Bastet - Egyptian Mythology for Smart People Egyptian Mythology for Smart People Bastet Vector image of Bastet by Jeff Dahl Bastet was an ancient Egyptian lioness or cat goddess who had both a gentle, nurturing side and a ferocious, terrifying side. In her oldest form, Bastet was almost invariably depicted as a lioness or a woman with the head of a lioness. Fittingly for a goddess represented in the form of such a fearsome predator, this early version of Bastet had a penchant for slaughter and carnage, much like the similar leonine goddess Sekhmet .[1] Even at that stage, however, Bastet also had a more motherly, protective aspect as well, as a mother lion would in relation to her pride and especially her cubs. Like many ancient Egyptian goddesses, she nursed the pharaoh while he was a child and defended him against his enemies throughout his life. When someone died and had to traverse the perilous paths that led to the court of Osiris in the underworld, Bastet helped to guide them.

She was also something of a symbol for motherhood as such, and watched over pregnant women.[2] These two sides of Bastet’s character were combined in her protection of those she loved, including the pharaoh, pious commoners, and Ra , the sun god (whose daughter she was said to be). Bastet was often listed amongst the members of the entourage who accompanied Ra on the ship on which he sailed through the sky every day and through the underworld every night.[3] Over time, Bastet developed into a cat goddess or cat-headed goddess, and the gentler aspects of her personality came more to the fore. By the sixteenth century BC, her cat form had all but completely replaced her lioness form.[4] Even with this decidedly milder temperament, the ferocious aspects of Bastet’s character remained, although apparently almost exclusively as an extension of her protective roles.

For example, in her cat form, she was portrayed decapitating the chaos monster Apophis in defense of Ra’s solar ship.[5] Bastet was quite an important goddess from the outset, and her popularity only grew over time.[6] One can imagine that this was both a cause and an effect of her disposition becoming steadily more pleasant and agreeable. Bastet’s main cult center was the city of Bubastis or Tell Basta in the eastern Nile Delta. The Greek historian Herodotus described her temple as being particularly magnificent, and her festivals as being particularly large, elaborate, and hedonistic.

Mummified cats were buried in her honor at the main sites of her worship and throughout all of Egypt.[7] Her protective role seems to have been especially invoked around the time of the New Year, as amulets with pictures of cats and kittens were given as gifts to help the recipient through the “Demon Days” of the end of the year, which, as the name implies, were thought to be times when malevolent forces held more sway over the world than usual.[8] If you’d like to learn more about Bastet, as well as ancient Egyptian mythology and religion more broadly, I recommend picking up one or more of the books on this list: The 10 Best Egyptian Mythology Books . References: [1] Wilkinson, Richard H. 2003. The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Ch. 5. [2] Ibid. Ancient Egyptian Gods for Kids There were over 2,000 names of gods in Ancient Egypt. Some images of Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses show them with a human body and the head of a bird or an animal. Animals were chosen to represent the powers of the god. Bastet was the Goddess of Protection of joy, love, pleasure and pregnant woman.

In Egyptian mythology, the sacred cat is the animal incarnation of the goddess Bast or Bastet. She was the protector of women and childbirth, as well as a loving goddess who enjoyed music and dance. Find out more Anubis the God of Mummification He guided the dead to the next life via the court of Osiris in the Underworld. He was the one who looked after the mummification process. Find out more Ra the God of the Sun. Ra was the most important God. He was the lord of all the gods. He was usually shown in human form with a falcon head, crowned with the sun disc encircled by the a sacred cobra. Ra sailed across the heavens in a boat called the 'Barque of Millions of Years'. At the end of each day Ra was thought to die and sailed on his night voyage through the Underworld, leaving the Moon to light the world above. Find out more Bastet Bastet Name: Bastet, Bast, Baast, Ubaste Features: A human female body with the head of a lioness or a cat Source: Egyptian Mythology Habitat: Egypt Bast was the daughter of the Egyptian deities Ra and Isis.

She was first depicted as a fierce lioness or sometimes as a woman with only the head of a lioness. Later on in history, she is described as having the body of a human female with the head of a domesticated cat. Her siblings included Sekhmet , Ammut & Horus. Her sister Sekhmet had a human female body with the head of a tiger. She was very powerful & destructive and often used as weapon of war. She became more dominant in the lioness deity war against her sister Bastet. The title Bastet defines this mythical hybrid creature as the goddess of protection against evil spirits and contagious diseases. She was also referred to as the Eye of Ra & Lady of Flame. As domesticated cats became more popular in ancient Egypt, Bast came to be more familiarly known as the deity with the head of a cat. In ancient Egypt, cats were held on a pedestal because of their ability to combat vermin such as rats, mice & snakes. Baast also goes down in history as fighting the evil Egyptian snake referred to as Apep. In these ancient times, pet cats of royalty were often adorned with golden jewellery and allowed to feast on their owners plates.

