ANTH 260 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Nonverbal Communication, Fertility Rite, Rodent
1 Jun 2018
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Tuesday, May 29, 2018 Lecture Notes
Cats
• Egyptians and Animals
o The relationship between people and cats is not accidental and Egyptian behaviors
likely led to increased domestication.
o Egyptians were generally obsessed with animals- pet monkeys, baboons, hyaenas,
mongooses, crocodiles, lions, large ungulates.
o Animals were earthly representations of gods and goddesses and were well fed
and cared for by priests.
o Cats have an added bonus in catching rodents.
• Animal Mummies
o Animals and humans were part of the same creation event. Gods could be in
animal or human form.
o Many animals were mummified because they were living images of a god.
o Later on (New Kingdom and later), animals were raised in temples, and then
killed and mummified.
o Some animals were not mummified because they were associated with malevolent
gods like Seth- donkeys, hippopotami, and pigs.
• Cat Imagery in Egypt
o Animal gods in Egypt may have arisen as tribal emblems or totems during pre-
dynastic times.
o Cats are complicated- Male cats are associated with Ra, the sun god
o Female cats are associated with mother goddess (Isis), and the Cat god Bastet
(daughter of Isis) was a feminine symbol of fertility, fecundity, and motherhood.
o Isis and Bastet are associated with the moon- the earths fertility related to lunar
cycles (symbolically menstrual cycles). Cats are partly nocturnal and have a
reputation for fertility. Also, the beliefs regarding cat eyes.
• Bastet
o Bastet was worshipped in early Egypt, but her cult achieved prominence with the
22nd dynasty (950 BC) with the Pharaoh Sheshonk, a military leader.
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