I recently finished a post on the Superstition of Black Cats, and it got me thinking again about Bastet in ancient Egypt. What I didn’t realize is that her influence and impact was far reaching, woven into practically every culture she touched. She has even made it to modern day by way of a resurgence of interest in the 19th and 20th centuries into the mythology she was born from and, of course, by our love for our housecats.
When I started my research, I thought that I would be learning that the ancients just adored their cats and that was why they wanted to be buried with them. However, Bastet, was so much more. Her assumed relationship to witchcraft in my mind makes sense now, as her ties to women and the sacred feminine became very clear as I dug deeper. What I will touch on in this post is not only her origin, but also her morph into more of a dual role in ancient myth, and her relationship with her sister Sekhmet. I will wrap up with her ties to witchcraft and our modern day culture.
So sit back, grab a saucer of milk, and lets begin…
Origins of Bastet
Bastet was a daughter of Ra, god of the Sun, and sister of Sekhmet, Goddess of War and Destruction. Between 2890 and 2670 BCE, Bastet was a popular deity for both men and women, as she represented defense from invaders for both the general populous as well as in the home. Warriors were known to keep images of the goddess with them in battle, and statues in the home were honored by the women, especially those who were pregnant or giving birth, as she had special protections relating to fertility and family. Live cats were sacred to the ancients, in that they not only were the goddess personified, but also helped keep vermin from their crops and food stores. This ultimately keeping disease and the pest population at bay.
She was primarily worshiped in Bubastis, in lower Egypt, and worshippers from all over would travel there to bury their cats and honor her. Her clergy included both men and women, and the great festival of Bastet was a time when they could all let loose and celebrate which, I’m sure, helped cement her connections with fertility. Honoring the goddess Bastet instead of Sekhmet may have been more popular with commoners such as farmers, housewives, and soldiers, which is perhaps why her image ended up being so widespread.
In one myth, Ra sent her to humanity to punish them for their sins, so she came down as the lioness to execute his will. Her punishment built on itself to the point where it became an unstoppable force, so chaotic that even the Gods felt it was too much. They called her back and Ra decided that the world needed more balance, giving her strength but also mercy. My guess is, that was the start of her evolving into the Cat Goddess we are familiar with today.
Duality of Bastet
Bastet is often linked closely with her sister, Sekhmet, who not only was the goddess of War, but also of Destruction and Plague. Bastet was also called upon in times of war, but was different from her sister in that when she was invoked by warriors she became the Lioness, and when invoked by those in the home, her personification was that of a housecat. Over time, Bastet’s image evolved with the political climate and became softer. She moved the protection she afforded from the overall city, to a more personal touch over the homestead, which was central to the Egyptian culture. Her protection over fertility not only touched on humans, but also agriculture and crops, and through that she became a symbol of prosperity.
By the 18th dynasty, Bast (Bastet) became the guardian of the home, love, fertility, and motherhood. A reference in Wikipedia mentions that when that shift happened was when the scribes added the feminine “et” to the end of her name. She was a fierce protector of the people who honored her, and reflected a dual role with that idea. She could nurture in the home, but also destroy enemies. She could bring life through childbirth, but also death to those who threatened the families she protected. It is her duality of light and dark that I believe made her such a well-rounded goddess, and continues to attract those who seek balance in their lives between chaos and calm.
The afterlife, and preparation for it, was an important part of the Egyptian culture. Between 2134 and 2040 BCE Bastet became protector of the dead, which was an extension of the care and protection she afforded to the living.
Differences between Bastet and Sekhmet
Sekhmet, a lioness goddess, was the goddess of War, Destruction, Plague, and Healing, and was known as “The Lady of Slaughter.” She was a warrior goddess as well as a goddess of medicine, which goes hand in hand on the battlefield if you think about it. She was the vengeful personification of Ra’s power, whose sole purpose was divine wrath and justice in her father’s name, and was said to breathe fire. While she was called to cause plagues, she was also called upon to heal the sick.
Bast (Bastet) started as a lioness goddess as well, but her personality was tempered with compassion and nurturing, and she was sometimes known as “The Lady of the East.” She was the goddess of the Sun, and was known to defend the kings, often shown fighting snakes which were a threat to the ancient Egyptians. This quote from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is helpful in seeing where that idea came from as she did the same for her father, Ra.
It was believed that every day she would ride through the sky with her father, the sun god Ra. As his boat pulled the sun through the sky she would watch over and protect him. At night, she would turn into a cat to protect Ra from his greatest enemy, the serpent Apep. – Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum – Bastet (Bast)
She also afforded protection against contagious diseases (possibly those brought on by her sister) and evil spirits, which is maybe when she made the move to protecting everyone in the afterlife as well. When Bastet’s temple in Bubastis, was excavated between 1887 and 1889, over 300,000 mummified cats were found there, showing the importance of the animal so sacred to her in ancient Egypt. I read that people came from all over the region to bury their pets there.
