Amulet of a cat with a kitten

Amulet of a cat with a kitten
The mould-made, pale blue Egyptian faience amulet represents the seated cat form of the feline goddess Bastet, venerated in the Nile Delta, mainly in the town of Bubastis. The amulet depicts a cat seated on her hind legs, turning its head to the right and protecting her kitten with a very maternal gesture, her right foreleg is resting on the head of the kitten. The cat, feeding, protecting, and paying attention to her kitten, is a form of the goddess representing the maternity and family. This maternal gesture symbolised the beneficial and fertility power of Bastet. The ancient Egyptians asked for the gods’ protection in their life and afterlife by wearing amulets. The reverse features a suspension loop and was worn on their jewellery and clothes or textiles. The cat amulets were worn by women in particular, who relied on the protection of the goddess during their pregnancy or who hoped for pregnancy by the fertility power of the goddess.