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Cats are central to many religions and the Egyptian culture, so the fact that Bastet, the cat headed Goddess, was highly revered until the coming of Christianity and Muslims to Egypt should not be surprising. When we look at the many shapes she takes, we can see why the Egyptians would want a goddess who eliminated snakes and rodents in granaries and homes.
Bastet, the Egyptian cat headed goddess, was also called Bast or Ubasti. Her center of worship was Bubastis, although traces of her cult can be seen as far away as Rome. The goddess of love, her image changed as cats were domesticated. The original was probably a lioness; this image changed as smaller cats became increasingly domesticated. At her temple in Bubastis, thousands of small statues believed to represent her were found. Although occasionally portrayed as a leopard or lioness she was usually portrayed as a cat headed woman, with lithe grace. The statues mainly show her with the head of a cat, and the body of a young woman. Her clothing is ornate as she is portrayed with a small bag or basket over one arm and a musical instrument called a sistrum in the other. Bastet had a lion headed breastplate. She loved dance and music; she was also bountiful and generous. The basket representing a bountiful harvest. Because Bastet was a well-loved goddess cats were revered in her name. Traces of catteries that housed thousands of cats are located at her main temples. Either the small bronze statues of Bastet that were tokens of good luck, or favor by Bastet were left as votive offerings, the source of the thousands of small statues found near her temples.
Household cats were routinely rescued before family members in cases of fire showing how well loved they were. Anyone convicted of killing or harming a cat received the death penalty. There is a myth, that before Rome and Egypt united an uneducated Roman accidentally killed a cat. The Roman, fearing for his life, locked himself in his house, while a mob of Egyptians outside called for his blood. When magistrates, dispatched by the Pharaoh to settle the incident arrived all was quite in the Romans house, upon entering the magistrates found the Roman dead, with claw marks on him. Did Bastet visit to execute her revenge? As the goddess of love, happiness, and joy, Bastet saved the sun god Ra from the serpent of chaos every night. Many of Bastet's traits are seen in cats to this day. Killing snakes and rodents, playful and ever watchful cats of today remind us to respect the presence of Bastet in history. Bastet is one of the few deities who were friendly to humankind. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Bastet, the Cat Headed Goddess of Egypt in Gods & Goddesses is owned by . Permission to republish Bastet, the Cat Headed Goddess of Egypt in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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