father from his greatest enemy, Apep the serpent.īastet was usually seen carrying a sistrum - an ancient instrument that was like a drum - in her right hand and an aegis, a breastplate, in her left.īastet’s modern cousin would be the Serengeti cat - Serengetis. In myths, it’s said she would ride through the sky with her father Ra - the sun god - protecting him as he flew from one horizon to the other. READ MORE: Ancient Egyptian Weapons: Spears, Bows, Axes, and More!Īlthough we see the goddess Bastet as the Egyptian cat god, as a deity she was the goddess of protection, pleasure, and good health. Well, more of an air of authority and disdain than a typical cat. She’d look like any other house cat, although she’d probably have an air of authority and disdain. Her physical, earthly form, is entirely feline. You’ve likely seen images of her in her most common form, with the head of a cat and the body of a woman. Realm: Goddess of protection, pleasure, and good healthīastet, a prominent cat goddess from Ancient Egypt, is probably the most famous of all the cat gods. Religion/Culture: Ancient Egyptian Mythology READ MORE: Ancient Egypt Timeline: Predynastic Period Until the Persian Conquest Bastet A representation of goddess Bastet with the head of a cat But to understand how important they were to your average Egyptian, let’s meet their cat gods. Did Ancient Civilizations in North America Have Cat Gods?Ĭat Gods of Ancient Egypt Egyptian cat deities – Bastet catsīetween its pyramids and hieroglyphics, the Ancient Egyptian civilization that existed for thousands of years before Rome has given us many memorable Egyptian cat gods and goddesses.Ĭats in Egypt held special importance to the people, as they still do today in most cultures - just think of how people react when they see a black cat on the street.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |