Why were Ancient Egyptians obsessed with cats?

Summary

The video script explores the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures in Chicago, focusing on ancient Egyptian cat worship. It features interviews with Dr. Marc Maillot, the museum's curator, and Egyptologist Emily Teeter, discussing the museum's collection, the cultural and religious significance of cats in ancient Egypt, and the ethical considerations of displaying artifacts with colonial origins. The script also touches on the museum's efforts to engage with modern audiences and foster global partnerships.

Takeaways

• 🐱 Cats were highly revered in ancient Egypt, serving both religious and economic roles.
• 🏛️ The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) at the University of Chicago houses a vast collection of artifacts from the Middle and Near East, with only 2% on display.
• 🖼️ A notable artifact at ISAC is a wooden painted stela from the Third Intermediate Period, showcasing the divine priestess of Amun presenting an offering to the god Ra-Horakhty.
• 🐾 Ancient Egyptians had a deep connection with cats, as evidenced by the accounts of Herodotus and the prevalence of cat statues and mummies.
• 🦁 The feline goddess Sekhmet, daughter of the sun god Ra, represents the fierce side of cats in Egyptian mythology.
• 😽 The goddess Bastet represents the gentler, more nurturing aspect of cats in Egyptian religion.
• 🪦 Cat mummies were created by priests who raised cats in large pens, culled the kittens, mummified them, and presented them as offerings to the gods.
• 🌱 The mummification process of cats was symbolically tied to the god Osiris, the god of the dead, representing rebirth and the cycle of life.
• 🔮 Amulets of cats, such as those depicting Sekhmet, were worn as protective charms by the living and placed on mummies.
• 🌐 The museum's approach to its collection is evolving, focusing on pedagogy and partnerships, and engaging with the communities from which the artifacts originated.
• 🔄 The ISAC is committed to modern trends and social partnerships, including co-directorships in archaeological excavations and long-term training of local staff.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC)?

ISAC's main focus is the Middle and Near East, particularly Egypt and Sudan, covering a chronological span from prehistory to the Early Middle Ages, and even up to sometime before the 14th century with the Islamic collection.

How many artifacts does ISAC have in its archaeological collection?

ISAC has an archaeological collection of approximately 350,000 artifacts, with only 2% of them on display.

What is the significance of the wooden painted stela mentioned by Dr. Marc Maillot?

The wooden painted stela is exceptional because it depicts the divine priestess of Amun, Djed-Khonsu Amun, presenting an offering to the god Ra-Horakhty. It is valued for the artist's ability to convey a sense of transparency in the costume without mastering perspective.

How does Dr. Marc Maillot describe the experience of visiting an archaeological site?

Dr. Marc Maillot suggests that visiting an archaeological site can elicit existential questions about one's own meaning in life, as it connects you to the past and the human experience.

What is the cultural necessity that Dr. Marc Maillot believes people should experience in museums?

Dr. Marc Maillot believes that museums should be a cultural reflex, where people visit to satisfy their curiosity and eagerness to learn, much like consulting a dictionary.

What is the economic and religious function of cats in ancient Egypt according to Emily Teeter?

Cats had a significant role in both the economy and religion in ancient Egypt. They were beloved pets and were also associated with deities like Sekhmet and Bastet. Cat mummies were used as offerings to please these gods.

What is the difference between the goddesses Sekhmet and Bastet?

Sekhmet represents the fierce side of the feline, associated with strength and power, while Bastet is the more benevolent and protective goddess, often associated with domestic cats.

How were cat mummies prepared in ancient Egypt?

Cat mummies were prepared by purifying the bodies with incense and smearing them with a tar-like substance before wrapping them in linen. This process was meant to symbolize rebirth and was connected to the god Osiris, the god of the dead.

What was the purpose of mummifying cats and presenting them to the deity?

Mummifying cats and presenting them to the deity was believed to please the gods, ensuring the sun would rise and the river would flood, which were essential for the well-being of Egypt.

What is the significance of the cat amulets mentioned in the script?

