bast she was the ancient Egyptian goddess who was the protector of cats. she was the daughter of Ra, the god of the sun. As a protector, she was seen as a defender of the pharaoh and, consequently, of the chief god Ra.
She was worshiped at least as far back as the Second Dynasty in Ancient Egypt. Her cult center was at Per-Bast, which was named after her. Originally, she was seen as the protective goddess of Lower Egypt and therefore her image was that of a ferocious lion.
Origin and Characteristics
Her name means "devourer". She was originally a sun goddess, but later, with Greek influence, she became the moon goddess. In Greek mythology, Bastet is also known as Aelurus.
Later, Bastet became the goddess of perfumes. In connection with this, when Anubis became the god of embalming, Bast, as the goddess of ointment, was considered his mother, until Anubis became the son of Nephthys.
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This more delicate feature, of Bastet as a goddess of perfumes, and the loss of Lower Egypt in the wars between Upper and Lower Egypt resulted in her being seen as a domestic cat rather than a lion.
As domestic cats tend to be affectionate and protective of their young, Bast was also considered a good mother. Therefore, a woman who wanted children sometimes wore an amulet depicting the goddess.
Worship
Bastet was the most honored feline deity in Ancient Egypt. Bastet's cult began around the city of Bubastis, located in the East Delta in Lower Egypt. This was an important city in the Old Kingdom until the end of the period.
At first, the city was called Per-Bast, which translates as “the domain of Bastet”. Later the city was called Bubastis. Today it is called Tell Basta.
Festivities in honor of the goddess were called "Procession of Bastet", "Bastet protects the two lands", "Bastet leaves Per-Bast", "Bastet appears before Ra" and the "Festival of Hathor and Bastet".
Her main festivals were celebrated in the months of April and May. More than 700,000 people from all over Egypt, often in boats, sailed along the Nile while chanting and celebrating the deity.
Want to see more? See the complete list of the Gods of Egypt: All the Gods of Egypt
