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(#14) Ra Once Took The Form Of A Cat
Yet another Egyptian deity is linked to cats - in the Book of the Dead, an ancient Egyptian text, Ra, the Egyptian sun god, takes on the form of a cat called Mau in order to defeat the serpent Apep. -
(#4) There Was An Annual Cat Festival In Ancient Egypt
This festival centered around the temple of Bast in the city of Bubastis, reportedly one of the most magnificent temples ever erected in ancient Egypt. People traveled from all over Egypt for the festival, which was a joyous celebration of Bast. They gathered to worship, sing, dance, and drink together. -
(#2) Persians Once Used Cats To Make The Egyptian Army Surrender
Cats were so highly revered by the Egyptians that the Persians took advantage of this. According to Ancient History Encyclopedia, "The greatest example of Egyptian devotion to the cat, however, comes from the Battle of Pelusium (525 BCE) in which Cambyses II of Persia defeated the forces of the Egyptian Pharaoh Psametik III to conquer Egypt."
Cambyses ordered his men to capture a bunch of cats and release them on the battlefield outside Pelusium; rather than risk harming the sacred cats, the Egyptians quickly surrendered to the Persian army. -
(#16) The Egyptian Army Took Back Stolen Cats
Court records from around 450 BCE indicate that it was illegal to export cats to neighboring countries, making cat smuggling a thriving (yet risky!) trade. Egyptian court records also indicate that small armies were sent out to retrieve stolen or smuggled cats.
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(#18) Egyptians Draped Their Cats In Jewels
Cats were seen as valued demi-gods who protected the family and were a living representation of the goddess Bast, so they were afforded luxuries whenever possible. The higher the status, the bigger the jeweled collar. -
(#9) A Chinese Cat God Protected Crops
Li Shou protected crops from being eaten by mice and rats, not unlike his cat counterparts who were so revered in Egypt. There's even a fun Chinese myth about how Li Shou was originally given responsibility for world affairs but just wanted to nap, so the task was turned over to humans instead.
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About This Tool
In ancient civilizations, the history of cat worship in ancient Egypt is the most noticeable. In Egyptian mythology, the sun god was once incarnate as a cat, so people regard cats as the incarnation of the gods. The Sphinx is the best proof. With the popularity of domestic cats in Egypt, the image of cats has gradually changed from the god of war to the patron saint, and the cat still has the symbolic meaning of the defender of the pharaoh.
Numerous historical sites and documents have recorded the fact that the ancient Egyptian people worshiped cats. The random tool displays 20 historical relics that reflect some odd things about cat worship.
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