Mummy of a Cat
Date: about 50 CE
Dimensions:
10 in. (25.4 cm)
Medium: cat remains, linen, and pigment
Place of Origin: possibly from the Temple of Bastet, Sakkara, Egypt
Classification: Mummies and Mummy Cases
Credit Line: Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Eugene Scheble
Object number: 1903.1
Label Text:Animals sacred to gods were piously mummified, just as humans were. The Egyptians mummified millions of cats, birds, fish, crocodiles, and other animals, burying them in catacombs and cemeteries near the temples of the gods being honored. Because of the huge numbers, many Egyptologists believed the standard treatment was of low quality, but recent study suggests the mummification techniques used for animals were as elaborate as those used for the best-preserved human bodies. This mummified cat was the first object (as opposed to painting) donated to the Toledo Museum of Art.
On view