How do they know it’s a god in cat form and not just a statue of a normal cat?
this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2025
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Historical Artifacts
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It might be because the cat emerged from the lava of an active volcano, on fire and speaking Egyptian
Some manner of inscription, maybe? It looks like there's a symbol on its head in the link. I'm not very well informed on Egyptian religious idols, though.
Reading the PDF on their site it just says "This exceptional bronze cat represents the renowned Egyptian goddess Bastet" and then shows other statues in other collections that are virtually identical which are Bastet.
It does have a symbol, though.
It actually has two. The beetle and also a heart on a pendant necklace. I don't think the scarab identifies it as Bastet though. Here is all they say on the scarab:
Quite detailed, the insect has six legs, two mandibles, a narrow abdomen and wings that are folded over its back. Scarab beetles, which are very common in Egyptian iconography, are the symbol of the rising sun. They favour life and fertility and embody rebirth.
Yes, this - afaik for it to be undoubtedly Bastet for like religious purposes it needed to be not a normal animal (so sigils, items, un-animal acts), but normal cats would still held symbolism bcs of Bastet.
Ancient Egypt be weird though. 4000 years ago, some Pharaoh said.
"I love my kitty so much! She is such a cutie wootie widdle schnookums. I declare my kittie Bastet is now a god!"
Average cat owner tbf