Their remains are sometimes found alongside their mummified owners in ancient Egyptian tombs like the ones found in the temple of Per-Bast. Herodotus visited Budastis around 450BC and uncovered a cult, which he wrote about that suggested the domesticated cat being highly regarded upon & part of extensive burials among those how resided there. Statues of the Gayer-Anderson cat, an ancient Egyptian statue made of bronze was created & believed to be a representation of Bast. The statue of the cat wears jewellery & a protective wedjat amulet. The fact that domesticated cats tend to be caring and very protective of their offspring – women of this time who wanted children would wear amulets with the goddess Baast along with kittens to show interest & knowledge of good motherhood. The number of kittens displayed would indicate the number of children desired. Bast also gradually became regarded as the goddess of scents & perfumes around the same time as Anubis became known as the god of embalming. She also became to be regarded as his wife.

bastet - IN GAMING GAME – SMITE Producers – HI-REZ STUDIOS In this game, this daughter of Ra loves life and also has a fierce set of claws. These are the various skills she can use in the game. Open wound – She can hit the enemy with Pounce, Declaw or Razor Whip that can all wound the enemy for a short time. Pounce – She can quickly pounce to the enemy target location. Razor Whip – Swipes that cause the enemy to bleed for damage. Cat Call – She can summon 3 others cats to help her attack. They especially love to go after any surrounding & bleeding enemy targets. We now dare you to watch this crazy cat lady in action. This entertaining video gameplay was provided by iGamrGeektv . Enjoy! New! Comments Did you like this page? Do you have something to share about what you just read? Please share your comments with us in the box below. Ancient Egyptian Gods: Bast (Bastet) Ancient Egyptian Gods: Bast Bast (known as "Bastet" in later times to emphasise that the "t" was to be pronounced) was one of the most popular goddesses of ancient Egypt.

She is generally thought of as a cat goddess. However, she originally had the head of a lion or a desert sand-cat and it was not until the New Kingdom that she became exclusively associated with the domesticated cat. However, even then she remained true to her origins and retained her war-like aspect. She personified the playfulness, grace, affection, and cunning of a cat as well as the fierce power of a lioness. She was also worshiped all over Lower Egypt , but her cult was centred on her temple at Bubastis in the eighteenth nome of Lower Egypt (which is now in ruins). Bubastis was the capital of ancient Egypt for a time during the Late Period , and a number of pharaohs included the goddess in their throne names. Her name could be translated as "Devouring Lady". However, the phonetic elements "bas" are written with an oil jar (the "t" is the feminine ending) which is not used when writing the word "devour". The oil jar gives an association with perfume which is strengthened by the fact that she was thought to be the mother of Nefertum (who was a god of perfume).

Thus her name implies that she is sweet and precious, but that under the surface lay the heart of a predator. Bast was depicted as a cat, or as a woman with the head of a cat, a sand cat or a lion. She is often shown holding the ankh (representing the breath of life) or the papyrus wand (representing Lower Egypt). She occasionally bears a was-scepter (signifying strength) and is often accompanied by a litter of kittens. Cats were sacred to Bast, and to harm one was considered to be a crime against her and so very unlucky. Her priests kept sacred cats in her temple, which were considered to be incarnations of the goddess. When they died they were mummified and could be presented to the goddess as an offering. The ancient Egyptians placed great value on cats because they protected the crops and slowed the spread of disease by killing vermin. As a result, Bast was seen as a protective goddess. Evidence from tomb paintings suggests that the Egyptians hunted with their cats (who were apparently trained to retrieve prey) and also kept them as loved pets. Thus it is perhaps unsurprising that Bast was so popular.

During the Old Kingdom she was considered to be the daughter of Atum in Heliopolis (because of her association with Tefnut ), however, she was generally thought to be the daughter of Ra (or later Amun ). She (like Sekhmet ) was also the wife of Ptah and mother of Nefertum and the lion-god Maahes (Mihos) (who may have been an aspect of Nefertum). As the daughter of Ra she was one of the goddesses known as the "Eye of Ra" , a fierce protector who almost destroyed mankind but was tricked with blood-coloured beer which put her to sleep and gave her a hangover, stopping the carnage. As a result, she is linked to the other goddesses who were known as the "eye of Ra", most notably Sekhmet, Hathor , Tefnut , Nut , Wadjet and Mut . Her link with Sekhmet was the closest.

Not only did both goddesses take the form of a lioness, they were both considered to be the spouse of Ptah and the mother of Nefertum and during the feast of Hathor (celebrating man's deliverance from the wrathful "Eye of Ra") an image of Sekhmet represented Upper Egypt while an image of Bast represented Lower Egypt . She was very closely linked to Hathor. She was often depicted holding a sistrum (the sacred rattle of Hathor) and Denderah (the home of the cult centre of Hathor in the sixth nome of Upper Egypt) was sometimes known as the "Southern Bubastis". This association was clearly ancient as the two appear together in the valley temple of Khafre at Giza . Hathor represents Upper Egypt and Bast represents Lower Egypt. One of her epithets was "lady of Asheru". Asheru was the name of the sacred lake in the temple of Mut at Karnak, and Bast was given the epithet because of her connection with Mut, who occasionally took the form of a cat or a lion. Within Mut's temple there are a number of depictions of the pharaoh celebrating a ritual race in the company of Bast.