Cat amulets were protective charms worn by living people and placed on mummies. They were made of faience, a quartz-based pottery, and often depicted the goddess Sekhmet or Bastet to show love and devotion.

How does the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures address its colonial past?

ISAC addresses its colonial past by focusing on pedagogy and partnerships. It engages in long-term collaborations with hosting authorities and co-directorships on archaeological excavations, and it is open to changes in trends and feedback from visitors.

What is the role of the museum in modern society according to the discussion in the script?

The museum plays a role in modern society by being a platform for research, education, and cultural exchange. It extends beyond its physical space by partnering with educators and researchers worldwide and by facilitating the understanding of the human experience.

Outlines

00:00

🐱 Cat Worship in Ancient Egypt

The script introduces the topic of cat worship in ancient Egypt, highlighting the cultural and religious significance of cats. It mentions the existence of large pens, or 'catteries,' where cats were raised around cat temples. The narrator visits the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures at the University of Chicago to learn more about this practice. The museum's chief curator, Dr. Marc Maillot, explains the museum's extensive collection, which spans from prehistory to the Early Middle Ages, focusing on the Middle and Near East, particularly Egypt and Sudan. The museum houses approximately 350,000 artifacts, with only 2% on display. Dr. Maillot discusses a specific wooden painted stela as a highlight of the collection, which depicts a divine priestess presenting an offering to the god Ra-Horakhty. The conversation also touches on the universal aspects of ancient cultures and how they relate to modern life, including the human tendency to form existential questions when confronted with history.

05:03

🦁 Feline Deities and their Roles

This section delves into the roles of feline deities in ancient Egyptian religion, particularly Sekhmet and Bastet. Sekhmet, depicted as a lioness with a sun disk, is associated with the sun god Ra and is known for her fierce nature. The myth of Sekhmet's anger towards mankind and how the gods averted disaster by tricking her into drinking red-dyed beer is recounted. In contrast, Bastet represents the gentler side of feline divinity, often shown with ritual objects. The script also discusses the economic aspect of cat worship, revealing that cat mummies were raised and then sacrificed as offerings to the gods to ensure Egypt's prosperity. The process of mummifying cats and the belief in their representation of the spirit of feline goddesses are also covered. The conversation highlights the transactional nature of Egyptian religion, where offerings were made to the gods in exchange for blessings.

10:05

📜 The Enduring Legacy of Cats in Culture

The final paragraph explores the enduring legacy of cats in culture, from ancient Egypt to the present day. It discusses how cats were not only worshipped but also had economic importance, with cat temples housing large numbers of cats. The script mentions the mummification process of cats, which was part of religious rituals to please the deities and ensure a cycle of life and happiness in Egypt. The conversation also addresses the colonial past of museums like ISAC, which house artifacts from overseas, and the museum's efforts to engage in pedagogy and partnerships to rectify this history. The museum's approach to preserving and sharing knowledge about ancient cultures is highlighted, along with the importance of accessibility and the ripple effect of cultural understanding across time and space.

Keywords

💡Catteries

Catteries refer to establishments where cats are bred and raised. In the context of the video, they are mentioned as large pens around cat temples in ancient Egypt where cats were raised, indicating the cultural and religious significance of cats in that civilization. The script mentions 'around these cat temples there would be large pens, where cats were raised', highlighting the economic and religious practices involving cats.

💡Cat Worship

Cat worship in ancient Egypt was a religious practice where cats were revered and associated with deities. The video explores this theme by discussing the role of cats in Egyptian religion, mentioning how cats were beloved and had rituals performed for them when they died, reflecting their importance in daily life and religious ceremonies.

💡Museum

A museum is an institution that conserves and displays artifacts of cultural, historical, or scientific importance. The video takes place in the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, a museum on the University of Chicago campus, which houses a vast collection of archaeological artifacts, emphasizing the role of museums in preserving and sharing history.

💡Archaeological Collection

An archaeological collection consists of artifacts and objects gathered from archaeological sites. The video mentions that the museum has an archaeological collection of approximately 350,000 artifacts, with only 2% on display, indicating the vast amount of historical material that is preserved and studied in such institutions.

