The Purrfectly Bizarre World of Ancient Egyptian Feline MummiesWhen we think of ancient...

The Purrfectly Bizarre World
of Ancient Egyptian Feline
MummiesWhen we think of
ancient Egypt we often conjure
up images of mighty pyramids
pharaohs in elaborate
headdresses and of course
mummies But did you know that
a significant portion of these
mummies were actually made
from cats Thats right In this
blog post well delve into the
fascinating world of feline
mummification in ancient
EgyptA Hagiography of Feline
MummiesIn Egyptian mythology
cats were revered as sacred
animals associated with the
goddess Bastet They were
believed to possess magical
powers and were often depicted
in art and literature as
companions to the gods Its no
surprise then that when it
came time to prepare the
bodies of these beloved
felines for the afterlife the
Egyptians went all outThe
Mummification ProcessJust like
their human counterparts
feline mummies underwent a
similar embalming process The
cats were first dehydrated
using natron a natural salt to
remove moisture from their
bodies Then their internal
organs were removed and
preserved separately just
like with human mummies The
remaining body was wrapped in
linen bandages often coated
with resin to help preserve
the feline formThe Tomb of the
CatsIn the ancient city of
Bubastis archaeologists
discovered an astonishing
number of cat mummies over
300000 This staggering figure
speaks to the reverence and
adoration the Egyptians had
for these animals In fact some
tombs were even dedicated
specifically to feline
mummiesEmbalmed Mice as
CompanionsBut its not just the
sheer number of feline mummies
thats fascinating its also
the curious practice of
placing embalmed mice
alongside them in their tombs
These tiny companions were
believed to serve as
messengers between the living
and the dead helping to guide
the deceased cat through the
afterlifeConclusionThe world
of ancient Egyptian feline
mummies is a testament to the
ingenuity and devotion of our
ancestors By exploring this
unusual aspect of their
culture we gain a deeper
understanding of the
complexities and quirks that
made ancient Egypt so
remarkable So the next time
youre wandering through an
Egyptian museum take a moment
to appreciate these furry
friends they might just
surprise you with their sheer
numberReferences The Mummies
of Bubastis by Zahi Hawass
Ancient Egyptian Feline
Mummification by the
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Feline Funerary Practices in
Ancient Egypt by the Journal
of Egyptian ArchaeologyFeel
free to share your thoughts
and questions about this
fascinating topic in the
comments below

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.