In this temple Bast is given the epithet "Sekhet-neter" - the "Divine Field" (Egypt). She was also associated with the lion-headed goddess Pakhet of Speos Artemidos (cave of Artemis) near Beni Hassan. The cave was given the name because Bast (and her aspect Pakhet) was identified by the Greeks with Artemis, the hunter. However, the two goddesses were not that similar as Artemis was celibate while Bast was associated with fun and sexuality. However, the connection with Tefnut and Bast's potentially warlike aspect probably contributed to this apparently strange connection. After all, even the smallest house cat is a skilled hunter. The Greeks thought that Bast should have a twin brother, as Artemis had her brother Apollo. They linked Apollo with Heru-sa-Aset ( Horus son of Isis ), so Bast's name was tinkered with to mean "soul of Isis " (ba-Aset) changing her into a form of this popular goddess. They also decided that Bast was a moon goddess, although she was originally considered to be the daughter of Ra and the "Eye of Ra".

copyright J Hill 2010 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses : Amun, Anubis, Bastet, Bes, Geb, Hapi | Nekhebet Egyptian Gods and Goddesses Amun - King of the Gods Other names : Amen, Ammon, Amon, Amoun Amun, whose name means "Hidden", was originally worshipped locally in Thebes. When Thebes conquered neighboring states, Amun grew to become a national deity throughout Egypt. Among the Egyptian gods and goddesses, Amun is considered the most important. He was a creator god, and generations of pharaohs adopted him as their patron deity. His name even appears in the names of pharaohs, such as Tutankhamun. As Amun's importance grew, he was declared to be King of the Gods, and many temples were built in his name in places such as Karnak and Luxor. At one point, he was also combined with the sun god Ra to form Amun-Ra, the almighty god of the sun and creation. Anubis - God of the Dead Other names : Anpu The Egyptian god Anubis is most often represented as a man with the head of a jackal.

He presides over all things to do with death and dying. He is said to be the one who embalmed Osiris , the first mummy. His work is said to be the basis of the Egyptian mummification process . As an early Egyptian god, Anubis was worshipped as the God of the Dead. However, as the number of Egyptian gods and goddesses grew, Osiris later took over this role. Since then, Anubis is considered the god of embalming and mummification. The main role of Anubis is during the Final Judgment , when a person dies. He guides the deceased to the Scales of Ma'at . There, Anubis oversees the weighing of the person's heart against the feather of Ma'at. Bastet - Goddess of the Home Other names : Bast, Ubaste The Egyptian goddess Bastet, daughter of Ra , was among the more popular of the ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses. She had a huge cult following in the city of Bubastis in the Nile delta. In ancient times, the goddess Bastet was depicted as a lioness. She was associated with related attributes, such as vengeance, ferocity and war.

Later on, Bastet bore the likeness of the domesticated cat, and took on more docile characteristics. She became the goddess of the home and represented more friendly attributes such as music and dancing. As such a popular Egyptian goddess, Bastet and her symbol - the domesticated cat - were considered sacred. Cats were treated as holy creatures, and were even mummified when they died. Bes - God of Protection Other names : Bis, Bisu Bes was a unique god. Unlike the other Egyptian gods and goddesses, who were depicted in noble positions and likenesses, Bes was usually pictured to be a dwarf with a large head, stumpy legs and a generally ugly look. Bes was also unique in the sense that he was not a local deity like the other Egyptian gods and goddesses, but was likely imported from central Africa. Like the goddess Bastet, Bes was also the patron god of music and dancing, and was associated with other feminine aspects such as childbirth. Bes also had a protective aspect, and statues of him could be seen in homes, guarding the family against evil spirits and animals. Want to know more about Egyptian gods?

Try this book from Amazon: Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt This book provides a timeline covering the seven stages in the mythical history of Egypt and outlining the major events of each stage. An A to Z section covers the principal themes and concepts of Egyptian mythology as well as the most important deities, demons, and other characters. Geb - God of Earth Other names : Keb, Seb Geb was the god of earth. His parents were Shu, god of the air, and Tefnet, goddess of the rain. His sister and wife was Nut , goddess of the sky. As the god of earth, Geb represented the fertile Nile valley , and is often depicted as dark brown (the color of the flood plains), or green (the color of vegetation). It is said that his loud laughter is the cause of earthquakes. His sacred animal is the goose. Geb was one of the most ancient of the Egyptian gods and goddesses. This can be seen in the more elemental and primal attributes that he, his parents and his wife all embodied. It was he who - with Nut - sired Osiris , Isis , Set and Nephthys , the later pantheon of gods.

