Bastet: Goddess of Ancient Egypt

BASTET Goddess of Ancient Egypt For more than three thousand years, Bastet stood at the heart of ancient Egyptian religion. She was the Eye of Ra, the defender of the sun god, the lioness of divine wrath and the sacred feline of protection. She guarded pharaohs in battle, watched over women and children, and presided over music, celebration, fertility, and cosmic order. This authoritative historical study explores Bastet within the full context of ancient Egypt — her origins in predynastic culture, her rise at Bubastis, her theological role within solar religion, and her transformation from fierce lioness to beloved cat goddess. Drawing on temple inscriptions, Pyramid and Coffin Text traditions, funerary literature, archaeological discoveries, and classical accounts, this book reveals: • The evolution of Bastet in Egyptian mythology and theology • Her relationship to Sekhmet, Hathor, Ra, and the Eye of Ra tradition • The Great Festival of Bubastis and its religious meaning • The sacred cat cult and the vast feline necropolises • Bastet's role in childbirth, healing, protection, and daily life • Her place within ancient Egyptian cosmology and divine kingship Far beyond a symbol of cats, Bastet was a guardian of order against chaos, a goddess of fertility and joy, and a central figure in the religious history of ancient Egypt. For readers of ancient religion, Egyptian mythology, archaeology, and Egyptology, this book restores Bastet to her rightful place as one of the most powerful and complex goddesses of the ancient world. About the Author Kylie Small is a researcher of ancient Egyptian religion and mythology. Her work focuses on historical theology, sacred symbolism, and the cultural legacy of the gods of ancient Egypt.