The Feline Tributes of Ancient Egypt A Tradition That LingeredIn ancient Egypt cats...

The Feline Tributes of Ancient
Egypt A Tradition That
LingeredIn ancient Egypt cats
were revered as sacred animals
often associated with the
goddess Bastet When a beloved
family cat passed away the
mourning process was a solemn
and elaborate affair one that
would leave even the most
stoic among us questioning our
sanity Yes you read that right
they shaved off their eyebrows
And if that wasnt enough theyd
also hold somber funerals
complete with winesoaked
lamentations and breastbeating
ritualsBut lets start at the
beginning When a family cat
died it was considered a
significant loss akin to the
passing of a human patriarch
or matriarch The bereaved
family members would gather
around the deceased feline
adorned in its finest attire
or lack thereof after all
cats are notorious for their
grooming habits As they
mourned theyd shave off their
eyebrows as a symbol of their
grief and respect for the
departed catNow this might
seem like an extreme reaction
to us modern folk but in
ancient Egyptian culture it
was a timehonored tradition
The bereaved would then
proceed to hold an elaborate
funeral procession complete
with winesoaked dirges and
breastbeating lamentations Yes
you read that right theyd
beat their breasts as if
trying to drive the grief out
of their very beingBut what
about the cat itself Oh it got
a grand sendoff too The family
would embalm the feline body
with a sculpted wooden mask
which would be placed in a
tiny sarcophagus This
minimummy would then be laid
to rest alongside its human
companions in the family tomb
or if preferred in a special
pet cemetery where it could
join the ranks of other
felines who had preceded itAnd
thats not all The bereaved
would also create tiny mummies
of mice and other small
animals which would be placed
alongside their beloved cat It
was as if they wanted to
ensure that every creature no
matter how big or small
received a dignified burial in
the afterlifeAs we look back
on this curious tradition its
hard not to askew our
understanding of ancient
Egyptian culture How could
such an extreme display of
grief and mourning become a
staple of their society But
perhaps thats the beauty of
exploring the past were
forced to confront our own
biases and assumptions and in
doing so gain a deeper
appreciation for the
complexities of human and
feline experienceSo the next
time youre faced with the loss
of a beloved pet take a moment
to appreciate the ancient
Egyptians unapologetic display
of grief Who knows You might
just find yourself shaving off
your eyebrows and beating your
breast in solidarity

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.