Hapi - God of the Nile Hapi was the ancient Egyptian god of the Nile . He was depicted as green-skinned and with a woman's breasts, representing the fertility and life-giving resources of the river. The ancient Egyptians prayed to Hapi to ensure that the annual inundations or floods would bring sufficient water to their fields, so that they would have a plentiful harvest. The Egyptians worshipped Hapi more than any other Egyptian gods and goddesses. To the Egyptians, the Nile river was of the greatest importance. Without the Nile, life would not have been sustainable. Bast the Cat Goddess Bast The Egyptian Cat Goddess Areas of Influence: Bast, the Egyptian cat Goddess had numerous areas of influence that developed over time. In the early days she was the fierce lion headed Goddess of the lower Nile who protected the Pharaoh and the sun God Ra. This is why she has the title of "Goddess of protection." In this role she became Goddess of the rising sun and holder of the utchat, the all seeing eye of Horus. Statues of this Egyptian Goddess would be placed in households to protect them from thieves. She was also known by several different names including Bastet, Basthet, Boubastis Ubasti and Pasht.

The name Pasht is the root of our word passion, linking this Goddess to physical pleasure. In the Book of the Dead she is mentioned as destroying the bodies of the deceased, with the royal flame, if they failed the judgement hall of Maat. Later the Egyptian cat Goddess was depicted with the head of a domestic cat, representing her more nurturing aspects. Woman of the time would buy amulets of this Goddess illustrated with different numbers of kittens, representing the number of children they wished to have. The links to fertility and childbirth were further strengthened by the Greeks. They likened this Goddess to Artemis and she also became associated with the moon, and children. As a cat Goddess she also protected houses from rats and snakes and so ensured the health of the occupants. The Goddess was linked to the music and dance due to the special rattle that she carried known as the Sistrum. These special rattles were used to celebrate her festivals. She was connected with perfumes as she shares a hieroglyph with that which represented the bas jar. These were ceramic vessels used to hold expensive perfumes. Perhaps this is why she was also said to give protection against contagious diseases as many of the perfume ingredients were plant materials with healing properties.

A Patron Goddess of fire fighters due to the unusual Egyptian belief that if a cat ran through a burning household she would draw the flames out behind her. Although her cult was centred in Bubastis She was worshipped throughout the whole of the lower Nile region. When her temple was excavated they found the mummified remains of over 300 000 cats. Origins and Genealogy: In common with many Egyptian Goddesses her lineage is complicated. She was the daughter of Ra and is often said to be the sister of Sekhmet. Consort: In addition to being Ra's daughter she was also his consort. Children: With Ra She had a son named Mahes (also known as Mihos) who was also a lion God. The feline Goddess was also bore another son called Nefertem. Mut later absorbed her identity together with that of Wadjet to become Mut-Wadjet-Bast before also taking over the identities of Sekhmet and Nekhebet. Strengths: Protector, sensual and caring mother figure. Weaknesses: Chameleon like and fierce when threatened. Symbolism Presented as a lion headed or cat headed woman often carrying an ankh or papyrus wand.

She is associated with the all seeing eye (the utchat) and a rattle (the sistrum). Sacred Animals: Lions and domestic cats. Sacred Plants: Catnip. Festivals: Her festival was known as the Bubastis which according to the Herodotus her festivals were licentious and popular affairs also celebrated with music, dancing, drinking. No wonder she is considered the Goddess of Pleasure. Temples: Her main cult and temple was centred around the ancient city of Bubastics where the remains of over 300 000 cats mummies were discovered. In 2010 National Geographic Magazine reported that a new temple dedicated to the Goddess had been found in Alexandria. Bast's Archetypes The Warrior: Represents physical strength, and the ability to protect and fight for your rights and those of of others. Whilst the shadow side of the Warrior reflects the need to win at all costs, abandoning ethical principals to prove your supremacy. This cat Goddess is a Warrior protecting her father and the Pharaoh. As a mother cat figure she is fierce in the protection of her young. The Lover: Represents passion and selfless devotion to another person.

It also extends to the things that make our hearts sing, like music art or nature. The shadow aspect is obsessive passion that completely takes over and negatively impacts on your health and self esteem. This Egyptian Goddess had many lovers. She is also associated the pleasures of music, dancing and perfumery. How To Work With These Archetypes The Warrior: If you are drawn to work with this stereotype you may require the Warrior spirit to help you to stand up for your rights and set firm personnal boundaries. This stereotype is helpful if you want to take control in your life, and no longer wish to play the role of the victim. You may also choose to call upon the Warrior to champion the cause of others. Conversely the Warrior may appeal to you if you have a very strong sense of self and are proud of the victories you have achieved. The shadow side of this goddess may be asking you to reflect honestly on the cost of these victories. Have they been at the expense of others or your principals? The Lover: You may be drawn to this stereotype if you are looking to attract a new lover or to re-ignite the fire in an existing relationship. The Lover can also be a useful tool to discover what you are passionate about in life.

