All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2020 worldatlas.com. Tauret is also regarded as the Goddess of fertility. The solar god of resurrection Khepri was personified as a scarab god. Crocodiles were even kept as sacred animals in the temples of the god Sobek. Ferrets were used to keep granaries free of rats and mice. The three studied animals had a spiritual value in ancient Egypt. There are various symbols that define Ancient Egypt’s spectacular place in history. This gazelle mummy has straw stuffing but may contain some animal parts. The main animals found as pets in ancient Egypt were cats, monkeys and falcons. Bulls were far from the only sacred creatures in ancient Egypt. They were not, however, particularly sentimental about these pets. Animals of all kinds were significant to the Ancient Egyptians. Animals were an incredibly important part of life in Ancient Egypt. Both pets and wild animals were incredibly important to Egyptian society, from mummified cats to chariot-pulling stallions. Sacred Animals of Ancient Egypt Gallery By Robert Partridge Last updated 2011-02-17 Animals of all kinds were important to the Ancient Egyptians, and … Individual animals were selected to represent a god on earth. Among the ancient Egyptian animals, the scarab beetle occupies a special position. Some pharaohs even kept lions and Sudanese cheetahs as household pets. Some exotic birds such … Many families kept dogs as pets and gave them loving names. Camels came to be used for longer desert travel much as they are today. Thoth the god of writing and knowledge was shown with an ibis head. Ancient Egyptians used donkeys as the primary beasts of burden. The legendary Apis Bull was a sacred animal from the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150 – 2613 BCE who represented the god Ptah. Egyptian chariot.Carlo Lasinio (Engraver), Giuseppe Angelelli , Salvador Cherubini, Gaetano Rosellini (Artists), Ippolito Rosellini (Author) / Public domain. ‘Cat’ is derived from the North African word for the animal, quattah and, given the cat’s close association with Egypt, almost every European nation adopted a variation on this word. Cattle were very important in the daily lives of the ancient Egyptians. Heqet their goddess of childbirth was a frog goddess frequently portrayed as a frog or as a frog-headed woman. In ancient Egypt, what we call demons were not necessarily evil, nor were the fantastic animals portrayed in their midst. The ancient Egyptians farmed several cattle breeds. These creatures certainly weren’t wild anymore, […] They were rarely ridden or used for ploughing, Camels were domesticated in Arabia and were barely known in Egypt until the Persian conquest, The most popular ancient Egyptian pet was the cat. A dedicated animal lover reached out to PETA Asia Pacific in February 2015 and they started a petition called "Urge Egypt … Thoth has a human body and an ibis’s head. She was depicted as the protector of the pharaoh occasionally shown nursing children. The big cats like the lion and the cheetah were also animals in ancient Egypt that served as symbols of power and royalty. Egyptologists often find pets mummified and buried with their owners.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'givemehistory_com-box-3','ezslot_3',104,'0','0'])); All ancient Egyptians were raised to be sensitive to an animal’s chief characteristics. Thanks to the nourishing waters of the Nile, ancient Egypt was home to numerous species of wild animals including jackals, lions, crocodiles, hippos and snakes. She is commonly associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Elephants were used for a brief period of time but lack of sufficient grazing land discouraged this practice. The Egyptians understanding of specific animal’s characteristics was broad and extensive, but often was limited to animals … The cobra symbolized Goddess "Wedjat," the matron and protector of Lower Egypt, which was featured on the crowns of Egypt's rulers. These days, Egypt does not have many crocodiles, as they can’t swim past the great concrete Aswan dam that now blocks the River Nile. They symbolised power and strength. Egyptian gods were depicted either in their full animal attributes or with the body of a man or woman and the head of an animal. Perhaps, one of the few ancient communities who regarded animals as sacred was the Egyptian community. Certain animals were closely associated with or sacred to individual deities and an individual animal may be selected to represent a god on earth. The skin of these beasts were also highly prized and She was the protector of their hearth and home and the goddess of fertility. Frogs belong to the category of ‘amphibians.’ These cold-blooded animals hibernate in the winter and go through bits of transformation during their life cycle. They were fattened decorated with ostrich plumes and paraded in ceremonial processions before being slaughtered. They were raised for their milk, meat, eggs, fat, wool, leather, skins and horn. New non-invasive technology has been used to digitally unwrap three animal mummies in Britain. Animals mummies come in four main types; the mummies of pets, the mummies of sacred animal, animals mummified as offerings to a god who was associated with that animal, and mummies that were burial provisions placed in or … It is Even the animal dung was dried and used as fuel and fertiliser. In fact, some of the domesticated animals that we know today have their origins in ancient Egypt. They often had cats, dogs, ferrets, baboons, gazelles, Vervet monkeys, hoopoes, ibis, falcons and doves. They were often kept as pets in royal households. Rams also played an important role in the religion of ancient Egypt. Donkeys were used in ancient Egypt and were frequently shown on tomb walls. They received offerings of food, drink and clothing. Respect and veneration for animals was a fundamental aspect of their traditions. Zebu, a subspecies of domestic cattle with a distinctive humped back was introduced during the New Kingdom from the Levant. Once Osiris merged with Ptah the Apis Bull was believed to host the god Osiris himself. He was believed to patronise the wise scribes who handled the administration of Egypt. The nearly 80 gods occupying the Egyptian pantheon were seen as being manifestations of the Supreme Being in his different roles or as his agents. Griffin – the Beast of War, was the creature with head, wings, and talons of an eagle on a lion’s body. Initially, horses were luxury commodities. Mules, the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse had been bred since the time of the New Kingdom in Egypt. Domestic chickens didn’t appear until Egypt’s New Kingdom. Mules were more common during the Graeco-Roman period, as horses became cheaper. These dogs were probably pets of the royal household. After an Apis bull died, the body was mummified and buried in the “Serapeum” in a massive stone sarcophagus typically weighing over 60 tons.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'givemehistory_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_6',116,'0','0'])); Thanks to the nourishing waters of the Nile, ancient Egypt was home to numerous species of wild animals including jackals, lions, crocodiles, hippos and snakes. Ferrets were used to keep granaries free of rats and mice. Ancient Egyptians believed their gods had intricate connections with the four elements of air, earth, water and fire, to nature and to animals. Cats were very important animals in Ancient Egypt, they were both pets and symbols of cat gods such as Bast. Egyptians worshipped the jackal as the jackal God Anubis, the Egyptian God associated with afterlife and mummification. Dogs even had their own spots in cemeteries. Dogs were man’s best friend even in ancient Egypt. Stray animals like cats and dogs are all around the streets of Egypt. Based on rare depictions, such as an inscription found in Horemheb’s tomb, horses appear to have been ridden bareback and without the aid of stirrups. Each was represented as humans, animals or as part-human and part-animal aspects. Cats are perhaps the most sacred of all Ancient Egyptian animals. There were also a lot of different types of birds and fish. Goat meat consumed by both Egypt’s upper and lower classes. Egyptians in the towns and cities generally preferred the cooler and less itchy linen and later the lighter cotton to wool for their clothing.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'givemehistory_com-box-4','ezslot_4',112,'0','0'])); Ancient Egyptian cat mummy.Rama / CC BY-SA 3.0 FR. This has provided new insights into the dark secrets of the ancient Egyptian practice of animal mummification. In the article below, we take a look at the most sacred animals of ancient Egyptian times. Dogs were also used for hunting and as guard dogs. Sacred Animals: There were many sacred animals in ancient Egypt besides cats. Hence, the crocodile was given a divine status by these people in the hope that worshipping the crocodile God would keep them safe and secure from crocodile attacks. Animals played an important role in ancient Egyptian society. They were hunted for sport and food, reared as livestock on farms, and some species were domesticated and kept as pets. It is thought that cats, dogs, monkeys, geese and gazelles were often kept in Ancient Egyptian homes. Meat was part of the Egyptian diet. Ancient Egypt is famous for its mummies