Two cats surmounting a box for an animal mummy

Unknown

664–30 B.C. · Cupreous metal · Egyptian Art

Bastet was a powerful goddess of Lower Egypt, one who was protective and could bring about great prosperity. In zoomorphic form, she was represented as a cat and cats were considered sacred to her. As a cat, she is poised and alert, on guard against external forces. Here two cats surmount a square box that would have once held an animal mummy. Such mummy boxes were deposited in catacombs alongside linen-wrapped cat mummies, as at the extensive catacombs at Bubastis and Saqqara.

Artist

Unknown

Date

664–30 B.C.

Medium

Cupreous metal

Department

Egyptian Art

Credit line

Gift of Darius Ogden Mills, 1904