In fact, mummified cats are sometimes found buried with, or close to, their owners. Some tomb scenes show cats sitting below their owner’s chair, giving the sense that at some time they were seen as beloved family pets. In this blog, we take a closer look at some of the most sacred animals of ancient Egypt.Ĭats are depicted in tomb scenes as early as the Old Kingdom (over 4600 years ago) and it is in this context that we first see their domestication. The crocodile was said to be the god of water and could act as a symbol of pharaonic power and strength, whereas the ibis was believed to be the patron of writing and scribes. Other animals that were feared by ancient Egyptians, such as crocodiles and hippopotami, were revered and worshipped in order to protect them from their wrath. Large cats such as cheetahs and lions were kept as exotic pets and were emblems of royalty. The most well-known of these is probably the cat, which has its domestic origins in ancient Egypt. Therefore, displaying their deities in the forms of animals, with particular characteristics, demonstrated what they believed about each god or goddess's nature.Ī whole host of animals played important roles. These included strength, the ability to ward off predators, protective nature, nurturing characteristics and connections to rebirth. Whether as deities, pets, symbols of fertility, or objects of fear, protection and luck, animals played a significant role in both royal and non-royal life in ancient Egypt, featuring heavily in everyday secular and religious activities.Īnimals often had attractive qualities that the ancient Egyptians perhaps admired and wanted to emulate. Discover how animals were worshipped in ancient Egypt as gods and goddesses, their sacred meanings, and why these creatures were revered so highly by the Egyptian people.
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