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This medal has been minted to commemorate the ancient Egyptian art and mythology.
Signed; J. Joachim
Cats in ancient Egypt were
represented in social and religious practices of Ancient
Egypt for more than 30 centuries. Several Ancient Egyptian deities were
depicted and sculptured with cat-like heads such as Mafdet, Bastet and Sekhmet,
representing justice, fertility and power. The deity Mut was
also depicted as a cat and in the company of a cat.
av. The cat
rv. The symbolic motives of the ancient Egyptian art and mythology
diameter – 81 mm, (ca 3¼“)
weight
– 237.60 gr (8.38 oz)
metal – bronze, authentic artistic black patina
Cats were praised for killing venomous snakes and
protecting the Pharaoh since at
least the First Dynasty of Egypt. Skeletal remains of cats
were found among funerary goods dating to the 12th Dynasty. The protective function of cats is
indicated in the Book of the Dead, where a cat
represents Ra and the benefits
of the sun for life on Earth. Cat-shaped decorations used during the New Kingdom of Egypt indicate that the
cat cult became more popular
in daily life. Cats were depicted in association with the name of Bastet.
Cat cemeteries at the archaeological sites Speos Artemidos, Bubastis and Saqqara were used
for several centuries. They contained vast numbers of cat mummies and cat
statues that are exhibited in museum collections worldwide. Among the
mummified animals excavated in Gizeh, the African wildcat (Felis
lybica) is the most common cat followed by the jungle cat (Felis chaus). In view of the huge number of cat mummies
found in Egypt, the cat cult was certainly important for the country's economy,
as it required breeding of cats and a trading network for the supply of food,
oils and resins for embalming them.