Eventually the differences were thought of as two sides of a coin in one Goddess, blending and often confusing between the two separate beings that each had their own lives and duties. There is some confusion on the consorts and who their children were, which sometimes leads folks to believe they were the same entity. Ultimately, while Sekhmet draws comparisons to the Hindu goddess, Kali, it was Bastet that went on to be absorbed into Greek myth by way of Artemis (Diana) of Olympus or going back further to Hestia (Vesta) of the Titans.
Bastet’s influence on Witchcraft
Similar to other Goddesses who protected the home, Bastet’s duties included oversight of home, hearth, women’s childbirth, children’s health, and protections against infectious diseases and evil spirits. Her eventual connection to the Moon and the lunar cycle is something you see with the deities who were honored by women, as it tied directly into women’s health and fertility. What is interesting is that she represented both the nurturing and fierce side of motherhood, which I believe is what made her so approachable for the common people, women especially, who needed to be protective and capable with the absence of their warrior husbands.
She was worshipped for over 3,000 years, although some would argue that her influence never died, and her temple was central to her home of Bubastis. Because the cat was Bastet personified, and she was so beloved, someone who killed a cat, even accidently, could be punished by death. People were so serious about their housecats that when one died, it is said that the household shaved off their eyebrows in mourning. They have also been found buried with the pharaohs.
During the witch persecutions, which occurred intensely in Europe between 1450-1750, the cat (especially black) was tied to witchcraft with the help of the Catholic Church by way of an official document titled “Vox in Rama.” I found a great article by Sidney Trasser on the Mt. St. Joseph University website that gives a breakdown and more links to check out on this topic. My guess is that it was during that time that cats may have picked up some of the fear myths you hear such as “cats steal a babies breath” or “bad luck will come if they cross your path.” I found it interesting that historical figures such as Caesar, Hitler, and Napoleon suffered from an intense fear of cats called Ailurophobia, which should honestly tell you which side of the truth the cats all stood on. In my humble opinion, of course.
Bastet is associated with dance, music, pleasure, perfume, all things that are blended into the rituals used in witchcraft and to make a house a home. Herbs that are tied to her include catmint (of course), rose, lemon balm, and honeysuckle. Turquoise and Black Tourmaline are crystals associated with her, as are the statues of her in either her full cat form, or seated woman with cat head (pictured above). She safeguards the home, children and health, women’s secrets and fertility. Perhaps the men had been away from home too long fighting amongst themselves and started to fear the power of community the women had built while they were away. The fear mongering spread by the church as countries were changing from polytheism to monotheism, and during the witch trials, creates a pretty clear picture of what happened to the beloved gods and goddesses revered by the locals. It was conform or be persecuted… not much of a choice, especially by today’s standards.
Bastet in Modern Day
Private practitioners still honor her and by a stretch even those who own a cat pay her homage in a small way. Bastet lives on in many of the things we use on a daily basis such as perfumes and air sprays, stones and jewelry, and the well-being and caregiving of women and children. Where we build community and care for one another, she will be there, protecting those who we hold sacred. And the furry friends we keep in our circle? They are still watching over us and providing love and protection… but on their terms. Because, well… you know… they are cats.
Some fun facts about cats I want to pass on before I leave that I learned from an article, 20 Surprising Cat Facts You’ve Never Heard by Alesandra Dubin of Good Housekeeping:
- Orange tabbies are most likely male, and Calicos are most likely female
- Cats don’t meow to each other, it was developed to communicate with humans
- Researchers believe that a cat’s purr has healing powers (I believe this to be true, ever have one in your lap when you are sad?)
- When they “make biscuits” they feel safe (also a great mood lifter-upper)
I had a great deal of fun checking this goddess out, and now can’t unsee all of the ties to the Greek goddesses I love to write about. I love learning about why as a culture we think the way we do, and just how long we’ve been at it. I believe learning about why we fear something removes the fear… which is why I keep going further down the rabbit hole as I research topics for my current WIP. Besides, I love learning… how about you?
Keep scrolling if you want to do a deeper dive, or learn more about what I write. In the meantime, happy reading! XO
Resources:
These are some resources I found helpful as I researched this topic:
Articles:
https://www.msj.edu/news/2024/02/the-power-of-black-cats.html
https://www.witchyhocuspocus.com/blogs/witchy-hocus-pocus/deities-bastet
The best way to keep up with me and to get the most current news about what I’m writing is to follow me on my newsletter. My subscribers hear all about my Books, Travels, and Shenanigans, and get first dibs on my new releases!
Sign up at the link here to be part of my Journey! https://bit.ly/DAHennemanNewsletter
For my Goddesses in Love series, the best link is:
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information about subsidiary rights, please contact the author at saraybooksllc@gmail.com. You can find the Author’s Privacy & AI use policy here: https://dahenneman.com/home/privacy-policy-for-d-a-henneman-author-saraybooks-llc/.
