Collection
/
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

Mummified Cat

305 B.C.E.–395 C.E.

1 of 5

Caption

Mummified Cat, 305 B.C.E.–395 C.E.. Animal remains, linen, pigment, 14 7/8 × 2 3/4 × 3 3/4 in. (37.8 × 7 × 9.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 05.307. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 05.307_PS9.jpg)

Gallery

Not on view

Title

Mummified Cat

Date

305 B.C.E.–395 C.E.

Period

Ptolemaic Period to Roman Period

Geography

Place made: Egypt

Medium

Animal remains, linen, pigment

Classification

Remains, Animal

Dimensions

14 7/8 × 2 3/4 × 3 3/4 in. (37.8 × 7 × 9.5 cm)

Credit Line

Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

Accession Number

05.307

Rights

Creative Commons-BY

You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.

Frequent Art Questions

  • How and why did they mummify animals?

    Animals were mummified much the same way humans were. The internal organs would be removed and the body would be treated with salt to dry it out. Later it would be wrapped and covered with resin. Frequently, what were sold as animal mummies were "false" mummies; the ibis here, for example, is just some feathers and stuffing wrapped up in linen.
    The mummies were believed to deliver one's wishes, gratitude, of messages to the gods, animal mummies functioned as votive offerings to the gods and the deceased.

  • Do you have any other special information about mummified animals?

    Certainly! It is believed that most animal mummies were created as offerings to various gods. Sometimes the wealthy could mummify their pets to be buried with them, too.
    Is there a specific reason to offer animals to the gods?
    Offerings of food, animals and other objects were made to the gods for a multitude of reasons. People would make offerings while asking a god for assistance or to thank a god for something good. Certain animals were offered to certain gods, and at certain times. For example, the ibis being offered to Thoth which I just described. Another example is during a funeral procession when sometimes a jackal's skin would be placed in an offering to Anubis, who is often represented as a jackal, and is believed to be the guardian of mummies.
    Cool that makes sense
    It makes complete sense to want to offer something special to Anubis so he would protect your mummy and safely escort you to the netherworld!

  • Did the Egyptians keep pets

    Yes! Cats and dogs, and even baboons and other animals have been known as pets, and are depicted in tomb reliefs, pottery and jewelry.
    Thanks

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