On the shadow side you need to ask, whether the amount of energy and time you are putting into relationships, or enthusiasm for projects is excessive? If this continues for too long you are likely to suffer from stress and physical ill health. Bastet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bastet Jump to: navigation , search This article's lead section may not adequately summarize key points of its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (May 2010) File:Lioness Bast cosmetic jar 83d40m tut burial artifact.JPG Photograph of an alabaster cosmetic jar topped with a lioness, representing Bast, a burial artifact from the tomb of Tutankhamun circa 1323 BC - Cairo Museum Bastet is the name commonly used by scholars today to refer to a feline goddess of ancient Egyptian religion who was worshipped at least since the Second Dynasty . Her name is also spelled Bast, Baast, Ubasti and Baset. [1] Contents Name[ edit ] Bastet, the form of the name which is most commonly adopted by Egyptologists today, is a modern convention offering one possible reconstruction.

In early Egyptian , her name appears to have been bȝstt, where ȝ represents an aleph . [2] In Egyptian writing, the second t marks a feminine ending, but was not usually pronounced, and the aleph ȝ may have moved to a position before the accented syllable, as witnessed by the Aramaic spelling ȝbst. [2] By the first millennium, then, bȝstt would have been something like 'obest' or 'ubesti' in Egyptian speech. [2] The town of Bastet's cult (see below) was known in Greek as Boubastis (Βούβαστις). The Hebrew rendering of the name for this town is Pî-beset ("House of Bastet"), spelled without Vortonsilbe. [2] What the name of the goddess means remains uncertain. [2] One recent suggestion by Stephen Quirke (Ancient Egyptian Religion) explains it as meaning "She of the ointment jar". This ties in with the observation that her name was written with the hieroglyph "ointment jar" (bȝs) and that she was associated with protective ointments, among other things.

[2] From lion-goddess to cat-goddess[ edit ] From the third millennium BC, when Bastet begins to appear in our record, she is depicted as either a fierce lioness or a woman with the head of a lion. [3] Images of Bast were created from a local stone, named alabaster today.[ citation needed ] Originally she was viewed as the protector goddess of Lower Egypt . As protector, she was seen as defender of the pharaoh , and consequently of the later chief male deity, Ra , who was also a solar deity, gaining her the titles Lady of Flame and Eye of Ra . Her role in the pantheon became diminished as Sekhmet , a similar lioness war deity, became more dominant in the unified culture of Lower and Upper Egypt.[ citation needed ] In the first millennium BC, when domesticated cats were popularly kept as pets, Bastet began to be represented as a woman with the head of a cat and ultimately emerged as the Egyptian cat-goddess par excellence.

[3] In the Middle Kingdom , the domestic cat appeared as Bastet’s sacred animal and after the New Kingdom she was depicted as a woman with the head of a cat or a lioness, carrying a sacred rattle and a box or basket. [4] Bubastis[ edit ] She was a local deity whose cult was centred in the city of Bubastis , now Tell Basta, which lay in the Delta near what is known as Zagazig today. [3] [4] The town, known in Egyptian as pr-bȝstt (also transliterated as Per-Bast), carries her name, literally meaning "House of Bastet". It was known in Greek as Boubastis (Βούβαστις) and translated into Hebrew as Pî-beset. In the biblical Book of Ezekiel 30:17, the town appears in the Hebrew form Pibeseth.

[3] Temple[ edit ] Herodotus , a Greek historian who travelled in Egypt in the 5th century BC, describes Bastet's temple at some length: "save for the entrance, it stands on an island; two separate channels approach it from the Nile, and after coming up to the entry of the temple, they run round it on opposite sides; each of them is an hundred feet wide, and overshadowed by trees. The temple is in the midst of the city, the whole circuit of which commands a view down into it; for the city's level has been raised, but that of the temple has been left as it was from the first, so that it can be seen into from without. A stone wall, carven with figures, runs round it; within is a grove of very tall trees growing round a great shrine, wherein is the image of the goddess; the temple is a square, each side measuring a furlong.

A road, paved with stone, of about three furlongs' length leads to the entrance, running eastward through the market place, towards the temple of Hermes; this road is about four hundred wide, and bordered by trees reaching to heaven." [5] The description offered by Herodotus and several Egyptian texts suggest that water surrounded the temple on three (out of four) sides, forming a type of lake known as isheru, not too dissimilar from that surrounding the Temple of the goddess Mut in Karnak at Thebes. [3] Lakes known as isheru were typical of temples devoted to a number of leonine goddesses who are said to represent one original goddess, daughter of the Sun-God Re / Eye of Re: Bastet, Mut, Tefnut , Hathor and Sakhmet . [3] Each of them had to be appeased by a specific set of rituals. [3] One myth relates that a lioness, fiery and wrathful, was once cooled down by the water of the lake, transformed into a gentle cat and settled in the temple.

