Cat

This animal was sacred to Bast, who is frequently represented with the head of a cat. Its name *miu* appears to be onomatopoetic. The cat often figures in vignettes in the "Book of the Dead," where it sometimes holds a knife, with which to slay a serpent. But the meaning here is obscure. That the animal was much venerated is shown by the fact of the numberle mummified cats that have been found, especially at Bubastis, Sakkara, and Beni Hasan. It was perhaps a symbol of the Sun-god and day, slaying the serpent, the emblem of evil and darkne . On tomb walls we see the cat accompanying his master in his little skiff when he goes fowling in the marshes, and it has been suggested that the animal was taught to retrieve. Many figures of cats of different sizes have been found, in bronze and faience.