of pharaohs, however, the ancient Egyptians mummified animals as well as people. Lions and cheetahs were exotic pets and symbols of royalty. In ancient Egypt, it also To better understand the ebb and flow of this vibrant civilization, Egyptologists introduced three clusters, splitting this vast period of time firstly into the Old Kingdom... Carlo Lasinio (Engraver), Giuseppe Angelelli , Salvador Cherubini, Gaetano Rosellini (Artists), Ippolito Rosellini (Author), https://givemehistory.com/animals-of-ancient-egypt, 3 Kingdoms: Old, Middle & New | Ancient Egypt, Top 20 Symbols of Balance Through History, Top 23 Symbols of Water and their Meanings, Top 23 Symbols of Freedom & Liberty Throughout History, Top 25 Ancient Chinese Symbols and their Meanings, Respect and veneration for animals was a fundamental aspect of their traditions, Ancient Egyptians believed many of their gods and goddesses were reincarnated on earth as animals, Early domesticated species included sheep, cattle goats, pigs and geese, Egyptian farmers experimented with domesticating gazelles, hyaenas and cranes after the Old Kingdom, Horses only appeared after the 13th Dynasty. They were often kept as pets in royal households. The abundance of animals was due to so much water from the Nile River. The first surviving pictures of horses we have today date from the 18th Dynasty. They were rarely ridden and never used for ploughing during the second millennium BCE. What Are The 3 Main Periods Of Ancient Egyptian History? The solar god Horus Khenty-Khenty from the Athribis region was occasionally depicted as a crocodile. The venomous cobra was believed to protect the King from evil while the ibis was thought to patronise the wise scribes living in Egypt. Media in category "Animals in ancient Egypt" The following 21 files are in this category, out of 21 total. Throughout the chaos of different religions in ancient Egypt one factor remained the same, animals. Many demons had protective qualities and by their strange appearance, frightened any kind of malevolent beings. There were many wild animals in ancient Egypt including crocodiles, hippos, jackals and snakes. Donkeys, donkeys and … Initially, their distribution was quite restricted and they only became more common during the Late Period. These creatures were also sighted in the cemeteries from where they came to be associated with the dead. Ancient Egyptians recognised cats protected their kittens. However, the animals themselves were not worshipped as divine. They were also used for ceremonies and for hunting purposes. In the beginning, horses were rare and due to their novelty were regarded as status symbols. However, pork was excluded from religious observances. Donkeys were used to help in the fields. The cobra was believed to be the protector of the king and was referred to as the Uraeus. They were both pets and the manifestation of the divine attributes of Egypt’s pantheon of gods here on earth. Dogs were thought to see the true heart and intentions of a person. Cats were often depicted in paintings, sitting on the laps of their owners or below the chair where their owner was sitting. Meretseger was another cobra goddess, known as “She Who Loves Silence”, who punished criminals with blindness. Join Egyptologist Jen Thum for an interactive, family-friendly look at animals in ancient Egyptian art and life! The god Horus was often shown as a man with the head of the hunting bird called a Falcon. Khonsu Egypt’s youthful moon god was depicted as a baboon as was Thoth in another manifestation. The wealthy and influential kept horses in grand stables and fed high quality fodder and were also given individual names. At Saqqara, the necropolis for the ancient Egyptian capital Memphis, more than 1.75 million ibis They were luxury items and were used to pull chariots. He amuses himself in his down time by writing. The Egyptians associated frogs with fertility and resurrection. Bastet was initially a desert cat before transforming into a domestic feline. Taweret was the munificent hippo goddess of fertility and childbirth. Fat-tailed sheep were first introduced to Egypt sometime during its Middle Kingdom. Ancient Egyptians revered felines, and it was common for most households to have a pet cat. Farming Animals: Animals were very important to Egyptian farmers. The diminutive ‘puss’ or ‘pussy’ also comes from the Egyptian word Pasht, another name for the cat goddess Bastet. David can be found at @daviddoeswords and www.zaharablu.com. Header image courtesy: See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Hence, the Egyptians honoured these animals particularly in and around their temples, via daily rituals and annual festivals. The Egyptian animal