[3] Festival[ edit ] Herodotus also relates that of the many solemn festivals held in Egypt, the most important and most popular one was that celebrated in Bubastis in honour of the goddess, whom he calls Bubastis and equates with the Greek goddess Artemis . [6] [7] Each year on the day of her festival, the town is said to have attracted some 700,000 visitors ("as the people of the place say"), both men and women (but not children), who arrived in numerous crowded ships. The women engaged in music, song and dance on their way to the place, great sacrifices were made and prodigious amounts of wine were drunk, more than was the case throughout the year. [8] This accords well with Egyptian sources which prescribe that leonine goddesses are to be appeased with the "feasts of drunkenness". [2] The goddess Bast was sometimes depicted holding a ceremonial sistrum in one hand and an aegis in the other—the aegis usually resembling a collar or gorget embellished with a lioness head.

Bast was a goddess of the sun throughout most of Ancient Egyptian history, but later when she was changed into a cat goddess rather than a lioness, she was changed to a goddess of the moon by Greeks occupying Ancient Egypt toward the end of its civilization. In Greek mythology, Bast also is known as Ailuros. History and connection to other gods[ edit ] ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) Cats in ancient Egypt were revered highly, partly due to their ability to combat vermin such as mice, rats - which threatened key food supplies - and snakes, especially cobras . Cats of royalty were, in some instances, known to be dressed in golden jewelry and were allowed to eat from their owners' plates. Turner and Bateson estimate that during the Twenty-second dynasty c.945-715 BC, Bastet worship changed to being a major cat deity (as opposed to a lioness deity). [9] With the unification of the two Egypts, many similar deities were merged into one or the other, the significance of Bast and Sekhmet, to the regional cultures that merged, resulted in a retention of both, necessitating a change to one or the other.

During later dynasties, Bast was assigned a lesser role in the pantheon, but retained. In the temple at Per-Bast some cats were found to have been mummified and buried, many next to their owners. More than 300,000 mummified cats were discovered when Bast's temple at Per-Bast was excavated . The main source of information about the Bast cult comes from Herodotus who visited Bubastis around 450 BC during the heyday of the cult. He equated Bastet with the Greek Goddess Artemis . He wrote extensively about the cult. Turner and Bateson suggest that the status of the cat was roughly equivalent to that of the cow in modern India. The death of a cat might leave a family in great mourning and those who could would have them embalmed or buried in cat cemeteries - pointing to the great prevalence of the cult of Bastet. Extensive burials of cat remains were found not only at Bubastis , but also at Beni Hasan and Saqqara . In 1888, a farmer uncovered a plot of many hundreds of thousands of cats in Beni Hasan.

[9] The lioness represented the war goddess and protector of both lands. As the fierce lion god Maahes of Nubia later became part of Egyptian mythology, during the time of the New Kingdom , Bastet was held to be the daughter of Amun Ra , a newly ascending deity in the Egyptian pantheon during that late dynasty. Bastet became identified as his mother in the Lower Egypt, near the delta. Similarly the fierce lioness war goddess Sekhmet , became identified as the mother of Maashes in the Upper Egypt . Wadjet-Bast, with a lioness head of Bast, the solar disk, and the cobra that represents Wadjet As divine mother, and more especially as protector, for Lower Egypt, Bastet became strongly associated with Wadjet , the patron goddess of Lower Egypt. She eventually became Wadjet-Bast, paralleling the similar pair of patron ( Nekhbet ) and lioness protector ( Sekhmet ) for Upper Egypt. Bast fought an evil snake named Apophis.

( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) Later scribes sometimes renamed her Bastet, a variation on Bast consisting of an additional feminine suffix to the one already present, thought to have been added to emphasize pronunciation ; perhaps it is a diminutive name applied as she receded in the ascendancy of Sekhmet in the Egyptian pantheon . Since Bastet literally meant, (female) of the ointment jar,[ citation needed ] Her name was related with the lavish jars in which Egyptians stored their perfume. Bast thus gradually became regarded as the goddess of perfumes , earning the title, perfumed protector. In connection with this, when Anubis became the god of embalming, Bast, as goddess of ointment, came to be regarded as his wife. The association of Bastet as mother of Anubis, was broken years later when Anubis became identified as the son of Nephthys . Ancient Egyptian statue of Bastet The Gayer-Anderson cat , believed to be a representation of Bastet Lower Egypt's loss in the wars between Upper and Lower Egypt led to a decrease in the ferocity of Bast.

Thus, by the Middle Kingdom she came to be regarded as a domestic cat rather than a lioness. Occasionally, however, she was depicted holding a lioness mask, hinting at her potential ferocity. Because domestic cats tend to be tender and protective of their offspring, Bast also was regarded as a good mother, and she was sometimes depicted with numerous kittens . Consequently, a woman who wanted children sometimes wore an amulet showing the goddess with kittens, the number of which indicated her own desired number of children. Eventually, her position as patron and protector of Lower Egypt led to her being identified with the more substantial goddess Mut , whose cult had risen to power with that of Amun , and eventually being syncretized with her as Mut-Wadjet-Bast. Shortly after, in the constantly evolving pantheon, Mut also absorbed the identities of the Sekhmet-Nekhbet pairing as well.

