Ancient Egyptian Mythology Wiki

The Goddess Bastet[]

Bastet, Egyptian Goddess of the Rising Sun[]

The 'Cat Goddess'[]

'Bastet, an ancient Egyptian goddess, was playful and friendly. She was also known for her fierce protective nature. Bastet (also known as Basthet, or simply as Bast) was one of the earliest of the Egyptian goddesses but was worshipped for several centuries. '

'Her association with cats is apparent in the images of her that survive. Early statues of the Egyptian goddess Bastet reveal her either as a woman accompanied by a cat or in actually taking on the form of a cat ... as a slender woman who is half-cat or as a totally feline creature.'

'Bastet, as a sun goddess was charged with protecting her aged father, the powerful Sun God Ra. She rode with him through the sky during the day, but in the darkness of the night, he was defenseless, so

Bastet

Bastet goddess of cats.

Bastet turned herself into a cat so that she could see into the dark a watch for Ra's enemy, Apep, a snake that wanted to usurp Ra's throne.'

'The goddess Bastet's followers kept domesticated cats in her honor and treated them with great respect. '

'As well as being the 'Cat Goddess', Bastet was also the goddess of all things pleasurable in nature. This included music and dance and everything feminine or sensual, especially perfume. '



'So it's not surprising that the annual celebration honoring the goddess was a rather riotous affair that was characterized by a multitude of intoxicated revelers taking trips on barges down the Nile River, dancing, gyrating, and shouting to the townspeople on the bank as they passed by.'



'No matter how soft and playful she seemed, Bastet, like any self-respecting kitten, could bare her teeth and claws to ward off a threat if the situation called for it. She was also a healer and as was worshipped as the goddess you would call upon to help protect your home. Statues of the goddess were placed around the house to ward off snakes, evil spirits, robbers, illness, and even fire.'

'More than any other of the Egyptian goddesses, the goddess Bastet, teaches us to not waste our energy by taking things too seriously, and reminds us to treat ourselves with a bit gaiety and luxury in our lives.'

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