Egyptian Dreams

[Toth]

That first attempt to start this thread obviously failed, retry:

Recently I posted this image of a (Ptolematic) Statue of Bastet:


, which opened a discussion on the rounded ears of the cat, and the request for a separate thread was posted, so... here it is!

Later I posted this one to reply the rendered golden computer image:

Let's have this one in stead (this is the Gayer-Anderson Cat; Made out of bronze, from the Late Period about 664-332 BC. It is a representation of the cat-goddess Bastet. The cat wears jewellery and a protective wedjat amulet. A winged scarab appears on the chest and head. This sculpture is now known as the Gayer-Anderson cat, after its donor to The British Museum, where it still resides):


@ Ranoferhotep Even though this is a real cat, please note the rounded ears, but doesn't she look proud, a real goddess? Was it fashionable or admiration to give a Bastet statue golden earrings?

Richard, aka
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[img]http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/8fc1c47be2.png[/img]
[i][b][color=#0080FF]Toth[/color][/b][/i]

[Ranoferhotep]

I guess this will take us some time to get out, whether cats had rounded or pointy ears. I found these originals, also late period which are well known depictions of Bastet.


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[Toth]

[Ranoferhotep]

Hello Toth, I guess you stumbled on a special statue. It is hard to tell whether the statue is damaged. Meanwhile I found another late period example, the tips of the ears are also rounded, but I guess this is more because these statues were probably made in large quantities reusing the same malls to cast them.


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[Robson]

I simply adore the Louvre's cats

[Toth]

[Ranoferhotep]

A cast 300 BC may be called an ancient one. It is a very interesting article about the Gayer-Anderson cat.
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[Toth]

[Calypsos]

[Ranoferhotep]

I think we all can agree that this is definitely a cast representing a cat. Lion’s, even baby lions, though they belong to the same family, have quite a different build, and are represented in A.E. art also accordingly.
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[Toth]

[Daughter_Of_SETI]

[Toth]

[Daughter_Of_SETI]

I believe the cats around in Ancient Egyptian times were the felis chaus (Jungle Cat): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FelisChausMunsiari1.jpg felis silvestris lybica (African Wildcat): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AfricanWildCat.jpg and felis serval (Serval): http://www.wild-about-you.com/Images/galleryServal1L.jpg
These all seem to have rounded ears, like their modern decendants; Chausie, Abyssinian, Egyptian Mau, Savannah, Serengeti, etc. It makes me wonder if the pointed representation is an artistic way of showing the flared ears? Cats always seem to have a more "wild" look when they point or twist their ears...maybe they're showing a more "dominant" side to the cat?? This could especially be the case in drawn/painted depictions, but maybe not so much in sculpted versions, as they would have to show a twist to the ears, too??
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In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this - Terry Pratchett.

[Toth]