Cat Coffin with Mummy
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Object Label
This cat coffin has a gilded head and is painted with a collar around its neck, a necklace holding an Eye of Horus protective amulet, and the dot-and-line pattern, denoting fur, typically used at Istabl Antar cemetery.
DNA testing of the mummy in this coffin demonstrates a direct genetic connection between ancient Egyptian cats and modern housecats.
Caption
Cat Coffin with Mummy, 664–332 B.C.E.. Wood, pigment, animal remains (Felis sylvestris), linen, gilding, 23 5/8 x 5 1/4 x 6 5/16 in. (60 x 13.3 x 16 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.1947E. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth, photographer), 37.1947E_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg)
Tags
Gallery
Not on view
Gallery
Not on view
Title
Cat Coffin with Mummy
Date
664–332 B.C.E.
Dynasty
Dynasty 26 to Dynasty 30
Period
Late Period
Geography
Reportedly from: Saqqara, Egypt, Possible place made: Istabl Antar, Egypt
Medium
Wood, pigment, animal remains (Felis sylvestris), linen, gilding
Classification
Dimensions
23 5/8 x 5 1/4 x 6 5/16 in. (60 x 13.3 x 16 cm)
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
37.1947E
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
Tell me more.
Cats were domesticated considerably later than dogs. The cat mummies included in our collection include both wild and domesticated breeds, according to a doctor of veterinary medicine that examined x-rays of the mummies in 2009.I love the way that the ancient artist described the cat's fur!Tell me more.
These cat coffins added value to the mummified cats, that were wrapped in linen and placed inside. These animal mummies were seen as messengers to the gods. Some animals were associated with specific gods and when they died, were mummified, and buried, their souls would travel to the realm of the gods with the ability to convey a request on behalf of the living human. Cats like these were usually an offering to Bastet.Adding elaborate wooden or bronze coffins, gold gilding, and decoration could make the god you were sending a message to, more inclined to grant your request.What role did cats play in ancient Egypt?
Both domesticated and wild cats lived amongst the ancient Egyptians. Cats were associated with good night vision and with catching mice and snakes, traits that led to association with certain gods.Cats were also associated with lions, and both animals were identified for their motherly instincts. For instance, the protective mother goddess Bastet was often depicted as a cat or with the head of a cat.There were several lion-headed or lioness goddesses as well, including Wadjet, Mut, Shesemtet, Pakhet, and Tefnut.Because of cats' mythological associations, cat fur, feces, and fat was used in medicine or in magic, while small cats were also used as symbols of fertility and sexuality. They had a lot of roles and associations in Ancient Egypt!Why did they mummify animals in ancient Egypt?
The ancient Egyptians mummified animals for the same reason they mummified people, kind of. Preserving the body was essential for successfully traveling to the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians wanted the animals to travel to the afterlife so they could bring prayers with them and deliver them directly to the gods.Were the cats sacrificed? Or did they just die?
Both. Most cats that were mummified to be offered to Bastet and other feline deities were sacrificed for the occasion. Some cats, especially family pets, would have been mummified after they died of some other cause.Were the cats dead prior to mummification or sacrificed for entrance into the afterlife?
The simple answer is, it depends. Many cats and other animals were sacrificed in order to send their souls to the afterlife. This likely represents a larger proportion of cat mummies.There is also evidence that pet cats were mummified after having died of natural causes.Thanks!
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