This merging of identities of similar goddesses has led to considerable confusion, leading to some attributing to Bastet the title Mistress of the Sistrum (more properly belonging to Hathor , who had become thought of as an aspect of the later emerging Isis , as had Mut), and the Greek idea of her as a lunar goddess (more properly an attribute of Mut) rather than the solar deity she was. The native Egyptian rulers were replaced by Greeks during an occupation of Egypt that lasted almost five hundred years. These new rulers adopted many Egyptian beliefs and customs, but always "interpreted" them in relation to their Greek culture. These associations sought to link the antiquity of Egyptian culture to the newer Greek culture, thereby lending parallel roots and a sense of continuity. Indeed, much confusion occurred with subsequent generations; the identity of Bast slowly merged among the Greeks during their occupation of Egypt, who sometimes named her Ailuros ( Greek for cat), thinking of Bast as a version of Artemis , their own moon goddess. Thus, to fit their own cosmology , to the Greeks Bast is thought of as the sister of Horus , whom they identified as Apollo (Artemis' brother), and consequently, the daughter of the later emerging deities, Isis and Ra .

Roman occupation of Egypt followed in 30 BC, and their pantheon of deities also was identified with the Greek interpretations of the Ancient Egyptians. The introduction of Christianity and Muslim beliefs followed as well, and by the sixth century AD only a few vestiges of Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs remained, although the cult of Isis had spread to the ends of the Roman Empire. Bast, Egyptian Goddess of Sensual Pleasure (Basthet, Bastet) Bast, Goddess of Protection and Pleasure Bast, Egyptian goddess of sensual pleasure, protector of the household, bringer of health, and the guardian saint of firefighters -- she was the original mistress of multi-tasking! Also called Bastet or Basthet, the goddess Bast is widely known today as the "Cat Goddess". Legend has it that, by day, Bast would ride through the sky with her father, the sun god Ra, his boat pulling the sun through the sky. Ever watchful, she protected Ra from his enemies. Thus she became known as the Lady of the East, the Goddess of the Rising Sun, and The Sacred and All-Seeing Eye. But by night, she was a different creature entirely!

Bast transformed herself into a cat (renown for its superb night vision) to guard her father from Apep (also known as Apophis), a serpent who was her father's greatest enemy. Ra's priests burned wax models of the snake and wrote his name with green ink, trying to put a "hex" on him -- but to no avail. Finally, with her cat eyes shining in the dark, she managed to kill the evil serpent. Credited with killing the vile Apep, the goddess Bast ensured the warmth of the sun would continue to bless the delta of the Nile with fertile soil and abundant crops and was honored as a goddess of fertility. Because of her all-seeing sacred eye (called the utchat) that magically saw through the dark, Bast is one of the few sun goddesses that is also classified as a moon goddess...with her glowing cat's eye reminding us of the moon that it reflects. One of the most ancient of the Egyptian goddesses, she is depicted as a slender woman having the head of a domestic cat. Sometimes she is shown holding a sistrum, a rattle used as a musical instrument in ancient times. Agile and lithe, Bast was recognized as the goddess of music and dance.

The worship of Bast began around 3,500 B.C.E., before the invention of writing. In 950 B.C.E. it became the 'national religion' when her hometown, Baubastis, became the capitol of Egypt. Her shrine in Baubastis, fashioned from blocks of pink granite and the lengthy entrance lined with enormous trees, was considered to be one of the most beautiful temples in the world. The grounds of the templeheld an extensive cat cemetery, where her beloved companions after being mummified, were entombed so they could join Bast in the spirit world. Cats were honored in the temples of Bast and many felines were in permanent residence there. If a local house caught on fire, the cats would be dispatched to run into the flames, drawing them out of the building. (History's first record of a fire brigade!) Undoubtedly many returned to the temple a bit singed, but as heroes of the townspeople. Any unfortunate kitty who perished in the undertaking would be restored to life by the goddess Bast . This is possibly the source of the belief that cats have nine lives.

Consistent with her cat-like image and her status as a fertility goddess, Bast was associated with childbirth, perhaps because of the mother cat's continuous production of litters and the loving way she fiercely defends and cares for her kittens. As a gentler, more benevolent, evolution of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet, her violent and bloody sister who could bring plagues, the goddess Bast could be invoked to prevent the spread of illness. Most households contained a small statue of Bast as a form of household protection . . . The All-Seeing Eye, to ward off thieves. . . as the Cat Goddess, to keep the house free of snakes. . . and as the healer to ward off infectious diseases. An amulet with the utchat (all-seeing eye) hung over the door deterred thieves and vandals, placed over the mantel it averted illness, worn around the neck it protected you as you traveled.