mummies became a hot topic of Egyptian archaeology because of the things they reveal about the human-animal-god relationship in ancient Egypt. Cite this article David Rymer BA MBT, "Animals of Ancient Egypt," Give Me History, March 14, 2019, https://givemehistory.com/animals-of-ancient-egypt. Monkeys, dogs and cats were used in different games. A variety of animals played a significant role in the lives of ancient Egyptians. More information on Bast The Nile crocodiles were giant and aggressive animals and would claim the lives of many people in ancient Egypt. It was believed that cats were descendants of Bast, the goddess of moonlight and fertility. The cobra was highly feared and revered by the ancient Egyptians. David is a freelance writer, non-fiction and fiction author and university lecturer in journalism, marketing and law. Horses were utilised for pulling chariots and in war. The hippopotamus was a much feared as well as a revered beast in ancient Egypt and thus is mentioned in this list of animals of ancient Egypt. onwards, the Apis bull burial grounds were a huge and growing underground system of chambers called the Seapeum. It was used as a symbol of royalty and representations of this deadly snake would adorn the brows of various kings. Hence, the interactions between animals and humans during their lives assumed religious importance. . This was when Anubis, the jackal head god, judged a … Early Egyptian farmers, had experimented with domesticating a range of other animals including gazelles, hyaenas and cranes although these efforts appear to be have been after the Old Kingdom. On the smaller end of the spectrum, Egyptians were familiar with ferrets, monkeys, dogs, and cats. Bird-life included the ibis, heron, goose, kite, falcon, crane, plover, pigeon, owl and vulture. In fact, we have discovered several million more animal mummies than human mummies! They kept goats, pigs, ducks, cows, geese, and cattle. Hathor, Isis, Mehet-Weret and Nut were often shown either as cows, with cow horns of or with cow ears.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'givemehistory_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_9',114,'0','0'])); The divine cobra was sacred to Wadjet the cobra goddess of Per-Wadjet who represented Lower Egypt and kingship. Rams were associated with the two Egyptian Gods, Amun and Khnum and also regarded as symbols of fertility. Apis Bulls were bred specifically for sacrificial ceremonies. Animals such as elephants, rhinoceros, crocodiles, and hippopotami used to live in different parts of Egypt, however these animals do not exist in Egypt today. At the heart of the relationship between ancient Egyptians and animals were their religious beliefs. The domesticated cat was a symbol of grace and poise because of the way it hunts its prey. In ancient times, crocodiles were common in Egypt. Throughout the history of Ancient Egypt, animals were highly respected. While the hyenas enjoyed domestic life, their owners were fattening them up for supper. The ancient Egyptians believed in the universe’s infinite powers and respected these elements, as they believed the divine existed everywhere and in everything. Camels were domesticated in Arabia and western Asia during the third or second millennium was barely known in Egypt until the Persian conquest. As for pets, Vervet monkeys, dogs, cats, duck and geese were kept. Falcons, or hawks, were sacred, as were scarab beetles. Cats also helped keep stored grains safe from rodents and snakes. Crocodiles were highly revered by the ancient Egyptians. However, animals themselves were not worshipped as being divine. Domesticated during the Middle Kingdom the ancient Egyptians believed cats to be a divine or god-like entity and when they died, they mourned their death much as they would a human, including having them mummified. Amongst settled Egyptians, goats had a limited economic value. Camels and horses were used as beasts of burden from the Late Period. Set was believed to have transformed into a hippopotamus during his fight with Horus. The name meaning “she who is great” is represented in the form of a female pregnant hippopotamus with female human breasts and the back of a Nile crocodile. The big cats like the lion and the cheetah were also animals in ancient Egypt that served as symbols of power and royalty. Only the very wealthy could afford to keep and care for them effectively. Apart from herds of goats, lambs or herds of pigs, wild animals such as antelopes, gazelles, deer, wild goats, oryx, buffaloes, ibexes, royal herons or even hyenas were bred in captivity. Mummification was not a process which was reserved for people in ancient Egypt. Their dung served as a source of biofuel. Ancient Egypt’s judgement hall demoness Ammut had the head of a crocodile and rear of a hippopotamus was called “the devourer of the dead.” She punished evildoers by eating their hearts. Horses were employed in chariots for both hunting and military campaigns.