Bastet

The Cat Goddess of Home and Joy

Bastet was the Egyptian goddess of protection, home, fertility, childbirth, music and perfume. Today she is usually remembered as the cat goddess and shown as a woman with a cat's head or as a seated cat. Earlier in Egyptian history, though, Bastet often appeared as a lioness and could be much fiercer. Her familiar cat form became more common as domestic cats became an important part of Egyptian life. Cats helped protect homes and grain stores by hunting mice and snakes, making them useful as well as elegant.

Bastet's main city was Per-Bastet in the Nile Delta, which Greek writers called Bubastis. A large temple stood there, and archaeologists have found cemeteries containing mummified cats. Sacred animals could represent a god's presence, but this does not mean every Egyptian believed every ordinary pet cat was secretly a goddess. Worshippers could offer mummified animals to Bastet as religious gifts. The Greek historian Herodotus also described an enormous festival at Bubastis, with crowds travelling by boat while singing, clapping and playing music.

Bastet was often connected with Ra and could be one of the powerful goddesses called his Eye. She was also linked with Sekhmet and Hathor. Modern explanations sometimes say Bastet was the gentle cat while Sekhmet was the fierce lioness, but Egyptian religion was more complicated. Bastet herself had once been a lioness and could still be a strong defender. She was associated with music, joyful celebrations and scented ointments, and artists sometimes showed her holding a sistrum, a rattling musical instrument. Small bronze cat statues became popular offerings. Some have pierced ears and jewellery, making them look surprisingly like extremely well-dressed pets. I think Bastet's popularity is easy to understand. Anyone who has lived with a cat knows they can spend hours looking completely relaxed and then suddenly leap into action because they heard a tiny noise nobody else noticed. Bastet brought exactly that watchful energy into the Egyptian home. She could be loving and joyful, but trouble should never mistake calmness for weakness.

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