💡Catacombs

Catacombs are underground tombs or chambers used for burials. The script discusses how cat mummies were taken to catacombs underneath the temple, revealing the ancient Egyptian practice of mummifying cats and their burial customs, which is a significant aspect of their religious beliefs and reverence for cats.

💡Mummification

Mummification is the process of preserving a deceased body. In the video, it is mentioned that cats were mummified, similar to human mummies, and presented to deities as offerings. This practice underscores the Egyptians' belief in the afterlife and their reverence for cats.

💡Sekhmet

Sekhmet is a lioness goddess in ancient Egyptian religion, associated with warfare and protection. The video discusses Sekhmet as part of the cat worship theme, showing how she was represented in statues and how she was appeased with mummified cats, illustrating the complex mythology and religious practices of ancient Egypt.

💡Bastet

Bastet is a cat goddess in ancient Egyptian religion, often depicted as a protective deity. The video mentions Bastet in the context of cat worship, showing her statue holding ritual objects, which indicates her role in religious ceremonies and the domestic sphere.

💡Amulet

An amulet is an object believed to provide protection or ward off evil. The video describes amulets in the form of cats, which were worn as jewelry or placed on mummies, indicating the widespread cultural and religious significance of cats in ancient Egypt.

💡Colonial Background

The colonial background refers to the historical context where European powers controlled and collected artifacts from colonized regions. The video discusses the museum's collections in light of this background, acknowledging the ethical considerations of displaying and preserving cultural artifacts from other regions.

💡Pedagogy and Partnerships

Pedagogy refers to the methods and strategies used for teaching, while partnerships imply collaborative efforts. The video mentions these as the museum's approach to dealing with its colonial past, focusing on education and collaboration with hosting authorities and researchers, which reflects a modern, more inclusive approach to museum curation and research.

Highlights

Catteries existed around cat temples in ancient Egypt where cats were raised.

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) is a hidden gem museum on the University of Chicago campus.

ISAC's collection spans from prehistory to the Early Middle Ages, covering 5,000 BCE to the 6th century AD.

ISAC focuses on the Middle and Near East, particularly Egypt and Sudan, with an archaeological collection of approximately 350,000 artifacts.

Only 2% of ISAC's artifacts are on display, with the rest in storage.

A painted stela from the Third Intermediate Period is a highlight of the collection, showcasing exceptional artistry.

Archaeological findings can evoke existential questions and connect us to ancient people.

Cats were deeply integrated into religion and the economy in ancient Egypt.

Cats were beloved pets in ancient Egypt, with accounts of people risking their lives to save them.

The ancient Egyptian word for cat is 'miu'.

The cat's cultural and religious importance is evident through statues, rituals, and the language used to describe them.

The goddess Sekhmet, depicted as a lioness, is a top-level deity in the Egyptian pantheon.

The myth of Sekhmet's anger and its resolution with dyed beer illustrates the Egyptian view of divinity.

The goddess Bastet represents the gentler side of feline deities, in contrast to Sekhmet.

Cat mummies were created through a process of purification, wrapping, and presentation to the deity.

In the late 1800s, approximately 180,000 cat mummies were exported from Egypt to the UK for use as fertilizer.

Amulet jewelry depicting cats was worn for protection and to show devotion to feline deities.

The enduring love for cats is evident in modern times, with a mystical quality still attributed to them.

ISAC is committed to pedagogy and partnerships, engaging with the modern era and listening to visitors.

The museum's approach to its collections is to recreate the mindset of the people who created the artifacts.

ISAC's collection is not just focused on monumental artifacts but also on understanding the social practices of the past.

Transcripts

From the text, and this is very, very clear,

it's written down in the economic texts,

that around these cat temples there would be large pens

where cats were raised.

-Ah! -Catteries.

What were they doing with the cats?

-Well... -[both chuckle]

[bright music]

I'm taking you to one

of my favorite hidden gem museums in Chicago,

but the problem is I don't want it to be a hidden gem.

It is one of the coolest places I have come across.

It's on the University of Chicago campus.

It is free, but they close at four o'clock,

so I gotta hustle.

