While browsing Herodotus’s fascinating Histories, which check out the cultures of the ancient world, you might stumble upon a curious grieving routine. While talking about the veneration of animals by the ancient Egyptians, the Greek historian Herodotus declared that when a cat passed away, all members of that household would slash off their eyebrows as a noticeable indication of regard and sorrow.
But this wasn’t simply an indication that Egyptians actually liked their family pets. Within their worldview, animals were viewed as spiritual, playing an essential function in everyday life and spiritual praise. Many were connected with specific gods with whom they shared attributes.
Cats were especially popular. Even the English word “cat” is originated from the North African term quattah. From statues to burial place paintings, cats were illustrated in a myriad of things which attest to their viewed protective and spiritual qualities. There are even accounts that cats owned by royalty were embellished with glamorous gold precious jewelry.
But ancient Egyptians didn’t praise cats , per se . “What they did is to observe their behavior,” explained Antonietta Catanzariti, manager of Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt , in NPR. By observing their attributes, such as their accuracy, hostility, or supporting nature, the ancient Egyptians produced gods in their image. This relationship has actually been referred to as comparable to that of the cow within modern-day India.
A priestess uses presents of food and milk to the spirit of a cat. “The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat” by John Reinhard Weguelin. ( Public domain )
Archaeologists think that cats were very first domesticated as effective insect control versus vermin and harmful snakes. As cats ended up being more domestic, the appeal of Bastet—the ancient Egyptian cat-headed goddess of home, fertility and defense utilized to bring in best of luck and fend off fiends —increased greatly. Keeping cats as family pets was imbued with the very same qualities. Bastet quickly influenced the so-called Cult of the Cat focused around Bubastis.
Ancient Egyptians enjoyed cats a lot that they would mummify and bury them in fancy routines. They were typically interred with their people, so regarding join them in the afterlife. Paradoxically, cats were likewise thought about appropriate sacrifices for the gods.
These customizeds stimulated a prospering economy, where countless cat mummies were produced by breeding and embalming cats to produce votive offerings. National Museums Liverpool reported that in 1890 over 180,000 mummified cats were delivered over to Liverpool. In an act of cultural genocide, they were then offered to be utilized as fertilizer.
In this cultural context, making sure the well-being of cats was vital to sustain the god’s favor. “If a house catches fire, what happens to the cats is quite extraordinary,” composed Herodotus. “The Egyptians do not bother to try to put the fire out, but position themselves at intervals around the house and look out for the cats.” Considering the dominating cultural standards, slashing off eyebrows after the death of a revered household cat was a suitable expression of regard needed to make sure Bastet’s continued defense.
Top image: Representational picture of a cat in front of the Egyptian pyramids. Source: Matheus / Adobe Stock
By Cecilia Bogaard
