Bastet

A statuette of Bastet

Bastet or Bast was an Ancient Egyptian deity, worshipped as early as the Second Dynasty (2890 BCE). As Bast, she was the goddess of warfare in Lower Egypt; her counterpart in Upper Egypt was Sekhmet. After the unification of Egypt, instead of merging, these two goddesses diverged further.

Description

Bastet is usually depicted as having the head of a black cat, and as such is symbolized by them, though all cats are considered her avatars.

Influence

The city of Bubastis was the home and centre of Bastet's worship, containing the temple of Bastet. Over the course of his journeys, the Medjay Bayek of Siwa made the acquaintance of said temple's High Priestess, and bid a man he met in Alexandria to seek out the temple and the priestess.

Around 38 BCE, Bayek, while exploring Aten helped an old man, Khui, preserve his fading memory of the Old Divine ones by searching for statuettes of three old gods, Bastet being one of them, Bayek later gave the man the statuettes.

Behind the scenes

Bastet's name has been transliterated also as B'sst, Baast, Ubaste, and Baset. In ancient Greek religion, she is also known as Ailuros. Her name later became associated with the lavish jars in which Egyptians stored their ointment used as perfume, and thus she gradually became regarded as the goddess of perfumes. Bastet was also depicted as the goddess of protection against contagious diseases and evil spirits.

Herodotus wrote about Bastet in length in Book II of his Histories.

Gallery

A sacred Egyptian statue of a cat

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Origins (mentioned only)