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'givemehistory_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_8',111,'0','0'])); Tutankhamen’s riding crop found in his tomb bears an inscription. Some representations of Taweret showed the hippo goddess with a crocodile’s tail and back and were illustrated with a crocodile perched on her back.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'givemehistory_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',115,'0','0'])); Crocodiles were also sacred to Sobek was the ancient Egyptian god of water unexpected death, medicine and surgery. The most popular ancient Egyptian pet was the cat. There is little evidence mutton was regularly eaten.eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'givemehistory_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',105,'0','0'])); Pigs had been part of early Egyptian diets since the start of the 4th millennium BCE. In Ancient Egypt, there were many different wild animals. Ancient Egypt spanned nearly 3,000 years. The Egyptians also had a smaller breed of hornless cattle, together with wild long-horned cattle. By Oishimaya Sen Nag on July 20 2018 in Society. In ancient Egypt, jackals would wander in the deserts and approach towns and villages for opportunistic feeding. The most well-known of these is the pet cat. Sheep served a large number of purposes in ancient Egypt. Bird-life included the ibis, heron, goose, kite, falcon, crane, plover, pigeon, owl and vulture. Sobek was portrayed as a crocodile-headed human, or as a crocodile itself. From 1390 B.C. The bull was one of the most important animal gods in ancient Egypt. Milk, meat, horns, and hide were obtained from cattle and they were a prized possession of the people in the region. The 13th Dynasty is the first evidence we have of horses appearing in Egypt. Animals that were much feared like the crocodiles and hippos were revered and worshiped to save oneself from the wrath of these animals. Bastet, their cat god, was an important and powerful deity throughout ancient Egypt. The skin of these beasts were also highly prized and they were hunted for the same. The Egyptian deity associated with the Nile crocodile was Sobek, represented either in the form of a crocodile or as a human with a crocodile head. Specific animals were closely associated with or sacred to individual deities. Facts about animals in Ancient Egypt Although many of the animals in Egypt were associated with certain gods, goddesses and characteristics, many of them were also used for practical purposes. Great Egyptian rulers would chase after animals with a mixed pack of hunting dogs and hyenas. Some pharaohs even had lions and cheetahs as pets. From Egypt, they subsequently spread throughout much of eastern Africa. All of these animals were so abundant because of the Nile River. There were also many types of birds and fish that called Ancient Egypt home. The Egyptians had almost 80 gods. Much of the Western Desert is totally devoid of any kind of plant life, but where some form of water exists the usual desert growth of perennials and grasses is found; the coastal strip has a rich plant life in spring. Though cats were considered to be the most divine. And when it came to treating animal health, the same healers that treated humans also treated the animals. The Egyptians associated this nature of the beetle with the sun in the sky. Cats were so important to ancient Egyptians it became a crime to kill a cat.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'givemehistory_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',113,'0','0'])); Dogs served as hunting companions and watchdogs. In temples, the high priests would supervise the statues as they were washed, perfumed and dressed in clothes and fine jewellery three times a day. Cats, dogs, ferrets, baboons, gazelles, Vervet monkeys, falcons, hoopoes, ibis and doves were the most common pets in ancient Egypt. The invention of mummification enabled the ancient Egyptians to preserve the bodies not only of humans but also of animals, so that they could live forever. Donkeys were also used for plowing fields and trampling over seeds to bury them in the soil. Notably, the punishment for killing a cat in ancient Egypt was very severe. The mummified remains of dogs have also been discovered by Egyptologists. Bodies of rams were often mummified and decorated and ram-headed sphinxes flanked the entrance to Amun’s temple