Right across the street from the main quad

is this archeology museum,

known as the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures.

I came here to learn more

about cat worship in ancient Egypt

but first wanted to talk with the museum's chief curator,

Dr. Marc Maillot, to learn more about the museum itself.

So from a chronological standpoint,

we cover everything from prehistory

to the Early Middle Ages,

basically 5,000 BCE right up until 6th century AD.

With the new integrations

like the Islamic collection display case,

we can go as far as sometime before 14th century.

Our main focus is Middle and Near East,

the entire Nile Valley, so Egypt and Sudan.

But also the very particular aspect

of ISAC is that it's relying on an archeological collection

of approximately 350,000 artifacts.

Only 2% of them are on display.

What are some of the highlights,

not only in the collections themselves,

but stuff that people can see in the gallery?

There is one specific wooden painted stela that I love,

where you have the divine priestess

of Amun, Djed-Khonsu Amun,

who is presenting an offering to the god Ra-Horakhty,

Third Intermediate Period.

This is an exceptional piece

because of the imagination of the artist

that was able to recreate a feeling

of transparency in the costume

without mastering perspective.

You can see the artist crying out of the object.

(Emily) Oh wow.

Is that something that surprises you,

the thing that we, today, we feel so separated

from ancient people and ancient cultures?

But are there things that come up where you're like,

"Ancient people are just like us"?

(Marc) On an archeological site, for example,

you can find in a brick that's not perfectly cooked

the footprint of a dog that was just passing by.

Having access to that puts you also

into a specific mindset regarding

your own meaning in life.

Like, no big deal, just everything you see

elicits an existential question

within yourself when you come here.

I'm French. I guess that goes with it.

[both laugh]

-It's a cultural necessity. -Yes, exactly.

That's what I want people to experience when they walk

into a museum like this,

is each one of these objects is like a little snip at a time.

(Marc) We should get out of the idea

that visiting a museum is exceptional,

but it should be a reflex--

as I like to say often, a cultural reflex.

Namely, you come here when you want

to check up something, like a dictionary, for example.

You should tailor your own needs depending on your curiosity

and your eagerness to learn,

and to do that more as a city.

-I mean Chicago. -Yeah.

And not just neighborhoods.

(Emily) I told Marc that I was super curious

about cat worship, so we had to go check one out.

So as you can see here,

this is the mask of a cat mummy,

so you have this constant play in Egyptian art

between the lioness and the cat,

to actually make sure that the entire scope

of any given attribution also linked to the female nature

is covered by the god in question.

(Emily) I had to know more,

and for that, I was lucky to talk with one

of the most world-renowned scholars in Egyptology.

Well, I'm Emily Teeter.

I'm an Egyptologist.

So my specialty is the languages and the culture.

And my special interest is objects,

the weirder the better.

[light upbeat music]

Yeah, and that's when I start rooting

through textual evidence and comparanda

and try to figure out what is this thing

and how it fits into that larger question

of religion and daily life.

(Emily G) We're looking at the topic of, like, felines, cats.

I'm a cat person; lots of cat people at home.

There's a general understanding

that cats had a huge cultural importance,

religious importance, in ancient Egypt.

But I don't even think I understand the extent of it.

(Emily T) Cats are huge in ancient Egypt.

A particular interest that I have in them

is their function in religion and the economy

because these two things very much overlap.

First of all, we're used to seeing

these beautiful statues of cats,

and there are some accounts.

For example, Herodotus talks about cats were so beloved

that people would run into burning houses to save a cat,

and that there were rituals when a cat dies.

People would go into mourning.

There were cats all over Egypt.

Some of them lived happy, long lives.

In fact, we know that there were cat pets.

And I love, the ancient Egyptian word for cat is miu.

-Aw. -(both) Miu.

(Emily T) A very famous cat monument is,

there's a big stone sarcophagus.

The cat's name is Ta Miu, which means the kitty.

-Aw. -Made by one of the kings

of the 18th dynasty apparently for his pet cat

who passed away.

But on the other hand, what we know from archeology

and the contemporary text is a little bit different.

