Two cats surmounting a box for an animal mummy
Bastet was a powerful goddess of Lower Egypt, one who was protective and could bring about great prosperity. In zoomorphic form, she was represented as a cat and cats were considered sacred to her. As a cat, she is poised and alert, on guard against external forces. Here two cats surmount a square box that would have once held an animal mummy. Such mummy boxes were deposited in catacombs alongside linen-wrapped cat mummies, as at the extensive catacombs at Bubastis and Saqqara.
Artwork Details
- Title: Two cats surmounting a box for an animal mummy
- Period: Late Period–Ptolemaic Period
- Date: 664–30 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt
- Medium: Cupreous metal
- Dimensions: H. 9.4 cm (3 11/16 in.); W. 8.7 cm (3 7/16 in.); D. 6.8 cm (2 11/16 in.)
- Credit Line: Gift of Darius Ogden Mills, 1904
- Object Number: 04.2.601
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
200–150 B.C.
332–250 B.C.
ca. 1000–945 B.C.
ca. 1000–945 B.C.
595–526 B.C.
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.