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From Saqqara, Egypt: Late Period, after 600 BC
Height: 42.000 cm
Width: 13.000 cm
Gift of Major Robert Grenville Gayer-Anderson
EA 64391
Room 4: Egyptian sculpture
Animals
Egyptian cat
In ancient Egypt, the cat was the special animal of the goddess Bastet, and the Egyptians thought that prayers made to cats would be heard by the goddess. This cat is made of bronze and wearing gold jewellery to show how important it is.
The other picture on the left was drawn in the Netherlands in 1657, when cats were kept to get rid of mice. Look closely at the picture - has this cat done his job properly?