They had a huge religious significance.

For example, this statue here that shows a lioness, Sekhmet,

and you see she has a sun disk on top of her head

because this goddess was the daughter of the sun god Ra.

And Ra is one of the most important gods

in Egyptian religion.

And so you get this idea of the feline

being among the very top levels of the pantheon.

The myths about Sekhmet talk about her getting really cranky

with mankind because they were dissing her father Ra.

She told the God she's gonna go out and kill everybody,

kill all humankind.

-Ah, okay, cool. -Just kill 'em all.

Yeah, sounds good.

And so the gods' solution was even better.

-Ah. -They dyed a lot of beer red

and spread it all over Egypt.

And it looked like rivers of blood,

and she started lapping it up,

and she got drunk and fell asleep.

-Nice. -And just forgot about the whole thing.

[both laughing]

-Oh, classic. -So that's the fierce side.

That is a fierce side of Sekhmet,

and you didn't want to mess with Sekhmet.

And then here we have a really cute little one.

This is the goddess Bastet,

and she's holding ritual objects.

She's holding what's called a sistrum in her right paw.

And then in her other hand, she is carrying,

another ritual instrument.

The Egyptians love duality,

or when the goddess is happy, she is Bastet.

When she's not happy, she's Sekhmet.

Ah, what is this context where it's her,

another deity, and then Osiris?

Is this like a trifecta of--

-Yeah. -Strength and power?

-(Emily T) It's loading 'em on. -Okay.

If you can have three gods, why not have three gods?

And here in front of you, we have,

-it looks like a torpedo. -(Emily G) Yeah.

With little pointy ears,

and that is a cat mummy.

Some cats were eviscerated, as were human mummies.

More often they were not.

But they would be purified with incense

and smeared with a tar-like substance

like a resin or a bituminous substance

and then wrapped with linen.

And the whole idea of the wrapping,

it alludes to the god Osiris,

who's the main god of the dead.

He was the first mummy.

Egyptian myths are kind of bizarre.

He is killed by his brother,

and his body is chopped up into a lot of pieces.

And his faithful wife Isis,

gathers the pieces together, wraps them as a mummy,

and then he impregnates his wife.

The dead guy impregnates his wife.

So that is the icon of "from death becomes life."

So they indicate rebirth.

From the text, and this is very, very clear,

it's written down in the economic texts,

that around these cat temples,

there would be large pens where cats were raised.

-Ah. -Catteries.

What were they doing with the cats?

-Well... -[both laugh]

So we know from the remains of cat mummies

and also from texts

that the priests who raised these cats

would cull the herds,

and they'd take the kittens, like three or four months old.

-Oh no. -And wring their necks.

Oh no!

-No! -And then mummify them

-and present them as-- -That's so sad.

It is sad, but it made the deities so happy.

(Emily G) Ah, okay.

And when the gods are happy, Egypt is happy.

It means the sun comes up. It means the river floods.

It means everything is just wonderful.

-Yeah. -And so this is part

of this big cycle of the universe.

This was very, very big business in ancient Egypt.

In gift shops, you'll see statues

of Egyptian cats standing very regally

and sometimes a little gold earring,

and those are usually cat coffins.

The cat was actually considered to be the representation

of the ba or the spirit of these feline goddesses.

Egyptian religion was really transactional.

You give something to the god

because you want something from the god.

So offerings are major, major, major.

For example, a cat deity like Sekhmet,

you would offer her like a little statue

or a mummified cat.

We have cat cemeteries.

-Wow. -They're actually "catacombs."

[laughs] Of course.

Is that really where the word catacomb comes from?

-No, no. -Oh gosh.

-I don't believe so. -That would be hilarious.

How can you not say "catacomb," right?

No, yeah, that makes sense.

So this whole process is the cats would be mummified.

They'd be presented to the deity,

and then according to the text,

several times a year, all of these cat mummies,

some of them in containers,

the bronze coffins or wooden cases,

would then be taken by the priest down

to the catacombs underneath the temple.

In the late 1800s, there's a record

of something like about 180,000 cat mummies

that were exported to the UK for fertilizer.