An amulet featuring a mother cat with several kittens suckling or playing at her feet was often given as a wedding present to a bride, invoking the help of the goddess to insure that a woman would be able to conceive and bear children Bast, more than any other of the Egyptian goddesses was perceived as a protector and friend of women and young children. It is hardly surprising that the ancient Greeks referred to Bast as "The Egyptian Artemis". Does this goddess sound like a gal that the phrase "sex kitten" would be invented for? Hardly! But, of course, there is more to the story than we've told so far; we saved the juicy parts for last. For starters, one of the oldest versions of the goddess Bast was known by the name 'Pasht', from which our word passion was derived. (And from which the English term "Puss" may have arisen.) Her name itself shares the hieroglyph of a bas-jar, a large pottery jar, usually filled with expensive perfume, a valuable commodity in a hot climate. Indeed, her son Nefertem, a sun god, became the Egyptian god of alchemy and perfumes.

It's not surprising she had a reputation, since she herself had three husbands and was acknowledged as a sexual partner of every god and goddess (explaining her association with lesbians, although bisexuality would be a more accurate description of her nature). The rituals performed in her temples, designed for healing, protection, and insuring fertility, were decidedly sensual, full of music and dancing The priestesses of Bast, dressed in "her color" which was red, and were the first "strippers", famous for their erotic dancing. Many festivals were held in her honor, and they tended to be quite rowdy affairs. During the major festival, thousands of men and women (children weren't invited) traveled on barges down the river to Baubastis, drinking and partying mightily. With loud music, women shaking their rattles, others gyrating in dance, and some lifting their skirts while making lewd comments to the townspeople lined up on the riverbank to watch the procession, the feasts of Bast may have been a precursor to the Mardi Gras and Carnivale. Some think that it is even the basis for the word "floats" that describe the decorated rides in a parade.

The Egyptian goddess Bast reminds us of all that is feline and feminine. Her gifts, very cat-like in nature, include the refusal to be at everyone's beck and call and an insistence on the freedom of expression. She teaches us to relax and never waste energy, reminding us to luxuriate in beauty, perfume, and to sway in graceful movement. Bast refuses to take anything too seriously. But most importantly, Bast leads us to accept the true nature of things (ourselves included) and helps us remain unswayed by the opinion of others. Curled up like a cat lying in the sun, the goddess Bast foms a complete circle . . . a symbol of the eternal. Egyptian Bastet Goddess of Pleasure ~ Ancient Egypt Facts Bastet the Goddess of protection, Lower Egypt, the sun , the moon and the Cats Bastet ( Ancient Egyptian Goddess ) Bastet was on of the ancient Egyptian Goddess in 2nd Dynasty , scholar use this name today to refer to feline goddess .

Bastet Statue Other Name : Baast , Bast, Ubasti and Baset The Symbols : The sistrum , The lioness and The cat Bastet's Parents : Atum and Ra The particular Egyptian cat-headed goddess, Bastet had been strictly a solar deity till the particular arrival of Greek influence on Egyptian society, whenever she was a lunar goddess due to the actual Greeks associating her alongside their Artemis. Dating within the 2nd Dynasty (roughly 2890-2686 BCE), Bastet had been primarily portrayed as either a wild desert cat and / or as a lioness, not to mention only turned into associated with all the domesticated feline about 1000 BCE. She had been commonly paired with Sakhmet, the particular lion-headed goddess of Memphis, Wadjet, and Hathor. Bastet ended up being the "Daughter of Ra", a designation that placed her within the exact same ranks because such goddesses because Maat and Tefnut. In addition, Bastet was one of several "Eyes of Ra", the actual title of an "avenger" god whom typically is sent out specifically with lay waste to the particular enemies of Egypt and also her gods.

Bastet The cult of Bastet ended up being centered throughout Bubastis (positioned within the delta area, near modern- day Zagazig) from at least the actual 4th Dynasty. Within the Late Period Bubastis had been the particular capital of Egypt for a dynasty, not to mention a very few kings took her identity into their royal titles. Bubastis was created famous by the actual traveler Herodotus within the 4th century BCE, whenever he described with regard to his annals among the festivals that occurs within honor of Bastet. Excavations with regard to the ruins of Tell-Basta (the particular previous Bubastis) come with yielded lots of discoveries, including a graveyard with mummified holy pets. Because the Greeks equated Bastet alongside Diana and even Artemis and additionally Horus alongside Apollo, Bastet was adopted into the particular Osiris-Isis myth because their daughter (this particular association, but bear in mind, had been never earned previous to be able to the particular arrival of Hellenistic influence on Egypt).

She is actually reported to be able to become the mother associated with the lion-headed god Mihos (whom ended up being in addition worshipped within Bubastis, along with Thoth). She is depicted the majority of commonly because a female with the head of the domesticated and / or wild cat or alternatively lion, or alternatively because a cat itself. Related Web Search : Ancient Egyptian Gods And Goddesses Ancient Egyptian Gods for Kids List Of Ancient Egyptian Gods

Question: The Goddess of Protection and daughter of Ra, Bastet had the head of which creature?
Answer: Cat