Bast (Egyptian)
Bast (aka Bastet) was one of the most popular goddesses of ancient Egypt. She is generally thought of as a cat goddess. However, she originally had the head of a lion or a desert sand-cat and it was not until the New Kingdom that she became exclusively associated with the domesticated cat. Even then, she remained true to her origins and retained her war-like aspect.
Bast personified the playfulness, grace, affection, and cunning of a cat, as well as the fierce power of a lioness. She was also worshiped all over Lower Egypt, but her cult was centered on her temple at Bubastis, which was the capital of ancient Egypt for a time.
She was thought to be the mother of Nefertum (who was a god of perfume,) which some say implies that she is sweet and precious, but that under the surface lay the heart of a predator. She occasionally bears a was-scepter (signifying strength) and is often accompanied by a litter of kittens.
Cats were sacred to Bast, and to harm one was considered to be a crime against her and so very unlucky. Her priests kept sacred cats in her temple, which were considered to be incarnations of the goddess. When they died they were mummified and could be presented to the goddess as an offering. The ancient Egyptians placed great value on cats because they protected the crops and slowed the spread of disease by killing vermin. As a result, Bast was seen as a protective goddess. Evidence from tomb paintings suggests that the Egyptians hunted with their cats and also kept them as beloved pets, which may have contributed to Bast’s popularity.
As the daughter of Ra she was one of the goddesses known as the “Eye of Ra,” a fierce protector who almost destroyed mankind but was tricked with blood-colored beer which put her to sleep and gave her a hangover, stopping the carnage. Bast is most notably close to another “Eye of Ra,” Sekhmet. During the Feast of Hathor, an image of Sekhmet represented Upper Egypt while an image of Bast represented Lower Egypt. Bast was very closely linked to Hathor. She was often depicted holding a sistrum (the sacred rattle of Hathor) and Denderah (the home of the cult centre of Hathor in the sixth nome of Upper Egypt) was sometimes known as the “Southern Bubastis”.
Source: Ancient Egypt Online Ukhttps://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/bast/
Bast image created by Gunawan Kartapranata
Festival of Bast
Herodotus relates that of the many solemn festivals held in Egypt, the most important and most popular one was that celebrated in Bubastis in honor of Bast. Each year on the day of her festival, the town was said to have attracted some 700,000 visitors, both men and women (but not children,) who arrived in numerous crowded ships. The women engaged in music, song, and dance on their way to the place. Great sacrifices were made and prodigious amounts of wine were drunk—more than was the case throughout the year. This accords well with Egyptian sources which prescribe that lioness goddesses are to be appeased with the “feasts of drunkenness.”
Source: wikipedia
Question: If you were a goddess, what would you like your festival to look like?
Tao-Talk 
super interesting Li 📔🙌💜💜
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Yes, she is! Thanks, CA.
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❤️
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I always like that name, Bastet, for the cat goddess. I’m glad these ancient people revered cats. I have a souvenir of Bastet in silver and turquoise that was part of a keychain (but I made it into a necklace). My daughter got it for me in Las Vegas at the Luxor! :)
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I like that name also. Very awesome you have a Bastet necklace to protect you. Your daughter made a good choice!
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Interesting indeed. Cats were very important to the Egyptians it seems. I can understand, they are crafty and smart. To answer your question, I would want my festival to be colorful and involve lots of presents for everyone! Have a lovely day, Lisa.
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Brenda I like the way they depict cats in their art. That festival is one I would go to :)
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Keeping with yesterday’s theme of my shrine being a library, my festival would be a story-sharing day. Plays in streets – puppets and improv; storytellers on street corners; reading in parks or at home. The end-of day meal would be gathering around and the elders sharing family stories. – Erin Penn
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Erin, my kind of festival :)
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I adore cats and over the years have enjoyed the company of many Siamese cats, which are more like dogs than felines. When I was a child the Siamese used to have a kink at the end of their tale – said to be where Cleopatra placed her ring whilst bathing. Sadly, that kink has since been bred out of the breed.
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How interesting, Brizzy, about Siamese cats. Never had one myself.
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They make great companions though more canine than feline.
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I’d think that would be a good thing, but depends on which behaviors.
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Now I know the origin of the mummified cats.
I would like a festival with a lot of music. (K)
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Yes on music festival. I’d like it to go for a week and be 24/7 music, with camping and free admission.
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The old mythologies are so interesting! I like cats, but not enough have them as pets. Great post, Lisa!
Linzé visiting from A to Z
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I have 2 cats right now, or should I say I serve 2 cats. They have their own personalities and can be destructive, but I look in the mirror and can say the same thing about myself.
Thanks for reading and visiting, Linze’.
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To be fair, cats are pretty great.
Tony (Danab Cycle)
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Tony, yes they are :)
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If you’d like Bast to visit, set out a cardboard box and she will sit in it.
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I will remember that, thanks, Liam.
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Wowza! I love this background about bast, as I published C is for Cats say the Darnest of things. ;-)
I’m totally enjoying your art and sharing about these mythlogical Goddesses.
https://natashamusing.com/2026/04/d-is-for-dolphins-gangetic-river-dolphins/
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Thanks so much, Natasha. Yes they do :)
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Hi again Li,
If I were a Goddess I’d like my festival to be surrounded with animals, and trees, where they are revered as much as I am as a Goddess!
I love your questions too, Li.
Much love.
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Natasha, that seems just right for you. Have been enjoying your stories very much. Thank you.
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So glad to hear that, Li. :)
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The Egyptians really were cat people… :)
I do love the myth about Sekhmet and the invention of beer!
http://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com
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Of course they were — they were cool cats :)
Did not know that myth. Thank you for sharing!
https://blog.hmns.org/2019/04/that-time-beer-saved-the-world/
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I definitely would not like feasts of drunkenness! LOL It might be fun to have people give gifts and poems, to both family members and strangers.
https://nydamprintsblackandwhite.blogspot.com/2026/03/b-is-for-beyond.html
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Having seen movies, can relate. Thank you for taking us to egypt.
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You are most welcome, Prakash.
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