-A hundred eighty thous-- -Thousand cats.

Cats for fertilizer?

-Kind of sad, isn't it? -Oh.

[laughs]

-I mean-- -I'm sorry to laugh.

No, I think it's really interesting 'cause--

-It's just amazing-- -Yeah.

180,000 cat mummies,

and that's from one site apparently.

Oh goodness. What are these itty-bitty things?

(Emily T) These are called amulets,

and amulets are kind of like good-luck charms.

So these were often protective charms worn by living people.

They were also placed on mummies.

They're beautifully detailed.

They're made out of faience,

which is like a quartz-based pottery.

And when it's fired, it gives this sort of blue-green,

or green and then blue-green.

And they show Sekhmet in this little itty-bitty one,

which, it would be probably put on a necklace and worn.

And so these could be sold

to people who wanted something to show their love-

-Yeah. -For Sekhmet or Bastet.

The love for cats.

Today, even today,

people are still wearing amulets and jewelry of cats.

-(Emily T) That's right. -To show our cat love.

Not very Egyptian.

Part of the reason I wanted to do this video is, like,

I love cats; the audience loves cats.

There's just something universal,

whether or not we today are assigning like god-like power

to our own felines.

It's almost even today, they have a sort of

mystical quality to them.

Maybe that's why we're still like,

"Can't quite figure you out."

There's some mystery there.

(Emily T) Well, exactly, because they are unpredictable.

With many things, the Egyptians were so prolific,

created so much wonderful architecture and statues,

and it's just amazing, the output of this group.

Every time I learn something new,

every time I look at a temple wall a little differently.

Luckily with this culture, we have got an endless supply

of material culture of objects.

And then the written texts are also just phenomenal.

And so we have the ability to try to go in

and get into their heads.

What were these people like?

And that's what really got me interested in this study.

It's like, who were these people?

(Emily G) I do keep thinking about something

that Dr. Teeter mentioned,

which is about the abundance of material

that still exists from this culture,

including objects removed from Egypt

and placed in museums like ISAC's.

Also until 2023,

they were still using the name "Oriental Institute,"

which is confusing geographically

and also seemed to ignore the use

of Oriental as an offensive term.

So I went back to Marc with my questions.

Can't deny that in a place like ISAC,

there is a little bit of a colonial background.

And what are you doing now in light of that,

knowing that a lot of the collections come

from those places, but also knowing

that you're continuing to work in those areas?

Pedagogy and partnerships,

these are the two main pillars.

So after 1972, it was not allowed anymore

to buy or own, you know,

artifacts, collections coming from overseas.

As for everything that's coming before 1972,

this is a collection that's a wonderful tool

for fundamental research;

also the spreading of knowledge

for general, you know, human history.

We are open to the change in trends in the modern era,

and we are listening to the people

that are actually visiting our galleries.

Most of the time, it's, you know,

in partnership with hosting authorities

and very concretely, for example, where

through co-directorships on archeological excavations.

So it only works if you have a very long-term approach

where you actually have the equipment, the staff,

and the time to train, you know,

the people on a long-term basis.

So it's not even that like, the conservation science,

you know, is the only part that's advancing

in terms of the technology,

but also like the way that you're able

to deepen social partnerships

and be able to look at synergies

in research, like what you're doing here

and what you can facilitate in Chicago

-and how that can go overseas. -Exactly.

It's an extension of the museum.

The museum doesn't exist here in just this space, but it's--

-No. -You have a partnership

with people, educators, researchers, all over the world.

One of the particularities of ISAC as a museum,

it's that it's not just interested

in, you know, the big monumental, shiny things.

It's also trying to recreate the mindset

of the people that created all these artifacts

in the first place through the context

but through social practices, too.

So yes, as you can see,

the ripple effect can cross millennia.

Yeah, I love that.

I love this museum

because it's about the human experience.

Sometimes that means relating to it,

like looking for cat lovers throughout history,

and sometimes that means using it

as the basis for change.

Either way, acknowledging the past is critical to growing,

both as people and as places.

Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

[light upbeat music]

It still has brains on it.