at Thebes. This association with Set saw the male hippopotamus cast as an evil animal. Their oxen, a heavily horned African species were prized as ceremonial offerings. Ancient Egypt bred two forms of domesticated sheep. He has been based in the Middle East for over a decade travelling extensively in the region, including Egypt indulging in his passion for archaeology. They were used to extract meat, milk, wool, and skin. The Egyptians associated the ibis bird to Thoth, the Egyptian God of wisdom and writing. Just like the title suggests, the combination of the two animals makes Griffon the symbol of war. Goatskins were turned into as water canteens and floatation devices. Animals were accorded high status in the ancient Egyptians’ life, which extended into their afterlife. Early domesticated species included sheep, cattle goats, pigs and geese. One of the most frequently depicted deities was Horus a falcon-headed solar god. Similarly, Renenutet the cobra goddess was a fertility goddess. The civilization is remembered for the pyramids, the Sphinx, hieroglyphics, pharaohs and distinct afterlife beliefs. This begins with mating, laying eggs, growing... Goddess Heket, also known as Hekat and Heqet, is the Egyptian goddess of fertility and grain germination. The scarab beetle exhibits a unique habit of collecting animal dung, rolling it into a ball, and laying its eggs on the ball so that when the larvae hatch, they can immediately access food. Anubis, the Egyptian jackal or wild black dog-headed deity weighed the heart of the dead for Osiris to gauge their deeds in life. 21st Dynasty Egypt, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. Sobek’s temples often featured sacred lakes where captive crocodiles were kept and pampered. This included crocodiles, hippos, jackals, and snakes. The Egyptian Goddess Bastet was originally conceived as a formidable wildcat, a lioness, but over time morphed into a housecat. The cat named "Bastet," was the goddess of tenderness, and humbleness, and symbolized fertility, love, and sympathy. Native fish included the carp, perch and catfish. Thus, to save themselves from the wrath of the hippopotamus, the Egyptians worshipped the animal in the form of an Egyptian Goddess, Tauret. Some Animals From Ancient Egypt And What They Represented Jackals in ancient Egypt were used as a symbol for judgment after death. When an Apis bull died, it was embalmed and buried in great honor. However, at first, they appeared in limited numbers and were only introduced on a wide scale from around the Second Intermediate Period onwards. Native fish included the carp, perch and catfish. Wild goats lived in Egypt’s more mountainous regions and pharaohs such as Thutmose IV, enjoyed hunting them. In no other culture have animals been as influential in so many aspects of life, nor has any culture depicted animals as often in their artwork or writing. The ancient Egyptians domesticated several species of household animals. However, many wandering Bedouin tribes depended on goats and sheep to survive. 10 Magnificent Examples Of Ancient Egyptian Architecture, The Egyptian People - Cultures of the World, Types Of Crimes By Number Of Offenses In The US. Ancient Egyptians also believed many of their gods and goddesses were reincarnated on earth as animals. Falcons have fantastic eyesight, and as they soar through the sky they can spot tiny animals on the ground. Horses were introduced into Egypt relatively late at about 1500 BC. Plant and animal life In spite of the lack of precipitation, the natural vegetation of Egypt is varied. Later Egyptians evolved religious ceremonies centred on specific animals. Khanum was a ram-headed god. He “came on his horse like the shining Re.” This seems to indicate Tutankhamen enjoyed riding on horseback. As with goats, sheep were not as economically important to settled Egyptian farmers as they were to the nomadic Bedouin tribes, who relied on sheep for milk, meat and wool. As per the ancient Egyptians, the scarab beetle or Khepri would renew the sun each day and then roll it above the horizon, carrying it through the other world to renew it again the next day. Leather obtained from cattle was used to make shoes, shields, chair seats, etc. Or as a frog goddess frequently portrayed as a crocodile itself another manifestation wild goats lived in.! Rarely ridden and never used for ceremonies and for hunting purposes was introduced during the second millennium.... Mountainous regions and pharaohs such as Thutmose IV, enjoyed hunting them dog-headed deity the. Of the ancient Egyptians also believed many of their traditions bury them in the temples of the spectrum Egyptians. 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