Corinna Sandmeier
VA 11



The Different Meanings of Cat Statuettes in Ancient Egypt and Modern America
Although ancient Egyptians admired similar statuettes of cats as modern Americans collect today, the Egyptians saw these statuettes as religious symbols with long histories, and the modern Americans see these statuettes as a way of showing the love and admiration that they feel towards their cats.
An advertisement for a porcelain statuettes that was made to look like an Egyptian cat statuette shows that this type of statuette survived for a very long time. It is made out of a type of porcelain and its earrings are made out of gold. It has a glass dome covering it and at its base are Egyptian hieroglyphics that are hand painted. (Cats (Vol.52, November 1996) p. 11) This advertisement, that I found in the November 1996 issue of "Cats" magazine, is aimed at people who love cats and most likely have cats as pets. The rest of the magazine confirms the fact that it is meant for people who own cats. The other articles are mostly about cat nutrition and health. The other advertisements also involve cats. These advertisements included cat Christmas tree ornaments, cat jewelry, and cat soap.
There were many different representations of cats in ancient Egyptian art. There were also many cat statuettes. The one I thought most closely represented the cat statuettes in the advertisement is the bronze "Gayer-Anderson" cat. (Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp.12 ) It was named after the collector who donated it to the British Museum. Made around 600B.C., its body is made out of bronze with inlaid silver as well as gold earrings and a gold nose ring.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993)pp.12) It was made for a totally different purpose than the modern cat statuettes. During this time there was an increase in the number of cults that used animals as their cult images. These statuette were probably used as representations of the goddess Bastet.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp.98 ) The goddess Bastet enjoyed what could be called the greatest increase of popularity of all the animals who were part of these cults.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 98 ) The large number of bronze statuette that were made during this time clearly illustrated the cat's immense popularity. These statuette were used in a variety of ways in ancient Egypt. Some have been found among the bandages of real cats and others were attached to caskets in which a dead cat was placed. Still others were dedicated to shrines. (Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp.100 ) A few may even have served as the coffins of mummified cats. (Irmgard Woldering, The Art of Egypt the Time of the Pharaohs ( New York: crown Publishers, Inc.) p. 215)
The original statuette, and the reproduction in "Cats" magazine, are remarkably similar in appearance. Although their bodies are made out of different materials , one out of bronze and the other out of porcelain, they both have real gold earrings which greatly adds to their similar appearance. In spite of these similarities, the ancient Egyptian owners and the modern American owners of these statuettes, had different ideas about their respective statuettes. Although the original statuettes was made very late in ancient Egypt, its owner was very well aware of the meaning of cats through out ancient Egyptian art.



The cat had quite different meaning and history than most other animals represented in ancient Egyptian art. Although many animals were associated with an important local deity, the cat never gained this status.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp.73 ) As a result, cats are not readily seen on the walls of ancient temples. But eventually the cat became more important than any other animal and gained a very important position in people's individual religious beliefs.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp.73 ) The cat's success can be seen as a result of its protective qualities. In the minds of many people the cat became connected with the sun-god Ra and his important journey into the underworld every night, and back from the underworld in the morning. (Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 73 )
The earliest representation of the cat in art associated with religion, was in the magic knives. (Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 78 ) The magic knives were given to the dead as a way to defend themselves in the underworld. The tradition of magic knives with representations of cats on them were was started during the Middle Kingdom.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 78) The representations on the knives were not the characters of the official religion, but instead they were those of popular believe.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 78) On these magical knives a cat was often depicted in its hieroglyphical form with one paw in the air, holding large knives. (Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 78)
During the time of the New Kingdom, representations of cats were seen in the Royal Tombs in the Valley of Kings. On the walls of the tombs there were representations that consisted of the Underworld Books. In these representations the cat is seen as aiding the sun-god Ra on his nightly journey to underworld.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 80- 81)
Being part of a culture with this long tradition of incorporating the cat into religious motifs, the owner of the original statuettes certainly viewed it as an important cult image with a long and rich history. He or she probably viewed it as a symbol of protection against the dangers of life and after life, as seen in the Magic Knives. The owner would also have viewed the statuettes as an important enough protector to be able to serve the sun-god in his nightly visits to the underworld. This protection of the sun-god was crucial because his existence was closely tied to the Egyptian people's existence. Another, more resent association made by the owners of the statuettes, would have made with that of the goddess Bastet. This association first occurred in the first millennium B.C. when the city of Bubastis provided important rulers for Egypt during a very turbulent time.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 73 ) The statuette may even have had a type of political meaning. The increase in the number of these type of animal cults can be viewed as as an extension of Egyptian nationalism which was meant to bring together the Egyptian people behind their traditional religious views.(Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 98- 99 ) During this time the Egyptian people especially needed to be united behind their ancient culture because of the pressure from foreign states and foreign peoples. (Jasomir Malek, Cats in Ancient Egypt ( London: British Museum Press, 1993) pp. 98- 99 )
In contrast to the Egyptian owners of cat statuettes, the modern American owner of the reproduced statuettes probably sees different symbolism in the statuette. The most important meaning is probably a love of cats and a devotion to them. They might also see the statuettes as a way of elevating the status of their own pet cat. In this way they could honor their cat by having beautiful art representing cats . Another possible meaning that they could see in the state is the symbol of a mysterious and sophisticated culture that their cat is tied to.
The fact that the modern owner of the statuette sees it as way of showing love for his or her cat, rather than conveying ancient religious beliefs, can be seen in the great diversity of cat products being sold. The owners of these statuettes may also have bought the Christmas tree decorations shaped like cats or the soap shaped in the form of a cat.
Because these two views of the owners of these two statuettes are so different, knowledge or the first statuette's meaning doesn't help in better understanding the second statuette's meaning. A modern cat lover who buys such a statuette maybe knowledgeable amount its original meaning but coming from a vastly different culture, he or she would ascribe the modern meaning to the statuette.
The Egyptians saw the representations of the cats mainly as a way of representing more abstract ideas associated with being protected from the dangers of live and the goddess Bastet. In contrast, the modern American owner sees the statuette as away of representing ideas about the cat rather than having the cat represent ideas about a deity.

Bibliography

Cats, Vol. 52, November 1996.

Malek, Jaromir. The Cat in Ancient Egypt. London: British Museum Press, 1993.

Woldering, Irmgard. The Art of Egypt The Time of the Pharaohs. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1963.