9:22. They had animals that were sacred, some were pets and other were used in farming. Egyptian towns usually had their own local sacred animal. Download Francis Howe Seymour Knowles. Ancient Egyptian cats had a sacred status in because of the religious beliefs of Egyptian society. The civilization is remembered for the pyramids, the Sphinx, hieroglyphics, pharaohs and distinct afterlife beliefs. Scarab beetles were considered to be just as revered, as were some birds of prey like falcons and hawks. The importance of animals to the Ancient Egyptians can still be seen in hieroglyphics and statues. The Ancient Egyptians were an agricultural civilization and irrigation was used extensively and effectively using the water from the Nile. Many animals were sacrificed to their corresponding gods. It centered on the Egyptians' interactions with many deities believed to be present in, and in control of the world. He went around much of the Persian Empire, including Egypt, and wrote down what he saw. It is thought that Egyptian hounds were ancestors of today’s basenjis, greyhounds and mastiffs, and ancient inscriptions and hieroglyphics have included dog names like ‘Brave One’ and ‘Reliable’. They kept goats, pigs, ducks, cows, geese, and cattle. Hieroglyphs emerged from the preliterate artistic traditions of Egypt. Sacred Egyptian Animals. Of uncertain... Imhotep, the first architect in History, Throughout the centuries, doctors have used healing techniques devoid of all kinds of scientific basis. Sacred Animals To our eyes the monotheism of the all Ancient Egyptian religion has all the appearances of fetishism. That might seem like a tiny detail, but it changed the way the lived in more ways than you might imagine. It was thought that some gods and goddesses represented themselves on earth in the form of a single representative of a specific species, and honoring that species of animal would please the god or goddess associated with the animal. Honey was a widespread commodity and was used for food as well as makeup and medicine. The Nile was vital to the Egyptian way of life and deadly crocodiles and aggressive hippos posed a major threat to traversing the waterway. Sacred Egyptian Animals Full Documentary. Facts about Egyptian Cats 8: domestication. For instance, bee keeping was more popular in Lower Egypt and the insect soon became a symbol of this part of the kingdom. Report. Dangerous animals such as lions, crocodiles and hippos occasionally came into contact with humans and the Nile was home to flourishing shoreline wildlife such as birds, amphibians and insects. It is common knowledge that Egyptians worshipped a cat god and mummified their cats. Hieroglyphs show the birds of prey spreading their wings behind rulers and they were believed to be an incarnation of Horus, the god of the sky as well as Montu and Socar, the gods of protection and strength respectively. The Egyptian gods had the heads of animals. Anubis was the jackal-headed god. Last updated 2011-02-17. By Robert Partridge Animal worship, also known as Zoolatry, is a religious ritual where animals are considered as deities. In various religions, animals are worshiped either in the form of deities or symbols, and are given high reverence in their societies. Egyptian animal mummies were an integral part of ancient life. The Egyptians thought by honoring them, they would be pleasing the god. Keep up the this difficult task, many are listening to these ancient silent voices. The bird was seen as the embodiment of order and was lined to the goddess Ma’at, who had an ostrich feather attached to her headdress. Donkeys were used to help in the fields. In the era of the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom, about 800 hieroglyphs existed. Middle Eastern species of cats were domesticated in Egypt about 10,000 years ago and while various other animals were also considered sacred, cats had a special status among those animals. The Ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife and anyone that died wanted their possessions taken with them. Cats meanwhile, were slightly different. Dog owners went one step further and mourned a loss by shaving their whole body. Common on the. Falcons, or hawks, were sacred, as were scarab beetles. Because of this, they were both respected highly. 10 Most Sacred and Worshiped Animals Around the World. Early Egyptian farmers even tried to domesticate hyenas, but this idea was short-lived as it soon became clear that these wild beasts could not be tamed in the same way as dogs. Ancient Egyptians revered felines, and it was common for most households to have a pet cat. Cattle were thought to be sacred and the beef was often used for offerings to the god… Cats are perhaps the most sacred of all Ancient Egyptian animals. Further Information . Animals weren’t just killed to escort their owner to the afterlife; they could also be their food on the journey to Duat, the realm of the dead. The baboon was the dog-headed god.Cobra was considered sacred and Buta was the cobra goddess. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Herodotus was a Greek who liked to travel. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Fine work! Carp and catfish were eaten in high quantities but this was primarily by the lower classes. Cat . North Africa was home to many wild animals as well as the ones domesticated by the Egyptians. Another enduring element of Ancient Egypt is the role that sacred animals played. This was a wonderful article! Thankyou for your dillegence in this subject. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world: 7 facts about the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It was also believed that wild animals like crocodiles and hippos would be as much of a danger in the passage to the afterlife as they were during life. Geese, who were one of the symbols of the god of the Earth, Geb, were given free run of the house and garden to ensure that the god was happy. Cats were by no means the only sacred animal. As well as having a spiritual purpose, animals were domesticated to make daily life easier, especially in industry. Creative, well researched and informative! Cattle were reared for their meat and milk and were a major part of the economy, with taxes put upon both their ownership and their trade. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. In the afterlife, they would once again accompany their former owner. Cats in ancient Egypt were represented in social and religious practices of ancient Egypt for more than 3,000 years. It forms a part of many ancient religions like cow is worshiped in Hinduism as well as ancient Persia. Your contribution is great, but to give an individual an understanding of Egyptian culture takes the study of many many resources.

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